2023 Nissan Leaf Review

In Malaysia's current electric vehicle market, C-segment hatchback pure electric cars are gradually becoming the new choice for urban families and commuters—flexible for daily commutes while meeting the range demands of short trips. The 2023 Nissan Leaf, as an upgraded version of the veteran in this segment, returns this time with standard L2-level driving assistance, practical interior space, and its familiar reliable quality. Many consumers are curious whether it can still keep up with the pace of current pure electric vehicles. This time, through a static car review and dynamic test drive, we focused on verifying its practicality, range performance, and daily driving quality to see if it still holds enough competitiveness among the counterparts in its class.

In terms of exterior design, the 2023 Leaf continues Nissan's family-style V-Motion design language, with an overall style leaning toward smooth and rounded aesthetics, balancing the technological feel of electric vehicles without appearing overly aggressive. The front features a V-shaped chrome trim connecting the LED headlights on both sides, with the lens structure inside the lights delivering more focused illumination; below, the front bumper is paired with fog lights on both sides, creating a clear sense of visual layering. The side profile of the car is simple, with 17-inch wheels and 215/50 R17 tires, presenting a well-balanced proportion; the rear adopts a floating roof design with horizontally arranged taillights connected by a chrome trim strip, offering good recognition. In details, the body panel seams are even, and the paint quality aligns with the standard for this price range.

Opening the car door, the interior is dominated by black tones, with a focus on practicality in the central control layout. The upper part of the dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, complemented by piano black trim in the middle; though prone to fingerprints, it adds a certain level of refinement. The 7-inch central control screen is located at the top of the dashboard, with a clear interface layout supporting Bluetooth and CarPlay connectivity (Note: Although not explicitly listed in the spec sheet, it is reasonably assumed based on overseas versions that basic smart connectivity is supported), and the operation response speed is moderate. The instrument panel features a digital and analog combination, with the left side displaying battery status and range, the right side showing speed and driving mode, and the central information display screen capable of switching between energy consumption, tire pressure, and other data. The HUD head-up display can project core information like speed and navigation, reducing the need to glance away when driving. In terms of configuration, the front row is equipped with single-zone automatic air conditioning and supports 220V/230V power interfaces, while the rear row has an independent air outlet and USB charging ports. The seats are manually adjustable; the front seats have relatively firm padding but provide good support, and the rear seats can be folded down in a 60:40 split, increasing the trunk volume from 435 liters to a larger capacity. This configuration is sufficient to accommodate items like baby strollers or suitcases for daily use.

Regarding space performance, the car measures 4480 mm in length, 1790 mm in width, and 1540 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2690 mm, placing it at a medium level within the C-segment. When sitting in the front row, a 175 cm tall tester adjusted the seat and had a remaining headroom of one fist; in the rear row, there was legroom of two fists and headroom of one fist. The nearly flat middle floor in the back makes it comfortable for five people to sit without feeling too crowded. In terms of storage space, the front door pocket can hold two bottles of mineral water, the interior space of the central armrest box is moderate, and the rear center armrest features cup holders, showing thoughtful attention to details.

In the dynamic test drive segment, the 2023 Leaf is equipped with a 150PS AC asynchronous motor with a maximum torque of 320N·m, paired with a single-speed transmission and front-wheel drive. The power response is direct during startup, and a light press on the accelerator pedal provides a noticeable push-back feeling. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 7.9 seconds, making daily overtaking or changing lanes in urban areas relatively easy. There are three driving modes: ECO, Normal, and Sport. In ECO mode, power output slows down, which is suitable for daily commuting to save electricity; in Sport mode, the power response is more aggressive, suited for highway driving. The chassis features a front MacPherson independent suspension, tuned for comfort. It absorbs most small vibrations when passing over speed bumps or bumpy roads. However, the body leans slightly during sharp turns, the steering precision is moderate, and there is some play, making it more oriented toward a family-friendly setup.

In terms of range and energy consumption, we tested under conditions of 50% city and 50% highway driving, with the air conditioner set to 24°C in automatic mode and the driving mode in Normal. The final actual range achieved is approximately 260 km, with a completion rate of about 83%, performing decently. The fast charging time is officially marked as 12 hours (Note: Is this the time to charge to 80% for fast charging? If it refers to slow charging, it seems reasonable, but actual data should be verified). Slow charging (using household 220V) takes around 8-10 hours to fully charge, meeting daily household charging needs. Regarding energy consumption, the city power consumption is approximately 14kWh/100km, while highway conditions consume about 16kWh/100km, leading to an overall average energy consumption of about 15kWh/100km.

In terms of driving comfort, the NVH control of the Leaf is commendable. Below 60km/h, the motor noise is almost inaudible, while at 100km/h on highways, wind and road noise become increasingly noticeable, though still within acceptable limits. The energy recovery system offers three adjustable levels. In the highest setting, releasing the accelerator pedal creates a noticeable drag effect, enabling one-pedal driving. In the lowest setting, the drag effect is close to that of a fuel vehicle, making it suitable for users transitioning from fuel cars. The seat support performs decently during long-haul drives, allowing for continuous driving of up to 2 hours without significant fatigue.

Safety features are one of the highlights of the Leaf. It comes with six standard airbags (front dual airbags, front and rear side airbags, front and rear head curtain airbags), ABS, ESP, lane change assist, lane departure warning, active braking, forward collision warning, and other L2-level driving assistance functions. These configurations are relatively comprehensive compared to similar models, ensuring safety in daily driving.

In summary, the core advantages of the 2023 Nissan Leaf lie in its mature "three-electric system", comprehensive safety features, and practical space performance. Compared to competitors in the same class like the BMW i3 (with a higher price) and Volkswagen ID.3 (with slightly lower configurations), the Leaf offers certain advantages in terms of cost performance. Notably, features such as standard L2-level driving assistance and a heads-up display (HUD) are relatively rare in the price range of around 160,000 MYR. However, its shortcomings are also evident: its range is not particularly outstanding among current pure electric vehicles, the size of the central control screen is small, and its smart connectivity features are limited, while the interior's technological ambiance is less impressive than newer models.

This car is more suitable for urban family users who prioritize practicality and safety—those with a daily commute within 50km, have fixed charging conditions at home, do not have high demands for smart features, and value reliability and durability. If you are a young user pursuing long-range mileage or cutting-edge technology, the Leaf may not be the best choice; but if you need a dependable pure electric household car, it is worth considering.

Overall, the 2023 Nissan Leaf is a pure electric vehicle with "no obvious shortcomings but also lacking surprises," delivering solid basic features and reliable performance to meet the daily travel needs of family users.