Since its release back in 2010, the Nissan Leaf has been one of Europe’s most sought-after electric cars, and 2018 saw it top the EV sales charts in the continent.
Now in its second generation, the hatchback incorporates sharper styling and improved levels of technology that help it cope with modern driving.
Here’s is why the latest version of the Nissan Leaf is such a good option in the EV market…
Good electric range
In an affordable car like the Leaf, range will never be as good as the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace, or Tesla Model S – but Nissan has managed to give the hatchback plenty of juice in its battery nonetheless. On the standard Leaf, the 40 kWh battery allows up to 168 miles on a single charge – while the special edition 3.Zero e+ is capable of 239 miles thanks to its larger 62 kWh battery. The regular offering, however, is more than good enough for daily commuting around town.
Excellent safety gear
As part of the model’s Intelligent Mobility Pro-Pilot setup, the Leaf can be fitted with a fleet of safety systems, such as emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane intervention, high beam assist, traffic sign recognition and rear cross traffic alert. Further features include blind spot warning, intelligent trace control – which helps smooth out cornering – and intelligent ride control. All of these helped give the Leaf a five-star safety rating from vehicle testing authority Euro NCAP.
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Lots of standard equipment
On the majority of Leaf models, the cabin is fitted with a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen that can display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the vehicle’s Pro-Pilot systems and satellite navigation. Other features include automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, heated seats, keyless start and what Nissan have dubbed ‘Zero Gravity seats’ that provide high levels of comfort.
Practical layout
With plenty of space for passengers in the rear seating space, Nissan designed the Leaf so that there was still plenty of storage room in the boot – much like similarly-sized, conventionally-powered hatchbacks. The 435-litre boot is well-shaped, and if that isn’t quite enough room for you, the Leaf has split folding rear seats so you can get even more in the back.
Prices for the Nissan Leaf start from £26,690 following the government’s plug-in vehicle charge.
