Nissan quotes 160 kilowatts (214 horsepower) and 252 pound-feet of torque for the single motor that drives the front wheels. Acceleration is adequate in the standard drive mode, with Sport providing a bit more boost, enough to spin an inside front wheel in turns when pressed. The Eco mode was underwhelming, and while there’s a Personal mode to tweak your own combination of settings, we’d be shocked if anyone ever uses it.
Nissan offers four levels of regenerative braking, controlled via paddle shifters on all but the S+. Then there’s the e-Step mode, which is almost one-pedal driving. The regen overall isn’t that strong against some of the competitors, but frustratingly, it drops out around 7 mph, meaning the driver must brake to a full stop. No one-pedal driving, in 2025?
Roadholding is predictable, with predictable understeer if pushed. The standout characteristic turns out to be the Leaf’s steering. In general, steering feel and response is more noticeable in EVs than gasoline cars, because the powertrain is smoother, and the weight of the battery is at the bottom of the vehicle, lowering the center of gravity and reducing body roll. In 2010, the steering of the 2011 Leaf could only be described as “numb.” Thankfully, times have changed.
The latest Nissan design for electric power steering (EPS) isn’t unique to the Leaf, but it may be shown to best advantage in the small EV. Engineers moved the motor from the steering column to the rack itself, giving them greater flexibility in tailoring steering feel to different models and customer desires—as measured by factors like the rise in steering effort, linearity, and through-the-wheel response feel against its own criteria.
The result is some of the sweetest and most direct EPS we’ve driven. It’s better than its Korean competitors, though we can’t speak to the 2027 Bolt yet. Is it as good as a Porsche Taycan[1]? Nah. But it’s damn good for a car in this price range.
Comfortable Seats, Legroom Trade-Offs
Nissan notes the cabin of the new Leaf is longer, by virtue of its shorter nose, than the outgoing model. The front seats, based on the company’s latest Zero Gravity design for spinal support, are indeed comfortable and supportive—but four 6-foot adults may still have to trade a bit of front seat adjustment to get enough rear legroom.
The most striking impression I took away in 160 miles was the remarkably quiet cabin. Tire noise and road rumble was pretty much all that could be heard; virtually no wind noise or electronics whine was discernible. It’s an impressive level of refinement for a $30K car, and some competitors would do well to figure out what sorcery Nissan employed—and replicate it.
References
- ^ Porsche Taycan (www.wired.com)