2011 Nissan Leaf Electric

Nissan has kept the trim range of the Leaf simple and short. There are only two trims given where the base SV trim houses feature such as 16-inch alloy wheels, a CD player, a six-speaker sound system, 40/60 folding rear seats, automatic climate control, and recycled cloth seat fabric. If you select the top SL version of the leaf then you will get features like fog lights and Homelink universal transceiver.

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There is not a marginal difference in price between both trims but with just $940, you can avail of every feature given on the new Nissan Leaf. Therefore, selecting the SL trim is more beneficial for you.

As a fully electric car, the Nissan leaf has a healthy 80kW AC synchronous motor which replaces the traditional internal combustion ignition as a default power mill. It produces 107 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. 1-speed direct-drive transmission is coupled with the motor which sends power to the front wheels. With these arrangements, the Leaf reaches 60 mph from a standstill in about 10 seconds. 

The drive is very smooth and quiet. That’s why you will notice the road and wind noise more easily which is generally gets diluted under the influence of the IC engine’s own working noise and cracking. That said, as an EV, the Leaf gives you instantaneous acceleration. Though it is not as quick as other rivals but handling, control, and braking performance of the Leaf are commendable.

Both rivals of the Nissan leaf are not purely electric in nature but for the sake of comparison, they do give a nice tussle to the Leaf. In terms of acceleration, a rival from the Chevrolet is ahead in the competition as it completes the 0-60 mph goal in just 8.8 seconds whereas the Toyota Prius gains the second spot and achieves the same target 0.3 seconds earlier as compared to the Nissan Leaf.

With a battery capacity of 24 kWh and 48 laminated compact lithium-ion battery modules along with an 80Kw motor, 2011 Nissan Leaf provides 106 MPGe in the city, 92 MPGe on the highway, and 99 MPGe combined. That said, in one charge, the Leaf demonstrates a range of one hundred miles. Furthermore, the 2011 Leaf can charge up to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.

From the EPA data, it is clear that the Nissan Leaf is the most fuel/energy-efficient car in the competition. As compared to the Nissan Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt returns 6 MPGe, 2 MPGe, and 6 MPGe less in the city, on the highway, and combined respectively. Meanwhile, MPGe figures for the Toyota Prius are not available. 

The interior design of the new Leaf is pleasant which soothes the eyes with its elegant design. As the battery pack is under the floor, the rear row is much more comfortable. The material used inside the cabin is mostly made of the recycled materials. The seats are covered in cloth upholstery which is made from partially recycled materials. The steering wheel has three sporks and a piano black C-stack in the center with a 7-inch information display. 

In the front row, the driver seat gets a 6-way manual adjustment whereas the passenger seat gets a 4-way manual adjustment. There is not telescopic feature given to the steering wheel column. Some other standard cabin features given on the Leaf include automatic climate control, Digital meter cluster, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, push-button ignition, power windows, and door locks, and Nissan intelligent key and push-button ignition.

Although, the overall passenger volume of the Nissan leaf is greater than the competitors it lacks comfortable rear-row legroom. That said, the Toyota Prius has the most generous rear row but its passenger volume is 4.9 cu-ft less than what’s offered in the Nissan Leaf. As for the Chevrolet Bolt, it does have modest interior space but with 90 cu-ft of passenger volume its in the last position. That said, the Toyota Prius offered the biggest trunk while the smallest one is given on the Chevrolet Volt. Major interior features include:

• 40/60 split-folding rear seats
• Automatic climate control
• Tilt telescopic steering column
• Partially recycled cloth seats
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Trip computer 
• Electric parking brake
• Nissan intelligent key keyless entry
• 12-V power outlet

How intuitive is the 2011 Nissan Leaf’s infotainment unit?

A 7-inch color information display is given standard on the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Other than that Navigation system, six-speaker sound system, CD player with mp3 capability, aux jack, USB port, Bluetooth, and XM satellite radio are some standard features of infotainment features. That said, Homelink universal transceiver is given on the SL trim. Highlights of the infotainment features are:

• 6-speaker sound system
• XM satellite radio
• Bluetooth
• Navigation system
• 7-inch color information display 

The exterior design of the 2011 Nissan Leaf is aerodynamic, fluid, and full of interesting elements. Sharp LED headlights are present along with the fog lights which are only given on the SL trim. Unlike other traditional cars, there is no grille given on the Leaf. On the backside, LED taillights are present but the photovoltaic solar-panel rear spoiler is reserved for the top trim. Noise-reducing windscreen and Aerodynamic under body cover are some notable exterior features. Nissan has given 16-inch alloy wheels to the Leaf to run. There are five different exterior paints you can choose out of which glacier pearl is our favorite.

The Chevrolet Volt tilts the weight scale more than any other car in the segment. On the other hand, the lightest one is the Toyota Prius. In terms of length and weight, a rival from the Chevrolet has the lead but the concerned car of this article is the tallest one among the bunch. If we look at the wheelbase, the biggest one is shared by the Leaf and Prius. Major exterior features are:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic headlights 
• LED taillights 
• Fog lights 
• Aerodynamic outside mirrors
• Rear spoiler

In comparison to a traditional compact automobile, the robust body design features a stiff-mounted battery structure, which helps give better body rigidity. Moreover, the safety ratings of the Leaf are impressive as it has secured an overall 5-star safety rating by the NHTSA. The IIHS has given ‘Good’ ratings to the Leaf in all crash tests. It also named it the ‘top safety pick’ for the year 2011. Major safety features are:

• Cruise control
• Brake assist
• Anti-lock braking system
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Vehicle immobilizer system
• Vehicle Security System

The 2011 Nissan Leaf checks all the boxes and presents itself as a sweet deal that allures you with its enchanting exterior design language, comfy interior, and fast charging capibility. Compared to the Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius makes competition hot but in the end, the Leaf comes out as an unscathed winner.