Nissan LEAF review

Driving position

The third-generation Nissan LEAF has totally evolved from a hatchback into a coupé-crossover, but with an overall height of 1,550mm, it’s still lower than many other SUVs, such as the Nissan Qashqai.

It means you get a raised driving position without feeling like you’re driving something that’s too big for town, and Nissan’s hit the spot with this.

The dashboard also sits pretty low, helping to boost the airy feel inside, but we did notice that the dash and windscreen’s design makes the front corners of the car feel further away than usual. Something to bear in mind when navigating tight spaces.

Its centre console design is also pretty unintrusive – the cupholder section sits lower down towards the floor and it opens up in the footwell into one flat space.

It, again, helps make what isn’t actually that big of an SUV feel more open inside.

Because of its coupé-like roofline, rear visibility does take a hit. The C-pillars feel pretty big when you’re looking over your shoulder, and the rear windscreen doesn’t quite offer as much visibility as, say, a Qashqai.

Still, it’s nowhere near as limiting as a Tesla Model Y’s rear window.

Nissan also proudly boasts its ‘Zero Gravity’ seats, which are designed to distribute your body weight more evenly across the padding to reduce fatigue.

They felt suitably comfortable, but the proof was in a long motorway drive – we didn’t feel as tired and uncomfortable as in some other cars. Well done, Nissan – the gimmick isn’t a gimmick!

Tech and features

Nissan LEAF trims

– Engage

– Engage+

– Advance

– Evolve

Which trim levels you have access to is determined by which battery size you go for. In short, the standard 52kWh model gets Engage and Advance.

Longer-range 75kWh models add Engage+ to the middle, and a range-topping Evolve option.

Everything feels well-put-together without feeling offensively digital, which is nice in today’s world of big screens.

The twin-12.3-inch displays blend into the dash, and of course, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto keep things easy to use.

Nissan’s own operating system isn’t the most advanced – it’s pretty basic and is not as intuitive to use as others, like the BYD ATTO 3 and Volvo EX30.

Engage+ is where things get interesting for 75kWh models, because for not a lot more, you get bigger 14.3-inch displays, Google built-in (which includes apps like Google Maps), heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a wireless phone charger.

It would be our pick for a value-friendly option.

Advance ups the luxury with a powered boot lid, a head-up display and a panoramic sunroof that, instead of using a roller shade, uses electrical currents to dim segments of the glass.

Evolve models, like our test car, have massage seats, a Bose sound system and more.

Importantly, all cars support vehicle-to-load (V2L), which allows you to power portable electronics from the car’s high-voltage battery. All but the entry-level car get a heat pump, which helps to improve efficiency in the colder months. Ideal.

On the driver aids front, ProPILOT tech is included on all trims. It includes things like adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, lane keep assist, automatic high beams and an all-important 360-degree camera.

Electric motors and power

Nissan LEAF performance stats

– Power: 177hp or 218hp

– 0-62mph: 7.6 to 8.3 seconds

– Top speed: Up to 100mph

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive (FWD)

Electric motor and battery choice are tied – the 52kWh model gets a 177hp motor, while the 75kWh version gets a 218hp motor.

Both are plenty quick enough, so much so that we don’t really wish for a slower or a faster model. For a blend of both worlds, they’re perfect.

The difference between the two is pretty modest, and because they have near-identical torque figures, they both feel very brisk off the line.

A dual-motor, four-wheel-drive model might help the LEAF attract performance-oriented customers from other electric SUVs, but that’s not really what the LEAF is about, and we’d let Nissan off if it decided not to add a performance model later on.

Variable driving modes really help to give the car a different character, anyway.

Eco mode really softens the throttle response – acceleration feels smooth and effortless, but in a way that doesn’t throw the passengers around.

On the flip side, Sport mode does really sharpen up throttle response – maybe too much – as it becomes a bit harder to make minor adjustments to your speed.

Handling and ride comfort

'LEAF’ is an old name for Nissan, but this car is based on much newer architecture.

The CMF-EV platform under the body is the same one found in the bigger ARIYA, and that’s already proven to be a very comfortable car compared to its rivals.

It’s clear that Nissan’s priority has been comfort and refinement, as the LEAF feels very calm around town.

We wouldn’t call it sporty or engaging through twisting country lanes, but its steering is certainly predictable and there’s not too much in terms of body lean.

Motorway refinement is another Nissan LEAF strongpoint, where wind and road noise are suppressed thanks to some decent sound insulation.

ProPILOT definitely helps make long trips more manageable, and we also welcome custom ADAS settings that are easily accessible – for controlling things like speed limit warning and lane departure warning.

