2024 Nissan LEAF Hatchback

　　

2024 Nissan LEAF Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　Nissan was the first automaker to build a practical electric vehicle at an attainable price. That EV was the first-generation Leaf, a compact five-door hatchback that paved the path for the affordable electrics to follow it. The latest 2024 Leaf follows the same formula, though in some ways it's lost a lot of its pioneering spirit.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Nissan LEAF EV Insights

Trim:LEAF S

　　S 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $28,140 MSRPSV PLUS 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $36,190 MSRP

　　

Range

　　149 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 127 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　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 © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　8 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　CHAdeMOThe CHAdeMO standard has been phased out for most new models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　No rebates available in 58067

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$64/mo

　　LEAF

　　vs

　　$162/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.

　　The base 2024 Leaf provides about 150 miles of standard driving range. Upgrade from the base S trim level to the SV Plus, and it supplies about 212 miles of driving on a full battery. Compared to some rivals, these are uncompetitive figures. However, now that Chevrolet has discontinued the Bolt EV, the 2024 Nissan Leaf does have one thing in its favor: price. We expect it to have one of the lowest sticker prices of any EV you can buy for 2024. If the Leaf fits into your lifestyle, we suggest acting sooner rather than later as Nissan has announced plans to discontinue the Leaf in the next year or two.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the LEAF drive? The Nissan Leaf has acceptable performance for jockeying for position in traffic. The standard Leaf posted a reasonably quick 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds, while the Leaf Plus did it in 7 seconds flat, which is just a hair slower than the top players including the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro EVs. The brakes feel smooth, and most routine braking can be handled by easing off the accelerator if you engage the e-Pedal mode, which adds control and a bit of fun to the daily drive.

　　As with most EVs, smooth, instant power and a total absence of shifting make the Nissan Leaf ridiculously easy to drive. The low-slung battery also helps the Leaf hug the road, and it has the balance and coordination necessary to inspire confidence when you're going around turns.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the LEAF? It's hard to find fault with the Leaf's basic comfort. We like the Leaf's well-shaped and supportive seats — they still have a nice level of give and aren't overly confining. The Leaf's ride is smooth and nicely controlled. It's in the Goldilocks zone — neither too rigid nor too buoyant. It's good at swallowing large and small bumps alike, but a little road-texture feel and intermittent jiggliness do come through.

　　The Leaf's electric drive components don't make any noise and lack the commotion that a non-EV makes when it changes gears. Wind and road noise is the remaining potential noise source, but it isn't overly prominent.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below