2020 Nissan LEAF Review | Paying the EV Premium

Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular, but the Nissan LEAF has been around for quite a while now. With that being said, it also is starting to look dated compared to the newest EV competition and you still pay a premium price just to have the EV capability. The Nissan LEAF is still a well rounded everyday type of vehicle with space, practicality, and of course electric efficiency.

TIME STAMPS
Intro
Exterior details: 0:25
Cargo area: 1:40
Safety Tech: 2:26
Front Seats: 3:00
Interior details: 4:36
Back Seats: 11:17
EV Powertrain: 12:31
Charging details: 13:27
POV Test Drive: 14:39
Conclusion: 22:18

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Extra information and the charging information

*** Must Have Items to Keep In Your Car ***
---- A few neat items to check out as well! ----

*** Camera/Video Gear I Use As Of 9/2020 ***
Editing Software: Final Cut Pro

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Music:

[rmiller]

I own a 2015 Leaf S. I bought it at a local used car lot in the fall of 2018 with 25, 000 miles on it for $10, 000. I assume it was a lease return. A month after I bought it a problem with the battery pack came up. Nissan fixed it under warranty. The dealer kept it for two weeks, but gave me a free loaner. I'm a 63 year old man who learned to drive at the age of 12 on a 1946 Chevrolet pick-up truck. My first car was a 1963 VW Bug. I don't demand all the electronics, I don't need leather upholstery, I don't need to preheat the car from my phone, so my Leaf S is just fine. Range goes down during the winter, of course, and if my wife isn't in the car, I drive without the heater on. I have driven it in temperatures as low as -24 F. I used the heater that day! The range on the new Leafs is significantly better than mine. I drove a friend's $65, 000 Tesla Model 3, and I'll keep my $10, 000 Leaf, thank you.

[mjcmjc]

I bought a dealer demo with 125 miles for $25g back in November 2018. I was going to trade in my 2013 leaf for a model 3 but I decided to go with the leaf which is cheaper to buy and maintain and also reliable. Parts are available, most shops can work on it, no quality control issues. The leaf is Easy.

[apatel]

This is too weird, I was just contemplating getting the Leaf, since it's one of the few cars with the full $7500 credit. Thanks for the video!

[robotick]

Excellent review! One of the best on YouTube for Leaf 2020. Thank you very much for meeting all the points and questions of a potential buyer.

[wickedleeloopy]

Im glad electric cars look like normal cars. The quirky weird strange looking proto types are not my cup of tea.

[ronaldnexus]

Very nice review, spot on I think (I bought the SL Plus). I just upgraded my 2015 SL, lots of pluses; I live in MN, the heater is key (something you could also talk to). Very nice video, very fair description - I’m three weeks into this car. (For me $30K w/rebates.)

[phileasler]

I test drove a Tesla M3 and chose the Leaf e+ SV, because of the heat pump, seat height, and a hatchback!

[NicoleCH]

Thorough review from prospective buyer. Thank you!

[therese.astrom]

Just tried driving this car Iast weekend. I like driving it. It has a great trunk considering the car size, big enough for my wheelchair. The backseat is a bit small but it works, especially for two small kids. We have a carpool with 2 new Nissan leaf where I live, you can just book it when you need a car. I'm happy with it.

[edventures]

The 2018+ Nissan leafs look wayyyy better than the previous generation. I’ve been wanting to convert to electric since 2018 but still haven’t pulled the trigger since I want a Tesla but I can’t afford one yet. I’ve been considering a bmw i3 rex but after discovering the leaf and Chevy bolt, I’ve eliminated the i3. I’d prefer the bolt for the 250mile range but the leafs are around $4k cheaper for a decent used one. I’ll go test drive a leaf next week to see if it will convince me.

[dusk]

The plus is probably gonna be my next vehicle after my 16 leaf. I love driving the leaf, but more range would really nice.

[electricestonian]

Finally, a steering wheel where you can adjust reach / depth!

[MoNoK]

Looks a whole lot better than before. Seems to be a bit fun to drive. Reminds me of a vacuum cleaner. Excellent review my friend.

[theeconomicsofthings]

I saw 2020 models with 1k-5k miles going for low $20k

[geothermal]

Great review. So much more detail than other reviewers. Too bad the trunk doesn't have a flat bed possibility for sleeping. I love the one pedal driving!

[douglasalanthompson]

Thank you. Nice reviews. You should mention the available discounts and rebates.

[ritz]

Thank you for a great review. I am changing my old VW Tiguan for this one. I'm not looking for excitement with this car but the fact that it represent solid and well tested solutions over years and now in addition can offer quite a good battery of 62 Kw, I go for this one. Hyundai Kona was an alternative but you get more plastic for less money. I also tested Peugeot 2008, but that one fell through due to too many quirks with the stearing wheel and wiew of the instrument panel. So, go Nissan after 20 years with VW.

[grahambroadway]

I love the way he tested Propilot on a straight empty road! To test it properly it needs to be done on the M25 London orbital motorway in the rush hour. I would suggest the stretch past Heathrow terminal 5.

[friedputty]

The key to understanding the Leaf is that 1) it has its own niche, and 2) it costs half what you think it does.

The niche is that it's easy to live with every day: a high seating position makes it easy to get in and out of; the seats are wide and comfy; the cargo hold is the biggest of any EV short of an SUV; the ride is soft and the noise level low. If a Tesla is a Bimmer, a Leaf is a Buick.

The cost: MSRP seems absurd but as with any EV that's not a Tesla, it bears no resemblance to what you'll pay. The Leaf is one of the few EVs still eligible for the full $7500 federal tax credit, right now (11/29/20) there's a $7000 end of year manufacturer discount, and in some states you can get a few grand extra in state and utility rebates. That makes the effective cost for an SL Plus (similar to the test model here but with cloth seats) about 22 grand. Or if you're willing to trade some range and power for a lower price of entry, you can get the standard SL model (150 hp instead of 200+ and 150 miles range instead of 200+) for an absurdly cheap lease.

I love the Chevy Bolt EV but it's cramped and the seats are narrow. I love the Tesla Model 3 but unlike the Leaf, the high list price is actually the real price. The closest thing to the Leaf is probably the Kia Niro EV.

P.S. This video could use improvement. Discussions of charging, pricing, ProPilot etc. are so incomplete as to be misleading.

[haze]

Great review as usual. How is it that Tesla can make beautiful electric cars but GM, Nissan, and Toyota cannot? Electric cars don't have to look goofy.