Unlike many of its rivals, the LEAF uses steering wheel paddles for regenerative braking adjustments. However, it’s worth noting that a full battery limits how much regen the car is actually capable of.

It’s a shame, because others (like Tesla and Honda) have figured out a way to overcome this through software tweaks and the like. It was an EV flaw years ago, and one we’d have hoped would have been addressed by now.

The e-Pedal also gets a downgrade in the LEAF – rather than bringing the car to a complete stop, it just ramps up the regen to max. So, no one-pedal driving, then.

Boot space

Nissan LEAF boot space:

– Boot space: 437 litres

– Incl. rear seats folded: 1,052 litres

437 litres is below average, and we think the LEAF likely loses out to rivals on the boot’s depth – from seatback to boot lid. It’s maybe not quite as deep as some other electric SUVs.

The similarly shaped Toyota C-HR+ has 416 litres, and the much smaller hatchback-like Volvo EX30 has just 318 litres.

On the other end of the scale, you’ve got rivals like the Peugeot e-3008 offering 588 litres and the Renault Scenic E-Tech with 545 litres.

Two separate floor panels make up the variable boot floor, and they can be positioned upright to separate the floor area to keep your shopping from sliding about.

We also like having the option for some extra, hidden storage and a level load height. All in all, pretty flexible.

Rear seats

Despite its fairly compact dimensions, rear-seat space is actually pretty good in the LEAF.

Legroom is better than headroom, and that’s because of the sloping coupé roofline, but adults should be just fine back there.

The panoramic sunroof fitted to our test car certainly helped improve airiness in the back, but we suspect lower trim levels without this option might feel a bit more cramped.

We’d say the LEAF is around middle of the road for rear-seat space, likely beating the Peugeot e-3008 and Volvo EX30 but not quite offering as much space as the Volkswagen ID.5 or Tesla Model Y.

Storage solutions

Starting with the centre console, the cupholder section sits much lower than in other cars.

The trade-off is that there’s no split-level or floating storage design, like in the BYD ATTO 3, but the benefit is a more open design.

Space under the armrest up front is pretty average, and you’ve also got a usable glovebox.

All but the entry-level car have wireless phone charging for added convenience, but it’s only rated at 15W, so won’t keep up with some more hi-tech rivals – some of which offer up to 50W.

Nissan LEAF dimensions

– Height: 1,550mm

– Width: 2,098mm (incl. door mirrors)

– Length: 4,350mm

– Kerb weight: Up to 1,946kg

Safety

Euro NCAP hasn’t officially tested the LEAF (at the time of writing), but other recent Nissans have been awarded between four and five stars.

Active safety systems include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, collision warning and driver alertness monitoring, plus the ProPILOT semi-autonomous systems make driving less fatiguing.

The mechanically similar Alpine A390 got four stars, while the Renault Scenic E-Tech and Megane E-Tech got five. They all share a similar platform.

Range and charging

Nissan LEAF: electric range, battery and charging

– Range: 280 to 387 miles

– Battery size: 52 to 75kWh

– Max charging speed: 105 to 150kW

– Charge port location: Front left

– Charge time (AC): 7.5 hours (52kWh) to around 11 hours (75kWh) with a 7kW charger

– Charge time (DC): 10-80% in 35 minutes

– Efficiency: 4.5 to 4.6 mi/kWh (claimed)

Nissan claims a very impressive 4.5 mi/kWh for the 75kWh model, which we tested, but after a couple of hundred miles, we returned an average of 3.2 mi/kWh.

Slightly higher would likely have been attainable without a long-distance motorway trip, but it still falls short of the official claims.

3.2 mi/kWh also isn’t great compared with other rivals – the Kia EV3, Hyundai Kona Electric and Tesla Model Y all achieve better real-world efficiency.

Even with around 300 miles of real-world range in the 75kWh model, we think that’s more than enough for the average family or commuter, and access to a cheap home charger with regular top-ups negates any range issues anyway.

We can overlook efficiency given most Brits’ driving habits, but charging speeds are less impressive. A 10-80% top-up in 35 minutes for both battery sizes isn’t ideal.

Most rivals hit this benchmark in 30 minutes or less.

Reliability

Reliability is on Nissan’s side, because the brand has one of the longest histories of building mass-market electric cars. It definitely knows its way around a high-voltage battery and motor.

The LEAF is also built in its Sunderland factory, where thousands of cars are churned out for the UK and European markets.

Unlike previous generations, this LEAF also has active liquid battery heating and cooling to prevent long-term damage by extreme temperatures, as well as battery pre-conditioning to help improve rapid charging efficiency.