Now in its fifth model year, Nissan’s only electric vehicle (until the eagerly awaited Ariya arrives later this year) keeps whirring along. Its first update of any significance sees a somewhat sleeker-looking grille plus new headlights and wheel designs. The digital instrument panel also gets new graphics. Additionally, Nissan has reduced the number of trims to two from six. The base Leaf S uses a 40- kilowatt-hour battery plus a forward-located electric motor that makes 147 horsepower (149 miles of maximum range). The 60-kilowatt-hour battery and motor in the SE are good for 226 miles of range. Those numbers are quite modest compared with newer EVs, but the Leaf’s sub-$30,000 base price makes it one of the least expensive EVs on the market.
Updates to the Nissan Leaf include a somewhat sleeker-looking grille plus new headlights and wheel designs. PHOTO: NISSAN