The Nissan LEAF - Surprising at every turn

A lot of people don’t realise that the LEAF in Nissan LEAF is actually an acronym. “Leading Environmentally-friendly Affordable Family Vehicle” Which doesn’t quite fit, but LEFAFV isn’t as catchy. However, it’s a good description of what is indeed a leading environmentally friendly, affordable, family vehicle.

Where Tesla, Audi and BMW cater towards a customer with a larger budget for an electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF represents fantastic value for money. Retailing at around £25k compared to Tesla’s £40k, the Nissan LEAF makes electric driving accessible for all budgets.

Now in it’s second generation, the new Nissan LEAF is a much better all rounder, it’s faster, bigger inside and capable of much longer distances between charges.

Inside, the Nissan LEAF doesn’t struggle to keep up with it’s competitors, a shiny infotainment system is a key feature, and closer examination reveals Nissan’s ProPilot cruise control system. The quality in the new LEAF seems much higher than previous models, and it’s surprisingly spacious.

The Nissan LEAF will now go further between charges and outpaces fancier, more expensive models. For everyday driving, the LEAF will take you around 168 miles per charge on the 150h LEAF, however, the LEAF claims 258 miles in pure city use. For the driver, it means plenty of miles to play with before needing a charge.

The LEAF e+ adds even more capacity. It’s powered by a 62kWh battery pack and features a 217hp motor. It gives more pulling power, better rapid acceleration and more range between recharges and claims a very impressive 239 miles which is certainly market leading.

In short, if you’re looking for an electric vehicle that’s fairly priced with the mod cons and range you’d expect from a more luxury electric vehicle, the LEAF should definitely be on your list of contenders.