Test Drive: Nissan Leaf

By Jonathan Mellberg
photos by the author

It started with a Tesla Model S, which is still is one of the most amazing vehicles I’ve ever driven. It continued with the spunky, funky little BMW i3; whose personality practically redefines the meaning of unique. And now the next logical step to cracking the electric code is to drive perhaps the most common and attainable e-vehicle yet, the Nissan Leaf.

Let’s start with what we know. My research began on NissanUSA.com, with Nissan’s semi-interactive (though lack-luster) web page for the Leaf. All the facts and figures are there: things like hands-free Bluetooth phoning, heated seats (front and rear), regenerative braking, Nissan Intelligent Key and push button start are all standard. What’s obnoxiously absent is the Leaf’s advertised distance range. Unlike Tesla’s website, which proudly displays the Model S’s distance metrics in numerous areas, Nissan is shyer about revealing just how far their little electric car will get you. Advertised mileage is 126 miles per gallon for highway driving and 101 miles for city driving; what gallons?! The Leaf is fully electric, so what’s the deal? Nissan lists its battery size/type and its mpg estimates but won’t release real-life estimated range? What’s your excuse, Nissan?! We’ll get back to that…

Nissan Leaf (zero emission car)

The Leaf, like most Nissans, has three trim levels and three base prices to go with each: S ($21,510), SV (24,600), and SL (27,620). The aforementioned standard goodies all come with the $21,510 price tag.  Upgrading to SV trim will get you things like navigation and 17” alloy wheels, and the top-level SL trim affords the car leather, HomeLink, and auto on/off low-beam headlights. You’ve got your home charging station like other electric vehicles, optional Bose audio, an around-view monitor (providing a bird’s eye view of the car and its closest surroundings), and the Carwings smartphone app. I’ll admit that the automatic-switching LED headlights is a neat trick but not without confessing that I despise any car that believes it knows better than I what to do and when to do it.

Nissan Leaf's "gas" cap (for charging the car)

Assuming Wikipedia is accurate, the Leaf’s claimed range is 75 miles and a combined mpg-equivalency of 115 miles per gallon. OK, now we’re getting somewhere. And if I were Goldilocks and the three bears were the Tesla Model S, BMW i3, and the Nissan Leaf, then the Leaf would invariably be the littlest bear. It makes sense; The Leaf’s 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack is about one third the size of the Tesla’s base battery size of 60kWh (Tesla also offers an 85kWh option good for a 300-mile range).

Morrie's Nissan (Brooklyn Park, MN)

And so, I found myself at the local Nissan dealer in Brooklyn Park, MN, on a Friday afternoon, hunting for a Leaf to drive. A quick drive through the lot proved claustrophobic; I decided to park the car and go inside (I’ll let a salesman find the car for me). I lucked out; only one Leaf available for test-driving. Its color was Blue Ocean (someone must’ve already trademarked the much more sensible arrangement Ocean Blue). The car was on the cheaper side, with cloth seats instead of leather, and manual seats adjustments.

The exterior design is inescapably frumpy and odd. While not hideous in its own right, parked next to the god-like Nissan GT-R it’s just plain unattractive. The rear vertical taillights are kind of cool, as are the blue-tinted Nissan badges, fore and aft. The “gas” cap, i.e. where you’ll find the charging port, is centrally located just above the front bumper. The Leaf sports “zero emission” badges on three out of four major body panels. Fine, you’re special; at least I thought you were…

Godzilla (known to commoners as the Nissan GT-R)

I was not a fan of this car. Lest you think me a pitchfork-wielding relic from the 20^th century who doesn’t or can’t appreciate the electric car and the melting icecaps that forced its creation, I’ll have you know I’ve driven both the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3. Both were amazing, and both made me a believer. But with the Leaf, my faith took a tumble.

The biggest disappointment was the interior. Yes, it’s a small car, but Nissan has always found a way to make little cars feel big inside. Not so with the Leaf; legroom up front was tight (granted, I’m two inches over six feet tall). With my seat all the way down and back, my right knee was smashed up against the center of the dash which held the radio and HVAC controls. My left knee was likewise pressed up against the left door. No way could I comfortably drive this for hours on end. The digital dash screen in front of you is not unlike (in essence) that found in the BMW i3 or Tesla Model S; it conveys current charge levels and speed and other little info do-dads. But unlike its fancier stalemates, the Leaf’s display feels incredibly cheap, not to mention old. You’re reminded of this when focusing on the radio, which uses a color screen about the size of your smartphone (that’s small, for a passenger car. It’s important to note this was not a navigation-equipped model). This same tiny screen doubles as a back-up camera when the car is in reverse. You really have to squint to see it clearly and you’d be better off just turning your head around like your parents still do.

Equally disappointing was the Leaf’s power, or lack thereof. Yes, take off from a standstill feels fast, and probably is; but on-ramp acceleration and freeway passing is almost alarmingly underpowered. Power levels plateau early on, and once that happens you can bury the gas pedal all you want, the car won’t push any harder. Ride and handling are fine, and the car feels solid. But if I’m sacrificing gas-engine range (normal passenger cars get 300-450 miles per tank), I’m going to want some sort of trade-off. If I were a city-only driver with a twenty-mile round trip each day, I might (just might) consider a Leaf as my primary transportation. But with any open-road commuting (or that which requires judicious throttle application when necessary) the Leaf quickly falls off the list of worthy entries. 

cool-to-the-touch electric motor (on the top, at least)

Basically, the Nissan Leaf is a victim of its price point and manufacturer. Surely it didn’t help that I began my electric pilgrimage by driving a $79,000 Tesla Model S first, followed by a $45,000 BMW i3. Nissan’s $21K entry price is attractive, but that saddles you with sub-par design quality for a car of the future, precious little room inside, a battery that won’t/can’t get you past 75 miles without a re-charge, and power that poops out when it’s really needed. As a Nissan fan and a current Altima owner, I expected much more out of Nissan. I’m a fan of over half their lineup, but I can’t count the Leaf among those I adore.  What can Nissan do to change this? Firstly, offer two or three different battery sizes. This may be a bit cost restrictive but it will ease potential buyer’s minds knowing they can get more than a measly 75 miles out of one charge. Secondly, if there is ever a second-generation Leaf to be built, make sure it’s a little bigger, or at least less ergonomically-challenged. Nissan needs to look no further than its own current compact cars to make this happen. Thirdly, more power is needed. I mean come on, even a Toyota Prius feels peppier on the freeway. And just so we are clear, that was an insult.

-Thanks for reading The Wheelspin Journal-

photo by the author