Review: Nissan Leaf now goes farther -- but needs more
It would be easy to write off the Nissan Leaf as an electric has-been.
The look of the spunky little hatchback is basically unchanged since the breakthrough vehicle first hit American roads in December 2010. It suffers, along with most other electric cars, from appalling resale values. The Leaf got a boost in range to 107 miles per charge late last year, but some may find it's still not enough to go the distance.
Yet this is a sweet little car. In a week of tooling around with it in Los Angeles, I yearned to spend even more time behind the wheel to enjoy the quiet, easy miles. For those who make daily commutes or take relatively short jaunts on short notice, Leaf will always come in handy. Since owners generally leave it plugged in when it's in the garage, Leaf becomes the one car that's always ready to go with a full tank — although in this case, that tank is a battery.
Leaf was a sensation when it was introduced, ushering in what many thought would be a rapid transition to electric cars. Instead, hampered by low gas prices, EVs have remained a niche. Nissan sold 7,922 Leafs through August this year, down 36% from a year ago, Autodata says.
Now it's going to come under pressure from a new threat. General Motors shook up the EV world last week in announcing that its new Chevrolet Bolt will be capable of 238 miles of range per charge with a price tag of $37,495, including destination charges. (Bolt is not to be confused with the Chevy Volt, a plug-in with both batteries and a gas engine.)
Leaf retails for $29,860, also including destination charges, for the stripped-down, 84-mile range version, and $35,050 for the cheapest 107-mile version before incentives and the tax credit.
But Brian Maragno, Nissan's director of electric vehicles sales, doesn't sound terribly worried. Leaf already comes with a total of $6,000 in cash and finance discounts and is eligible for the $7,500 income-tax credit. There's a cheap $199-a-month lease deal dangling out there. He thinks Leaf will continue to be bought by people who know they don't need to pay a lot more for the extra range that the Bolt will provide.
"What we learned and understand, if the price is right and the range that's offered is meeting their daily needs, there is a market for it," Maragno says.
Maybe. As a daily commuter, the Leaf works fine for people who rarely deviate from their home-to-work-to-shopping routine. But we found ourselves suffering from dreaded "range anxiety" when we drove 95 miles last Saturday to get to two events and back home. Yes, the range on our test model was 107 miles, but no reasonable driver is going to press it to the limit out of fear of being stranded.
Along the way, though, we rediscovered the driving charms of the Leaf. The car starts with gentle electronic chimes and moves along almost noiselessly, even when pushed hard. The Eco mode helps squeeze out more range, but the normal mode shows off the car's impressive torque. The car has good visibility and an adequate navigation and infotainment system. There are multiple gauges that either tell you how the battery is performing and coach you to better driving to squeeze more mileage out of every trip.
The battery warranty is especially important on this model. The battery is covered from defects or a precipitous decline in capacity for eight years or 100,000 miles in the higher-trim versions. The warranty is five years or 60,000 miles in the base version.
Another concern is resale value. Used-car listings are rife with recent-vintage Leafs selling for less than $10,000. A Leaf bought today is expected to retain only 11% to 13% of its original sticker price in three years, says Kelley Blue Book. "Almost all the EVs fall that low," says Eric Ibara, director of residual value for KBB, except Tesla.
The big value drop-off, worse "by far" than for conventional cars, is largely due to the fact that most buyers pay far less than the sticker price when the car is new because of incentives and the tax credit, he says. Also, he says there are concerns about battery life in the used EVs.
So it comes down to this: Be wary. The Leaf is a fun little car if you don't drive long distances, have a garage where you can charge it and have access to another car for occasional long trips. But drive a good deal.
What Stands Out
Gentility: An easy, no-fuss car
Range: Needs more
Price: Sticker shock, for sure, but deals are out there
2016 Nissan Leaf
What? An electric five-seat hatchback
When? On sale now
Where? Built in Smyrna, Tenn.
How much? Starts at $29,860 for the base S version, $35,050 for the SV version and $37,640 the fanciest SL version, all including $850 in delivery charges
What makes it go? Electric motors producing 107 horsepower
How far? The S goes 84 miles. The SV and SL have a maximum range of 107 miles.
How big? 14.6 feet long
Overall: Nice car — but range is an issue