2015 Nissan LEAF Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

by the zzdcar Experts

　　

What’s new

　　For 2015, the Nissan Leaf adds a more aggressive regenerative braking mode to the base model, and voice-to-text messaging and navigation voice command to SV and SL models. The SV also now gets 17-inch wheels.

　　

zzdcar says

　　Though there are more choices than ever for an electric vehicle, the pioneering Nissan Leaf continues to be a top pick for an EV.

　　Notably, we picked the 2015 Nissan Leaf as one of zzdcar' Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

2015 Nissan LEAF EV Insights

Trim:LEAF S

　　S 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $29,010 MSRPSV 4dr Hatchback w/Prod. End 7/14 (electric DD) - $32,000 MSRPSV 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $32,100 MSRPSL 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $35,120 MSRP

　　

Estimated Range Based on Age

　　Not available

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs contributors | Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs

　　from 58067

　　

Hybrid Parts Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesHybrid batteries are federally mandated to carry at least 8 years or 100,000 miles of warranty coverage from the manufacturer. Batteries that lose capacity more rapidly than expected should be eligible for replacement under warranty. Coverage of additional hybrid components beyond the battery itself will vary by automaker.

　　Exceeded original 8 year warranty.Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.

　　

Charging at Home

　　No charging time information available

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$4,000

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Federal Credit

　　$4,000

　　Restrictions: Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer.

　　For the vehicle to qualify: Price cannot exceed $25,000. Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased. Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted. Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.

　　For individuals to qualify: Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status. Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle. Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle. Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.

　　To learn more, visit Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$63/mo

　　LEAF

　　vs

　　$161/mo

　　Car Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　Nissan introduced the Leaf back in the 2011 model year, an epoch relative to modern technology's timeline. In that span, electric vehicles have evolved from auto show novelty to mainstream business case, largely thanks to the Leaf. It pioneered the segment by driving like a regular compact car but with the affordability of a family sedan and persuaded thousands of shoppers to make the EV leap. Short of spending three times as much for a Tesla Model S, shoppers looking for a capable all-electric car will be pleased with the 2015 Nissan Leaf.

　　The Leaf can travel 84 miles on a full battery charge. That may not sound like a lot, and for long-range suburban commuters without access to a charging station, it may not be. But it's enough range for most in- and around-town driving and short commutes, and still ranks as one of the highest in its class.

　　How long it takes to recharge the battery depends on the Leaf trim level. The base S trim comes with the slower 3.3 kW onboard charger, but all others have the quicker 6.6 kW charger. With this upgraded charger hooked to a 240-volt station, a full charge takes about four hours. The Leaf also features an optional quick-charge port. Together with a special high-capacity power source, it allows you to charge the battery to 80 percent capacity in a claimed 30 minutes.

　　Part of the Leaf's charm -- and success -- comes from its comfortable cabin with cutting-edge technology that doesn't intimidate. You won't need a computer science background to operate the Leaf's various bells and whistles, and the cabin is pleasant and roomy. There's also impressive space for cargo and, of course, hatchback utility.

　　Since the Leaf's introduction, the EV market has sprouted a few similarly priced competitors. The Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs is the most significant alternative, offering a little more power than the Leaf and sharper handling, but less range at 76 miles. The Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs and Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs are worth considering given their snappier performance, but they're not as roomy and also suffer limited availability. There is the new fully electric Volkswagen Golf (the Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs) which received an Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs. Also a smaller alternative (about 1.5 feet shorter) to the Leaf is the new Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs, which can be had with a gasoline-powered range extender. But this new arrival is pricey. Overall, we think the pioneering Leaf continues to be a great choice and a good value for an EV.

　　

Performance & mpg

　　The front-wheel-drive 2015 Nissan Leaf is powered by an 80-kW electric motor (107 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque). The system draws power from a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. All Leaf models offer Normal, Eco-Mode and B-Mode transmission settings. The latter mode delivers more aggressive regenerative braking (which converts the car's forward momentum into battery energy) when the driver lifts off the accelerator. This mode is also useful for controlling speed when going down hills.

　　In zzdcar performance testing, a Leaf accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds, which is a bit slower than either the Ford Focus Electric or Volkswagen e-Golf and about 2 or more seconds off the pace of the Fiat 500e and Spark EV.

