Used Nissan Leaf 2018-present review

If you're one of a growing number of used car buyers looking for a second-hand electric car, it makes sense that you'd contemplate a top seller such as the Nissan Leaf.

The original Nissan Leaf was introduced in 2011 but, while it steadily improved over the years, it wasn't until this second-generation car arrived that the model became a challenger to a traditional family car. And now that prices have softened, it makes for a good alternative to a used family car, too.

There are two power and battery pack combinations you can find in the leaf: a 40kWh battery with a 148bhp electric motor; and an e+ version with a bigger 62kWh pack with a 214bhp motor. Like a number of electric cars, the Leaf has instant acceleration away from a standstill. The least powerful version has a 0-60mph time of around eight seconds – much nippier than its main rivals, the Renault Zoe and the Volkswagen e-Golf. You actually need to be a bit gentle with your right foot when accelerating out of junctions in the 214bhp model, or you’ll spin the front wheels.

You also get a choice of trims, but unless you're a fan of hair shirts, the entry-level Visia is best avoided. In fact, that model was dropped shortly after launch because most went for the next model up, the Acenta, which has 16in alloy wheels, lane-departure and blind spot warnings, adaptive cruise control and a 7in infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a rear-view camera.

The mid-range N-Connecta includes 17in alloys, a 360-degree camera system, heated seats and steering wheel and front and rear parking sensors, while the Tekna model gains Nissan's ProPilot suite of semi-autonomous driving aids and a 7-speaker BOSE sound system. Above these are the e+ N-TEC and e+ Tekna versions that both use the bigger 62kWh battery pack. The former has full LED headlights while the latter has the upgraded Bose sound system.

Meet a corner and the Leaf remains fluent: there’s little body lean and the steering is well weighted. Grip is good, too, and while the handling won’t inspire keen drivers, it’s reassuringly safe and secure. The ride comfort is generally very good, too, with only larger bumps catching the Leaf out. In terms of refinement, the Volkswagen e-Golf is better, but the Leaf still impresses. Obviously, there's no engine noise to disturb the calm, however, a little wind and road noise does make its presence known, and the suspension can make the odd clunk too.

Lift off the accelerator and you’ll feel the regenerative braking take effect, especially in e-Pedal mode, which slows the car down without your needing to touch the brake pedal. There’s also the more gentle regenerative braking of B mode (this is selected with the gear lever), with both modes harvesting energy that would otherwise be wasted when you apply the brakes and using it to replenish the battery.

You sit high in the driving seat of the Leaf, so visibility generally is good, although the over-the-shoulder view is hampered by the large rear pillars. Fortunately, a rear-view camera is standard on all trims except Visia. The dashboard is logically laid out and is pleasing to the eye, and you’ll get a 7.0in (enlarged to 8.0in from mid-2019) touchscreen that’s mostly simple to use, thanks to big icons and logical menus. The physical shortcut buttons that flank the display make it easy to hop between functions. Some of the interior plastics feel a little cheaper than those in cars like the e-Golf, for example, and the buttons and switches not quite so reassuring.

Space is good up front, but the steering wheel is only adjustable up and down, not in and out, so some may find that they can't find the right driving position. Rear head room is a little limited by the swooping roofline – anyone over six feet tall will find themselves with a crick in the neck.

The Leaf’s boot is longer than some of its rivals, but it is scuppered by rather a large loading lip, and the Tekna and e+ Tekna have less overall capacity because the subwoofers and amplifiers of their Bose sound systems eat into the available room.

If you're interested in finding a used Leaf, or any of the other car mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale.

Used prices for the latest Leaf start at around £15,000, which gets you an early 2018 model with high mileage. If you want something less leggy, you'll need to increase your budget to £17,000 or more. An e+ Leaf with the bigger battery pack is around £25,000, which is quite a lot when you consider that the discounted price of a new example, through our New Car Buying service, is currently a little over £32k. Spend between £20,000 and £25,000 on a 2020 or 2021 car, and £25,000 to £32,000 on a 2022 model.

Check the value of a used Nissan Leaf with What Car? Valuations

MPG

Choose an economy tariff and charge your electric car up overnight at home, and your bills should be lower than they would be for a conventionally powered car. Nissan claims a range of around 168 miles under the new WLTP test for the 40kWh version, although in our real range tests it ran for 128 miles. The 62kWh version goes further with a real range of 217 miles, which isn't that far from its predicted range of 239 miles.

The Leaf uses the same Type 2 connector for normal charging as most of its rivals. However, unlike the Zoe and e-Golf, there’s also a CHAdeMO connector for 50kWh rapid charging. Charging at home from 0-100% on a 7kW wallbox will take 7.5 hours, and you can charge from 20-80% from a 50kW CHAdeMO charger in about 60 minutes. A full charge from a domestic three-pin plug socket will take 21 hours.

As you'd expect, the 62kWh version takes longer to charge: up to 90 minutes for the same 20-80% 50kWh charge; and 11.5 hours from a wallbox, or 32 hours from a three-pin plug going from empty to full.

Find out more about the different types of electric car charging plugs here.

CO2 emissions

Since this is an electric car, there are no exhaust pipe emissions to have to worry about. Choose a renewable energy tariff for extra green points.

Road tax

Annual car tax will be zero, as will be the London Congestion Charge (after you've paid to register your car on their system, of course). To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here.

Servicing

Servicing is required every 18,000 miles and costs £159 for a minor service, and £209 for a major one.

Insurance

All versions of the Leaf are in group 21 for insurance, which is lower than the Volkswagen e-Golf, BMW i3, Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona; but R110 models of the Renault Zoe are lower still.

Find out more about electric car insurance by reading our news story here.

Specification

Acenta offers plenty of equipment for the money and a decent amount of standard safety kit. The higher-spec cars are only worthwhile if you desperately want one with the full suite of driver-assistance technology, such as adaptive cruise control that'll even work in stop/start traffic.

Engine

There is no engine, as such, but you can go for either a 40kWh or a 62kWh version. We'd stick with the regular 40kWh car as it will be cheaper, there are a lot more of them to choose from, and it handles and rides better because it's lighter.

Our favourite Nissan Leaf: 40kW Acenta

The smaller Renault Zoe is a great electric car. It’s a great used purchase because it is exceptionally cheap to buy and run, even if you lease the battery rather than buying it outright. It’s quiet and easy to drive, and its range is excellent. It didn’t fare as well as Leaf in our last reliability survey, though.

One well-priced premium alternative is the old Mk7 Volkswagen e-Golf. It has a range of around 125 miles in the real world, and you can charge it through a three-pin plug, too, although this will take 13 hours for a full charge. It takes four hours for a full charge via a dedicated quick charger. It’s great to drive, but it is pricey.

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If you're interested in finding a used Leaf, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale.