Nissan recently announced that it is giving the LEAF a mid-generation refresh. The changes aren’t drastic, like the change from 2017 to 2018 (a generation change), but it’s enough of a change to be noticeable. In this article, I’m going to go through what’s good about the 2023 LEAF, what’s bad about it, and what’s downright terrible. Or, to borrow the name of an old western film, Hodný zlý a ošklivý.
Dobrý
Let’s start with the cosmetics. Personally, I’m a fan of the changes. The smooth front “grille” area, where my 2018 currently has a holographic blue area that mimics a gas car’s radiator area, is unframed and smooth. This looks sleeker, probably has marginally less drag, and just generally looks slick. From the front, you can see a slightly wider stance, which looks cool, too. It appears that Nissan added a small splitter/chin spoiler to the front, which should help reduce drag numbers, while also looking cool. Most of the rest of the car remains the same.
These minor changes aren’t just for looks. They add up to a real reduction in drag that helps the vehicle get better range. The smoother front lets the air slip to the sides. The slightly wider stance helps keep air from hitting the wheels and tires as much. There’s also a refined rear spoiler that’s supposed to make the car just a little slipperier.
When you can make a car look a little cooler and give it more efficiency, that’s definitely the thing to do. Nissan made the right moves when it comes to body styling and aerodynamics, which go hand-in-hand.
There have been some updates made to the interior, but it really doesn’t look that different from the 2018-22 models. The HVAC controls look more like the first generation LEAF, and that’s about the biggest difference I could spot. Other minor things include updated USB ports and some changes to other controls. It’s a small thing, but it’s enough to get into the “good” column.
One last thing for the good column: wheels. But, I’ll revisit the wheels in a minute in the “bad” section. They seem to be decent-looking wheels, and they appear to close up the gap a bit where airflow can come in without using Moon Disc wheel covers (perfectly smooth covers that would theoretically maximize range). They’re also kind of cool looking, so they’re definitely in the good column.
Bad
To be honest, it was hard to figure out what belongs in this column. The things I noticed right away definitely belong in the next section, but after reading the press release and thinking it over, I did think about a few things that are bad but not “ugly.”
The wheels do partly belong here. First off, the S model seems to come with steel wheels again. The press release said they come standard on the SV, but didn’t mention the S. It makes sense to not make a big deal about something that isn’t great, but I can’t think of any other EV coming with steel wheels and hubcaps. The second issue is cleaning those wheels. Fortunately, you won’t have as much brake dust in an EV, but keeping complex wheels clean is a chore, so they’ll probably get dirty and stay dirty for most owners.
Another problem is general quality. My own experience has been that the second generation LEAF isn’t built as ruggedly or with as high a quality of parts as the first generation model. Lots of little things, like door handles, suspension parts, CV joints, and power lock actuators have failed for me. Talking to a couple of Nissan techs I know, they’ve told me that they’ve seen a lot more minor repairs with the 2G LEAF, so it isn’t just me. Nissan obviously can’t say “we’re using better parts now” in a press release, but I think it’s something that it needs to work on.
A final issue is legally out of Nissan’s hands: dealers. I personally don’t like many things about Tesla, but dealers are horrendous to deal with. It’s a little embarrassing to admit this, but when I bought my 2018 LEAF, the dealer played a paperwork trick and I ended up paying an extra $5,000 for the vehicle. By the time I noticed it, it was too late to change anything or get the people at Larry H. Miller Nissan in Mesa, Arizona, in any trouble over it. But I did leave them a bad review and feel like it’s good to warn people on here to stay away.
The truth is that most dealers will find a way to rip you off if they can get away with it. If Nissan wants to be competitive in the EV space, it needs to at minimum get the dealer network under control and take care of customers when they get screwed. Neither of those things appear to be happening, and it might not be possible to get dealers to be decent. The only winning move is not to play games with dealers.
Ugly
Above are the charging ports for the 2023 LEAF. Notice anything new? Me neither, and that’s a HUGE problem.
CHAdeMO (the plug on the left) is dying. It’s fixing to be the Betamax of charging ports, while CCS wins. New Electrify America stations won’t come with a CHAdeMO plug. New federal funding for charging stations in the infrastructure bill doesn’t require a CHAdeMO plug. Existing CHAdeMO stations are still going to be around for a while, but when you’re driving a highway route and the only CHAdeMO plug within 50 miles goes down, you can’t just find another stall and get another shot at charging. Get a hotel room for the night and plug in Level 2.
It doesn’t make any sense for Nissan to still be selling the LEAF with a CHAdeMO plug. They really should have switched to the CCS plug with the refresh so that customers would have expanding charging opportunities for the life of the car instead of being left out in the cold.
But, the continued lack of liquid cooling (a major problem I’ve had with anything but around town driving in my LEAF) shows us that Nissan really didn’t mean for the LEAF to ever go on road trips. For in-town driving, it’s a decent vehicle, but if you’re going to exceed the range you’d get from a Level 2 charge, you’re not in as good a position as you’d be with other EVs, including the Chevrolet Bolt EV (which has a CCS plug and liquid cooling, even if it’s limited to 55 kW).
So, the decision to stick with CHAdeMO and air cooling shows us that Nissan just didn’t really think the LEAF was worth putting money into to make it a better highway vehicle. If you can get a deal on one without getting screwed by a dealer, and you’re only looking to commute (within winter driving range) and get groceries, it’s going to be a decent vehicle. If you had any other ideas for the car, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Máte tip na CleanTechnica? Chcete inzerovat? Chcete navrhnout hosta pro náš podcast CleanTech Talk? Kontaktujte nás zde.
