Yahoo Autos 2021 Nissan Leaf Review | What's new, range, prices, pictures
The 2021 Nissan Leaf is one of the longest-running electric car nameplates on the market, which partly explains why it’s the bestselling electric car in the world. As for why you might be interested in one now, much of its appeal is its wide range of trims and, well, ranges. Its more affordable base models have a less-powerful motor and will go about 150 miles on a charge. But if you need to travel longer distances, or would appreciate some extra peace of mind, the available Leaf Plus can go 226 miles. Either way, you get a rather spacious hatchback with a comfortable ride and refined powertrain. All of these features make it well worth considering against similar offerings such as the Chevy Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV and entry-level Tesla Model 3.
What's new for 2021?
For 2021, the Nissan Leaf is unchanged. But it’s worth noting that last year Nissan added more equipment to more of the range. All models received front and rear automatic emergency braking, rear-cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high-beam headlights and lane-keep assist. Other safety features added include knee airbags and seat-mounted rear side airbags. The base trim levels also picked up a standard 8-inch infotainment screen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
What's the Leaf’s interior and in-car technology like?
Nissan positions the Leaf and Leaf Plus as budget options in the EV world, which means the interior feels a bit cheap. Hard black plastics dominate most surfaces, and the seats are cloth except for the most expensive SL that gets leather. This interior was totally revamped for the 2018 redesign, and so it feels modern with a big infotainment display and a digital screen with lots of information in the instrument cluster.
All Leaf models have an 8-inch screen. It features customizable icon layouts, multi-touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom and the capability of software updates over Wi-Fi. Every Leaf includes wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the touchscreens themselves are pretty easy to use.
Nissan doesn't go above and beyond with other interior features, but there are some niceties worth mentioning. An eight-way power driver's seat is optional, as are heated seats. A Bose seven-speaker stereo comes standard with the SL trim. Automatic climate control is also a standard feature. SV models and up get a heat-pump heater, which is a perk for an electric car, as it’s much more efficient and will likely help preserve some of your range when running it.
How big is the Leaf?
The Nissan Leaf is a hatchback, predictably making it super practical for its size. Compared to its closest competition, the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Kona Electric, it's just about average for passenger interior space. Nissan wins by a couple inches when it comes to front headroom and legroom, but gives those inches back when it comes to the snug rear seat. There's plenty of headroom in every seat for passengers over 6 feet tall, though.
It's considerably longer than its competitors, both overall and in wheelbase, which could contribute to the Leaf's supple ride. With all the seats in their upright position, this extra length contributes to more cargo space in the hatch than others, at 23.6 cu-ft. The seats do fold down, but the Bolt's cargo area ends up becoming far more expansive in full luggage capacity position (the new Bolt EUV is even bigger when you lower the seats). A base Nissan Leaf weighs as little as 3,501 pounds, but a top-trim Leaf Plus balloons all the way up to 3,914 pounds. A few hundred pounds is a noticeable difference, but the extra range and power are the upsides.
What are the Leaf's electric range and performance specs?
The Leaf has a single permanent magnet electric motor powering the front wheels, making 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Nissan says that's good for 0-60 mph in about 8 seconds, which is perfectly acceptable for a compact hatchback. Base range for this 40-kilowatt-hour version is 150 miles.
Nissan made a few tweaks to the electric motor for the big-battery Leaf Plus, which pumps its output up to 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. All that extra power brings the 0-60 mph time down to about 7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 98 mph. Range for the Leaf Plus and its 62-kWh battery pack is 226 miles, which isn't that far off top competitors, which are around 250. The Leaf Plus is also capable of charging faster than the normal Leaf, providing 100-kW DC fast charging whereas the 40-kWh model has 50-kW charging. Nissan says that in ideal conditions, you'll be able to get 180 miles of charge in 45 minutes with the Plus. That compares with the 40 minutes needed to recoup 120 miles of range in the base Leaf.
Unlike most other electric cars on the market, the Leaf’s DC fast-charging port is a CHAdeMO design. So when you’re planning a trip and planning on using fast charging, make sure stations along the route have a CHAdeMO charger, and not just the more common CCS charger.
