The all-electric Nissan Leaf is built in Britain and could be the car that turns more of us into EV-drivers

The Nissan Leaf impresses in pretty much every area. It’s easy and comfortable to drive, especially around town, and it has a decent range that will make it appealing to more people. Given how much it costs, there’s an impressive amount of tech, too, and it offers enough space for all the family.

There’s a chance that people who already own one of the first-generation Leafs will be unhappy to see just how ‘normal’ this model makes owning, driving and living with an electric car – in its looks, interior, interface and the way it drives. However, for us, our only real disappointment is that, from a quality and style point of view, it’s not as appealing as a Volkswagen e-Golf.

Our Choice

Nissan Leaf Acenta

It’s a sign of just how far ahead of the game Nissan is with electric cars that the second generation of the Leaf is on sale when most makers are only just dabbling with electrified versions of their existing models.

Unlike many of its rivals, it’s been designed from the outset and from the ground up as an electric car. Indeed, you can only buy a Leaf as an electric car; there’s not even a hybrid version.

• Best electric cars on sale

In fact, if you’re looking to buy a Nissan Leaf, there’s not a huge amount of choice. It comes only as a five-door hatchback with front-wheel drive, an automatic gearbox and a 148bhp electric motor that’s powered by a 40kWh battery.

It looks much more conventional than the previous Leaf, but that’s a very deliberate choice on Nissan’s part, as the company thinks that the looks of the old car actually put some people off.

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Image 2 of 20

What’s also conventional about the Leaf is the range of trims buyers can choose. The line-up of Visia, Acenta, N-connecta and Tekna mirrors what you can find throughout Nissan’s line-up.

Engines, performance and drive

4.3/5

Electric motor responds quickly and smoothly; and, with the e-Pedal system, it makes this a great car to drive around town

MPG, CO2 and running costs

4.8/5

Running on electric power only and with zero tailpipe emissions, this is a very cheap car to own

Interior, design and technology

4.5/5

The cabin may look fairly conventional, but there’s an impressive amount of technology fitted

Practicality, comfort and boot space

4.4/5

The Nissan Leaf will happily take four adults, and its boot is one of the biggest in the class

Reliability and Safety

4.2/5

A good showing from previous model bodes well, as do the high levels of safety-related technology fitted to the car

Mind you, the level of technology available on the car is anything but conventional. This includes the e-Pedal system, which means you can drive the car using just one pedal, as there’s enough braking effort when you lift off the accelerator to slow the car to a complete stop. Beyond that, there’s also the Pro Pilot system, which will automatically steer, accelerate and brake the car on roads where it can see the road markings and the car in front.

In terms of size, the Leaf is a small family hatchback, a little bit larger than Nissan’s own Pulsar (which comes only with conventional engines) and rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

Pure electric rivals are fairly thin on the ground at the moment, but among the Leaf’s competition are cars such as the Volkswagen e-Golf, Ford Focus Electric and Hyundai Ioniq. From sister company Renault, there’s also the Zoe, which is a smaller car, and buyers might also be tempted by the BMW i3. This, too, is a smaller car, but its ingenious packaging and more prestigious badge could well make it appealing.