2013 Nissan Leaf Electric

The 2013 Nissan Leaf is available in three trims namely the S, SV, and SL. With the newly introduced base S trim, the Leaf is now in reach of a wider audience. All the trims come with many features and creature comforts to cater to different buyers. The available 6.6 KW charger is a boon to have as it recharges the battery from 0-100 percent within 5 hours 

Which trim should you buy?

The SV trim comes with most of the features of the top trim and at a lesser price. It is a well-balanced trim with respect to features and value. You also get a 6.6 KW fast charger onboard. The available B-mode regenerative braking helps with charging your battery and improving efficiency. You can also opt for optional packages like LED Headlights and a quick charge port package plus a premium package. 

The 2013 Nissan Leaf is powered by an 80 kW AC synchronous electric motor with a power output of 107 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. The motor is paired to a single-speed automatic transmission and power is supplied to the front wheels only. Being an electric vehicle, you get the maximum torque from the start itself and the acceleration is instantaneous, unlike many gasoline-powered cars.

However, the performance is not very brisk and you might be put off easily if you have driven other powerful electric cars. The transmission is tuned to squeeze minimum juice from the battery to provide a better range. Also, the range is less owing to a smaller battery pack of just 24 kWh lithium-ion type. You might ask for better performance on the highways but you won’t get it here.

The Tesla is a more premium and luxury sedan but we are comparing it just for the sake of its popularity in the American market. It offers commendable performance and is priced almost double than our humble competitors. The Leaf does a 0-60 mph sprint in 11.3 seconds and a quarter-mile comes in at 18.3 seconds. The Honda Fit EV is a better performer here than the Ford Fusion and Leaf and is in a nearby price range. It does a 0-60 mph sprint in about 8.7 seconds despite being less powerful than the Ford Fusion EV.

The Nissan Leaf offers nearly 75 miles per charge as per EPA ratings which is just about standard for a car of this size. The MPGe ratings are 129 miles, 102 miles, and 115 miles in the city, on the highway, and in combined driving conditions respectively. So, it can be considered pretty efficient with a battery pack of 24KWh. However, due to the lower range, you might need to charge the battery more frequently which might affect its long-term performance and the degradation will also speed up. 

The Honda Fit EV seems to offer better mpge ratings and better range as compared to the Nissan Leaf. As a result, it can be considered to be more efficient. The Tesla Model S offers lower mpge ratings, as it is more powerful and has an astounding range of 208 miles per charge owing to a bigger battery pack of 60KWh capacity. The Fusion and the Model S come with two battery pack options. 

The 2013 Leaf is a hatchback and yet it offers better interior space than its gas counterparts. The battery is placed under the floor as a result you get better space inside the cabin. The seats are comfortable and the headroom is sufficient across both rows. However, the rear seat passengers have to face knee up a position as the battery pack is just below the seat and not very below as one would expect. The seats on the S and SV trims get cloth upholstery while the ones on the SL trim get leather treatment. The front and rear seats are heated from the base trim itself which is an added advantage. 

The headliner is covered in soft fur and is made out of a thin panel, all in an effort to reduce weight and improve the efficiency of the vehicle. Overall, the interiors are basic but functional. You will find some use of some plastic materials like those in Nissan’s economy cars and there are not many luxurious features as you might expect considering other cars in its segment. The shift of the onboard charger from the cargo space to the hood area helped in increasing the volume in the cargo space.

The 2013 Leaf offers better cargo capacity than its rivals. However, the rear legroom is less when compared with Honda Fit EV. The Fit offers very less cargo capacity and is low on practicality. The Tesla Model S is a sedan and it offers a good cargo capacity of 26.3 cu-ft. The rear legroom is better than the Leaf but less than the Honda Fit EV. Some of the standout features of the 2013 Nissan Leaf are:

• Heated front and rear seats
• Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Automatic Temperature Control
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror 
• Hybrid heater system

How intuitive is the 2013 Nissan Leaf’s infotainment unit?

The 2013 Nissan Leaf gets an infotainment system that offers AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, USB connection port for iPod and other supported devices, Bluetooth connectivity for a hands-free phone system as standard. As you climb up the trim ladder, you get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display which is good enough with legibility and functions that are intuitive to use. The 6-speaker setup offers better output and the Pandora radio capability for iPhone users is an added advantage. Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2013 Nissan Leaf are:

• NavTraffic provided by SiriusXM
• Nissan Navigation System with 7-inch touch-screen 
• Six speakers
• Pandora radio capability
• Optional Bose audio system with 7-speakers

The 2013 Nissan Leaf comes with a rather unconventional styling. It is unlike any other car on the road and is easily recognizable on the roads with its distinctive styling. The Leaf is a compact car with good interior space and is designed to improve aerodynamic efficiency and cut drag. As a result, the styling might be a hit or miss for the people but they wouldn’t complain much if they are concerned with practicality and efficiency. 

The front headlamps are wrapped around the front fender and the hood simply merges with the front bumper owing to the absence of a traditional radiator and front grille. The front Nissan logo hides the charging port within itself The doors contain a window line that merges up with the rear profile and the tailgate is mostly hexagonal in shape and tail lights are vertical and imbibe LEDs to lighten up. It also gets a rear spoiler which is simply an extension of the tailgate and is photovoltaic in nature for the top SL trim to collect solar energy.

With a higher ground clearance of 6.3-inches, one doesn’t have to worry about the battery pack in the floor bed scraping off a speed breaker or any undulations on paved surfaces.The Fusion comes with the same ground clearance while the Fit EV comes with a lesser clearance. The Tesla has less ground clearance to lower its centre of gravity which would aid in high speed driving on the highway. Some of the standout exterior features of the 2013 Nissan Leaf are:

• Aerodynamic LED headlights (SL, available in SV)
• Dual power heated outside mirrors
• Photovoltaic solar panel rear spoiler (SL)
• Fixed roof antenna with blue accent
• Charge port light and lock 
• Automatic on/off headlights

The EVs are offering better performance and getting better day by day with more features and value. With higher performance on tap, consumers also demand better safety features and the Nissan Leaf tries to deliver well in the safety department too. The NHTSA has given an overall 4-star safety rating to the Leaf in various tests performed by it. The IIHS also awarded it the “Top Safety :Pick” award. The Leaf barely comes with driver assistance features but some of the standout safety features on the Nissan Leaf are

• Vehicle dynamic control
• Traction control system
• Hill start assist
• RearView monitor (optional)
• Around view monitor (optional)

The 2013 Nissan Leaf is a well balanced package with reference to standard set of features and value. It ticks most of the right boxes but fails in the performance and range department. It has one of the largest cargo capacities of EV vehicles. It also fares well in the safety department and being an electric vehicle its maintenance costs will be very low. So, we would recommend it to those looking for a daily city commute EV vehicle and don't mind compromising a bit of performance and range for lower running costs and easy maintenance.