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The Nissan Leaf has been hailed as the car that took the concept of an all-electric vehicle from a car-show attraction to a functional everyday driver. That was in 2011. Now entering its fifth year, the Leaf continues to gain in popularity.
As a four-door hatchback, the Leaf is designed to seat five, although it’s much more comfortable with only four. And while its range between charges is limited to about 84 miles, that’s plenty to cover a short commute and around-town errand running.
What's New For 2015
Nissan has added a more aggressive regenerative braking system to the base-level S trim, which now joins the other two trims with this feature. For the SV and SL trims, voice-to-text messaging and a navigation system are now standard, as are 17-inch wheels for the SV trim.
Choosing Your Nissan Leaf
This all-electric car offers the same motor and power source for all trims: an 80kW electric motor powered by a 24kWh rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Together, they produce 107 horsepower and offer a range of about 84 miles per charge, depending on such factors as traffic and your particular driving style.
However, two chargers are available. What Nissan refers to as the normal 3.6kW charger is standard for the S trim, while a 6.6kw charger is standard with the SV and SL trims. A quick-charge port that substantially speeds up charging times is standard with the SL trim and available for the S and SV.
The three trim levels -- S, SV and SL -- provide buyers with a choice of standard features and option packages:
S
At the base S level, the Leaf is equipped with such upscale features as heated rearview mirrors as well as a heated steering wheel wrapped in leather, and heated front and rear seats. There’s also a four-speaker audio system with a 4.3-inch color screen, Bluetooth and a rearview monitor. The only available option is the charge package that includes the 6.6kW charger and the quick-charge port.
SV
Standard feature upgrades for the SV trim include the 6.6kW charger, a navigation system with a 7-inch screen, the Car Wings app that allows you to monitor and control charging, and partially recycled cloth for the seats. The audio system adds two speakers for a total of six and Pandora capability. Option packages feature LED headlights, the quick-charge port, a 360-degree monitor and a Bose premium audio system.
SL
The top-level SL trim adds leather seats, LED headlights, the quick-charge port, universal remote and a rear-spoiler solar panel as standard features. The optional Premium package includes the 360-degree monitor and the Bose sound system.
In choosing your Leaf model, you should consider how the different chargers and ports will affect your lifestyle and driving capabilities. Charging with a basic household 120-volt outlet can take 15 hours or more, but adding a 240-volt charging system to your garage will cost upwards of $1,000, depending on whether you can install it yourself or if you need professional installation. Other cost factors may include permit fees for adding a 240-volt line. You may, however, be able to include the home-charger costs in your Leaf purchase price.
