![2021 nissan leaf 2021 nissan leaf](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-wAAAOSw-7pi-qES/s-l500.jpg)
2021 nissan leaf plus#
Range: Driving the Nissan Leaf Plus Efficiently 2021 Nissan Leaf SL Plus | photo by Joe BruzekĬold weather kills range in any EV, so I wasn’t surprised that subfreezing temperatures resulted in a lower actual range than the EPA’s estimate of 215 miles. They do a good job keeping the car centered in its lane and smoothly accelerating and braking with traffic.
![2021 nissan leaf 2021 nissan leaf](https://di-uploads-development.dealerinspire.com/puyallupnissanredesign/legacymigration1121/uploads/2021/09/puyallupnissan-logo-head.png)
2021 nissan leaf driver#
My Leaf Plus SL’s nearly $46,000 as-tested price was a giant head-scratcher how can it be this expensive and also this subpar? At least it has Nissan ProPilot Assist, a comprehensive suite of driver assist features that give it semi-autonomous driving capabilities, like adaptive cruise control and lane centering. 2021 Nissan Leaf SL Plus | photo by Joe Bruzek The Chevrolet Bolt EV, to name one, has a far more spacious and comfortable backseat. The Leaf is also one of just a few hatchbacks this size in which I can’t sit in the backseat without ducking to avoid hitting the top of the cabin (I’m 6 feet tall). More recent redesigns from Nissan, like the Sentra, are a step up in quality they’re actually quite nice.
![2021 nissan leaf 2021 nissan leaf](https://bilhallenmjolby.se/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/rulelegacy-largestformat-99.jpg)
It’s the equivalent of a compact car - from five-plus years ago. The Leaf also comes up short versus the ID.4 and other EVs when it comes to interior quality and space. My Leaf test car cost a couple hundred dollars more than the ID.4, as well. Coincidentally, I took a quick spin in a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 EV SUV ($45,190 as tested) back-to-back with the Leaf on the same roads, which left no question that the ID.4 has more premium, higher-quality ride quality and refinement to go along with its superior range estimate of 250 miles. The car shimmies and shakes over rough roads and railroad tracks, driving more like a sub-$20,000 subcompact car than something with an as-tested price of $45,630 (prices include destination). The Leaf’s ride is punishingly rough, with harsh, sharp impacts over bumps. During my drive, the blast of torque overpowered the front tires up to 45 mph on the dry - but cold and salty - roads on which I drove, which eventually became annoying, since all I wanted to do was cleanly accelerate away.
![2021 nissan leaf 2021 nissan leaf](https://images.cars.com/cldstatic/wp-content/uploads/nissan-leaf-sl-plus-2021-10-angle--exterior--orange--rear.jpg)
An electric motor provides high torque at very low rpm, so acceleration is applied quickly and ferociously. Like most EVs, there’s no step-gear transmission, meaning there’s no lag or waiting for downshifts. In addition to more range, the Leaf Plus brings a healthy dose of driving fun, as its larger battery pairs with a more powerful motor and quicker acceleration to make the Leaf Plus SL an entertaining car to drive. Driving the Nissan Leaf Plus 2021 Nissan Leaf SL Plus | photo by Joe Bruzek More of an issue is that there are many more EVs available now than there were in 2011, making the Nissan Leaf look less appealing than it once did. That, however, is less of a concern now that the car has more buffer room, with an almost 200% range increase over the first Leaf. Related: Which Electric Cars Are Still Eligible for the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit?Īfter spending a few weeks in a 2021 Nissan Leaf Plus, it’s clear some things haven’t changed - like the Leaf’s wonky range predictions. When equipped with a larger battery pack, the feature-leaden Leaf Plus SV and SL trim levels are rated 11 miles lower than the base Leaf Plus, at 215 miles. Most notably, the Leaf’s range has increased: The 2021 Nissan Leaf Plus is now EPA-rated to have a range as high as 226 miles, while the standard 2021 Leaf is rated at 149 miles. Not many of those miles were mine as an apartment-dweller without home charging, I questioned whether its EPA-estimated 73 miles of range and sketchy range predictions would be sufficient for my 70-mile round-trip commute.Ī lot has changed in the past 10 years. Versus the competition: The Leaf Plus has range and efficiency similar to other non-Tesla EVs, but it takes large factory discounts to feel good about the rest of the car.Ĭars.com bought a Nissan Leaf electric car in 2011, its debut year, and owned it for 19 months and 11,000 miles. The verdict: The Nissan Leaf is a vestige of early mass-market EVs in the U.S., from when EV powertrains were crammed into small compact cars - hard to reconcile with a $40,000-plus sticker price for some versions.