After some delay, the all-new Nissan Leaf has finally landed in Irish showrooms, and first impressions suggest it will continue on from the success of its predecessors.
As the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle, Nissan has sold close to 700,000 units of the Leaf since its debut in 2010. Now in its third-generation, the Leaf has had a radical transformation.
With thanks to a new sleek design, the Leaf is appealing on the eye for the first time. Nissan's design team deserve credit for not churning out another bland SUV. The rear of the new Leaf is particularly interesting.
The new Leaf has two battery options. The 52kWh battery offers a claimed 424km range, while the 75kWh battery promises up to 622km. Both variants support DC fast-charging up to 105kW and 150kW respectively and are available in three grades.
I spent 48 hours with the smaller battery option. While my time with the car excluded motorway driving, its range seemed pretty accurate but for extra peace of mind I would probably opt for the larger battery variant.
The car market is not immune to inflation, as pricing for the new Leaf is significantly more than the outgoing model's 2018 entry price. Granted you are getting a much better product.
The 52kWh model starts at €36,095 for the Engage grade, at €37,095 for the Engage + grade, at €40,295 for the Advance grade, and at €41,795 for the Evolve grade.
The 75kWh battery option, meanwhile, starts at €39,995 for the Engage grade, at €41,495 for the Engage + grade, at €49,295 for the Advance grade, and at €51,795 for the Evolve grade.
Onboard technology includes Google built-in as well as Vehicle-to-Load (V2L ) functionality, enabling external device charging directly from the car.
Physical buttons remain around the dash, while there is also a quick toggle button on the steering wheel to turn off those annoying beeps and lane assist interference.
The sloped roofline does not eat into rear headroom, with enough space to comfortably accommodate two adults. The rear middle seat is best suited to children.
There is 437-litres of boot space, which is pretty much on par with the second-generation Leaf.