Naše nejnovější video EVObsession
Nemám rád paywally. Nemáte rádi paywally. Kdo má rád paywally? Zde v CleanTechnica jsme na chvíli implementovali omezený paywall, ale vždy to bylo špatné – a vždy bylo těžké rozhodnout, co bychom tam měli dát. Teoreticky váš nejexkluzivnější a nejlepší obsah jde za paywall. Ale pak si to přečte méně lidí!! Rozhodli jsme se tedy, že zde v CleanTechnica zcela zrušíme paywally. Ale.
Stejně jako ostatní mediální společnosti potřebujeme podporu čtenářů! Pokud nás podporujete, vkládejte prosím trochu měsíčně, abyste pomohli našemu týmu napsat, upravit a publikovat 15 příběhů o čistých technologiích denně!
Nissan has given its pioneering Leaf electric car a number of meaningful upgrades for the 2023 model year. It has more tech, updated styling, and offers better value. But some of its charging features lag newer competition.
All-Electric Pioneer Gets Meaningful Upgrades
Nissan’s Leaf was one of the first widely-available mainstream electric cars in the world, and for years, was the top-selling EV globally. While other bigger, sexier, and more expensive models have been grabbling the spotlight lately, the Leaf remains a solid electric car choice for daily commuting. It has a practical, spacious hatchback body, an efficient drivetrain, and low running costs.
For 2023, Nissan has upgraded the Leaf with a refreshed exterior design, a streamlined model lineup, and a number of new standard features and technology that keep it current. The simplified range now consists of two well-equipped models: the Leaf S and the Leaf SV Plus.
Even More Standard Features
Nissan says that the most requested upgrades to the Leaf from its loyal customers were on the technology front. So, every 2023 Leaf now features a full-color 8-inch display, with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Leaf SV Plus adds a built-in “door to door” navigation system, which syncs the vehicle’s navigation system with a compatible smartphone for seamless driving and walking directions. There’s also NissanConnect EV telematics, which allows owners to use their smartphone app to monitor the state of charge, initiate charging, and even turn on the heat or air conditioning before getting into the vehicle.
On the safety front, both Leaf models include the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced driver assistance systems, which uses camera and radar technology to keep you and your family safe. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and even high beam assistant are all standard.
Step up to the Leaf SV Plus, and you get Nissan’s ProPilot Assist, which uses all those sensors, coupling them with adaptive cruise control and steering assist to help you drive the car effortlessly along the highway. An electronic parking brake, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights are also added.
The 2023 Nissan Leaf’s comfort is enhanced as well. In addition to the improved smartphone integration, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth streaming audio, automatic climate control, and a split-folding rear seat are standard. Rear door alert reminds drivers to check the back seat for passengers or exposed valuables before leaving the car. SV Plus models also get a power driver’s seat with lumbar support, auto-dimming mirrors, and a camera system that provides a 360-degree view when parking.
Two Powertrains to Choose From
The basic 2023 Leaf S is pitched at city dwellers who don’t frequently drive long distances. It comes with a relatively small 40-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 147-hp electric motor that generates a stout 236 lb-ft of torque for effortless acceleration. According to EPA estimates, the Leaf S has 149 miles of range; its starting MSRP is $28,040 before applicable incentives.
If you frequently need to drive longer distances, the Leaf SV Plus makes more sense. A starting MSRP of $36,040 before incentives gets you a much larger 60-kWh battery, increasing the range up to an EPA-estimated 212 miles. The electric motor is more powerful as well, producing 214 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque.
Both models can DC fast charge on a Level 3 charger up to 50 kW – hardly class-leading these days. Of more concern may be the type of fast charging port the Leaf comes with. Instead of using the increasingly-common CCS plug favored by most manufacturers except for Tesla (which has a proprietary port), the Nissan comes with a CHAdeMO plug. A shrinking share of the EV infrastructure in the U.S. offers CHAdeMO as an option, meaning Leaf owners may have a harder time finding fast-charging options on longer trips.
Přepracovaný exteriér
Nissan has also made updates to the Leaf’s exterior design for 2023. The front end has been revised, and incorporates a new “grille” shape, front bumper molding, and updated headlights with black trim. SV Plus models also come with handsome new 17-inch wheels with an aerodynamic five-spoke design. The front and rear fascia wind deflectors, the rear diffuser, rear spoiler, and exterior badges have also been update to fit in with Nissan’s new brand identity.
Inside, changes include a new steering wheel and start-up video on the instrument panel screen. Black cloth is standard on both trims, with gray finishers for the Leaf S and gloss black finishers for Leaf SV Plus. The Leaf’s cabin is surprisingly roomy, thanks to it being designed from the ground up as an EV. It comfortably seats five and includes a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat for added flexibility. The rear cargo area offers adequate luggage space, with 30 cubic feet of available storage with the second row folded down.
Na závěr
As the first real mainstream electric car, the Leaf is a significant vehicle, and it continues to have an important place in the market. The upgrades Nissan has made for the 2023 model year help it keep pace with increasing competition. But while it offers good value for money and a spacious cabin, its relatively short range, its merely-adequate fast-charging ability, and its CHAdeMO charging port, limit its usability for long-distance driving in ways that newer EV models don’t.
No doubt Nissan is already hard at work on a new-generation Leaf that addresses these issues. Given what they were able to accomplish with the class-leading Ariya, we suspect the next Leaf will once again jump to the head of the class.
