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Early adopters will know all about the Nissan Leaf, which was one of the first mainstream full-electric cars on the market. It launched in Australia way back in 2012 in first-generation guise and was followed in 2019 by a new version of the EV hatchback.
With a bigger battery and improved electric driving range, the second-generation Leaf addressed what people wanted from their electric car. It also brought new safety, technology and yet remained relatively affordable for a full-electric hatchback in an incentive-free Australian market.
The Nissan Leaf currently starts at $50,990.
It’s a fact of life, Ted, that fuel-efficiency has been a big focus for car-makers in the last decade. So, the most economical models tend to be the newer ones which tap into better technology (such as stop-start functions) and improved engine and driveline designs.
But beyond the improvements in petrol-engine technology, diesel engines have brought some big improvements, as have hybrid vehicles. The real headline makers have been, of course, the plug-in electric vehicles which are now available second-hand for sensible money. I’ve seen Nissan Leafs for sale for less than $20,000 and the plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for similar money.
If economy is your number-one aim, stay away from all-wheel-drive cars as the extra driveline friction requires more power and, therefore, fuel to drive it. And don’t forget that how you drive, where you drive and even whether you check you tyre pressure regularly can also have a huge effect on your ultimate fuel economy.
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The Nissan Leaf’s dashboard is headlined by an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia screen and a 7.0-inch digital instrument panel. The multimedia system has built-in satellite navigation. Both the Leaf and Leaf e+ models come with black trim. The interior is neat and tidy but offers little storage throughout for passengers.
The Leaf comes in six solid colours – ‘Arctic White’, ‘Gun Metallic’, ‘Ivory Pearl’, ‘Pearl Black’, ‘Dark Blue Pearl’, and ‘Flame Red’.
Besides ‘Pearl Black’ – all colours also come in a two-tone option that add a black roof and accents.
The Leaf’s boot is a good size for a little car with 405L of capacity when all seats are in use. Pop the back row down and that jumps up to a healthy 1176L (impressive for a hatch). There’s no ‘frunk’ storage and with the permanently installed Bose sound system bolted to the cargo floor (and charging cables), the boot can feel a little awkward to use. No Leaf models have a powered tailgate but the lid isn’t heavy to operate.
Standard equipment in the Leaf: 8.0-inch touchscreen multi-media system, 7.0-inch digital instrument panel, satellite navigation, ePedal (one pedal driving), intelligent rear view mirror (camera feed), 360-degree camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather/ suede seats, 2x charge ports (AC Type-2 & DC CHAdeMO) and 6-Meter 32A MODE-3 charging cable (Type 2), heated steering wheel, heated front and rear outboard seats, LED daytime running lights, LED lights, rain-sensing wipers, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, push-button start and keyless entry.
The Nissan Leaf has an official 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.9 seconds, while the Leaf e+ achieves a sprint time of 6.9 seconds.
Both Leaf models come with five seats. Both models have synthetic leather seats with synthetic suede inserts. Both model’s seats have only manual adjustments available, with no lumbar support available on any models.
The back seats have ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats and three top tether child seat mounts. The back row has a 60/40 split fold and lay flat when folded.