Nissan Leaf (2012-2026)

Outpaced by Other EV Rivals – The EV market is starting to get a little busy. If you have the cash, you’re probably looking to spend it in the best possible way to make the most of buying what might just be your first EV. You could consider new Chinese brands like MG, BYD or GWM. Or you could simply buy a Tesla and call it a day. The Leaf was a popular EV, but as the years… Read more

roll on without any sign of a major update to this car, it's quickly found itself feeling a little outdated compared to modern rivals.

I have to say that I wasn’t blown away by the overall construction and materials used both inside and out.

On the exterior, there was a ‘tinny’ feeling when opening and closing the doors on the Leaf, with certainly no manufactured weight found here. Apart from that noise, the overall construction of trim and panels was accurate and reflected a well-built product.

On the inside, the Leaf has plenty of hard plastics adorning the doors and dashboard. However, soft touch buttons, a unique ergonomic shifter design and familiar Nissan construction help uplift this interior perception of quality.

The Nissan Leaf E+ is priced from $66,350 drive away. For this price, you receive a 62kWh battery pack, 385km of range, front heated seats, rear heated seats, leather seats, BOSE audio and radar cruise control.

The Leaf range does offer a cheaper 40kWh battery version with 270km of range for $55,325. I’m not convinced this would be the best way to spend your money if you’re planning on relying on the Leaf for personal use. If you can, I’d suggest opting for the Leaf E+ for that extra range.

Charging speed is a weak point here. It takes a full hour to charge from 20-80% from a public fast charger. This is a lot slower than the average 40-45 minute speeds other EV's usually charge at.

And Nissan has not updated the charging connection for the Leaf, meaning you'll be limited to using CHAdeMO connection which isn't as readily found as a Type 2 connection.

This sort of limited range for the money isn't really passable in 2024 if you want to drive further than some nearby regional towns.

Nissan offer a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and an 8 year/160,000km warranty for the battery pack.

On the inside, the Leaf shields you from outside noise, whilst the faint whir of the electric motor can be heard in the cabin under heavier acceleration.

I found that the Leaf's BOSE audio system provided a well-rounded listening experience and would be worth the upgrade if you enjoy music or podcasts.

The Leaf’s general braking ability leaves a lot to desire. The brake pedal simply feels a little too spongy for my liking; it’s not exactly confidence inspiring for spirited moments of driving. However, by enabling the e-pedal, you’re able to smoothly modulate the accelerator pedal on its own to brake the Leaf as part of this one-pedal driving mode.

The Leaf’s smaller capacity battery does offer a responsive yet muted acceleration experience. Its 0-100km/h times are claimed to be around 7.4 seconds - a respectable acceleration figure for a larger hatch like the Leaf.

The Leaf felt rapid between speeds of 15km/h through to 80km/h, with a slight reduction in acceleration beyond that. It’s a quick car, and it’s certainly fun to throw around corners.

The Leaf possesses a 2000s era ergonomic mouse in place of a shifter. It’s a circular shifter that freely moves in place that you point towards which gear you’d like to select. To be honest, I kind of liked how easy it was to operate.

The Leaf offered a comfortable and balanced ride across a variety of surfaces. What really helped the Leaf was the way in which it didn’t feel as heavy as its kerb weight would suggest.

The Leaf E+ officially consumes 18kWh per 100km of driving.

Nissan has clearly made an effort with making the Leaf feel a little more special than just another large hatchback. The seats look great, especially with the blue highlighted stitching, and it feels a little as if Nissan are hinting that the Leaf is fun to drive.

The Leaf offered a generous and deep boot compartment, although you’ll need to be careful as to not damage the BOSE sound generator placed squarely on the boot floor. Fold the second row in a 60/40 split, and you have more room than you’d ever need for your daily driving requirements.

The Leaf manages to make room for four with ease, with a weird inclusion of a massive transmission/exhaust tunnel despite lacking both. According to US publications, it’s empty space, so who knows why Nissan included this lump in between the second row passengers.

Despite offering a positive driving experience, practical packaging and a plush interior, the Leaf's range and charging speeds leave much to be desired for the price.

It's in need of an overhaul which might be heading its way soon. The new fully electric Nissan Ariya is shaping Nissan's EV direction and might be a strong influence on the next generation Leaf.

For now, there are better EV alternatives out there that I'd consider over the Leaf for the same or less cash.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on

Nissan leaf 2011 7 months on – Nissan leaf performing well fronm last reviews, used around town only [Rotorua NZ] Has not missed a beat no maintenance required at this point in time. When new had 12 segments on battery now has 8 purchased on 8 segments about 1 year ago new range 120 km now 70 km safely having around 15 km over when charged to 80% shows 85 km when charged to… Read more

100% shows105 km but this is an estimate and would only be achieved at 60 to 80 km/h At 100 km/h would only safely do 50 to 60 km But ideal for town traveling. Paid $NZ6000 probably almost cost of expensive mobility scooter but much safer. Will keep posting on progress first repair will be disc front brake pads not cheap $90 for set excluding labour.

It's now May 2024 and an edit to this review no maintenance cost only charged the 12 v battery a few times as it only charges when driving from main 200v electric car battery via an inverter to 12 v. Only use it for shopping and around town.