　　The EPA's estimate for range with a full charge is 84 miles, but real-world range varies due to driving style, traffic conditions, cruising speed, battery age and ambient temperature. Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs with a Leaf showed this estimate to be accurate, as we recorded an average projected range of just over 85 miles. The agency also says the Leaf will typically use 30 kW per 100 miles driven (the lower the number here, the better). Again, we backed up this claim with our own 33-kW-per-100-miles average. Both of these figures are good for the segment, though not quite class-leading.

　　With a 240-volt power source, a Leaf with the 6.6 kW charger can recharge a depleted battery in about four hours (eight hours with the S model's standard 3.3 kW charger). The quick-charge port (standard on the SV, optional on the others) can potentially be used to recharge the Leaf's battery to a claimed 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes utilizing a special high-capacity power source.

　　

Safety

　　Standard safety features on all 2015 Nissan Leafs include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is also standard, and the SV and SL trims are eligible for a 360-degree-view parking camera system. In zzdcar brake testing, a Leaf came to a stop from 60 mph in 126 feet, which is average for a compact hatchback but better than most EV competitors.

　　In government crash testing, the Leaf received four out of five stars across the board for overall, frontal and side-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Leaf its highest rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof-strength crash tests, but a "Poor" rating in the small-overlap crash test. The Leaf's seat and head restraint design was also rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

　　

Driving

　　Absent an internal combustion engine, the all-electric 2015 Nissan Leaf cruises with a quiet serenity at all times, with only a vague high-pitched whine audible under heavy acceleration. The lack of engine noise vibration makes wind and road noise that much more noticeable at highway speeds, but overall Nissan's EV is impressively hushed.

　　Due to its electric powertrain, the Leaf offers brisk acceleration from a stop, though getting up to highway speeds can feel a little belabored. Many newer EV or hybrid competitors are a bit quicker. The Leaf's brake pedal is firm and sure, however, without the vague wooden feel of many regenerative braking systems. And with its battery placement and low center of gravity, the Leaf is surprisingly steady around turns. It responds pretty much like other well-engineered compact cars, and in most ways feels very normal to drive.

　　

Interior

　　The 2015 Nissan Leaf's battery pack is located under the floor beneath the seats, a design that contributes to the car's airy cabin and rear seats roomy enough even for tall passengers. There's no shortage of headroom in the first row, though taller drivers may find their legs a bit cramped. Cargo room behind the rear seats is generous, at 24 cubic feet. Folding them flat increases maximum capacity to 30 cubes.

　　Despite the Leaf's economy car roots, the interior is surprisingly pleasant. There's a strong emphasis on modern design, with a large center stack in the middle of the dash housing most of the car's system controls. Split-level instrument panels reinforce the high-tech feel with sharp graphics that relay key information. Interior materials are also slightly above average for an EV in this price range.

　　Logical menus in the central touchscreen and physical buttons for the climate control make operating the Leaf's many systems a snap. With this display and the Carwings telematics, owners can schedule charging times during off-peak hours for more favorable utility rates. Plugging into a standard 110-volt household outlet is best reserved for when you can park the Leaf overnight. For most owners, a 240-volt home charging station is almost a necessity.

　　

2015 Nissan LEAF models

　　The all-electric 2015 Nissan Leaf is a four-door hatchback available in three trim levels: S, SV and SL.

　　Standard features for the base S model include a 3.6 kW onboard charger, 16-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, full power accessories, keyless ignition and entry, automatic climate control, a trip computer, heated front and rear seats, cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver seat (four-way passenger seat), 60/40-split-folding rear seats, a tilt-only heated steering wheel, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, a rearview camera and a four-speaker CD player with iPod/USB input and satellite radio.

　　Stepping up to the SV trim gets you a 6.6 kW charger, 17-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system with a 7-inch touchscreen, Nissan's Carwings telematics to remotely monitor and manage charging and climate control, a more efficient heating system for better range in cold weather, cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, partially recycled cloth upholstery and a six-speaker audio system with Pandora integration for smartphones.

　　The range-topping SL trim adds automatic LED headlights, foglights, a quick-charger port, a solar panel mounted on the rear spoiler to help power accessories, leather upholstery and a cargo cover.

　　Options are sparse and grouped into packages. The S model can add the 6.6 kW charger with the quick-charge port, and the SV can be upgraded with the automatic LED headlights, foglights and quick-charge port. Both the SV and SL model are eligible for the Premium package, which adds a seven-speaker Bose stereo and a 360-degree parking camera system.

　　

2015 LEAF Highlights

Trim: SSVSLS

　　

Base MSRP	$29,010
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,000
Engine Type	Electric
Cost to Drive	$63/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	24.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles