Skip advert
Advertisement
Best cars & vans

Nissan Leaf - best low emissions green cars

Nissan Leaf was one of the pioneering electric cars, and the Mk2 is better than ever

Nissan Leaf - side

Before the Nissan Leaf arrived, electric car ownership was seen as a bit of a niche pursuit in the UK. Up until 2009, the best-selling electric 'car' in the UK was the G-Wiz, but its poor quality, short range and lack of safety meant it was basic to say the least.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It's fair to say that the Nissan Leaf transformed the electric car market when it arrived in 2010. Its conventional hatchback looks are appealing, while it has just enough of a hi-tech look to let people know about its electric drive system. The updated Mk2 arrived in 2018 with a bigger battery for a longer range, plus a variety of useful driver assist systems.

The nose features a flap which covers the charging socket, but apart from that and some Zero Emissions badges and a lack of exhaust, the Leaf looks like any other five-door hatchback. Step inside, and there's room for five, while the dashboard features a hi-tech display to help you monitor the electric range.

Nissan has given the Leaf constant updates over its life, and as battery technology has progressed, so the car's range has grown. The latest car has a claimed range of around 215 miles, so you'd be able to travel 150 miles without recharging pretty easily - you wouldn't even need to employ energy-saving techniques to achieve this.

Best green cars 2019

  1. 1. BMW i3
  2. 2. Toyota Prius
  3. 3. Jaguar I-Pace
  4. 4. VW Passat GTE
  5. 5. Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX
  6. 6. Nissan Leaf
  7. 7. Volvo XC60 T8
  8. 8. Tesla Model S
  9. 9. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
  10. 10. Hyundai Ioniq
  1.  
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Leaf is a proper family EV for £185 per month
Nissan Leaf - front
News

Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Leaf is a proper family EV for £185 per month

Well-built, practical and refined are all great reasons to get a Nissan Leaf - our Deal of the Day from 1 March
1 Mar 2024
Best used electric cars 2024
Best used electric cars - header image
Best cars & vans

Best used electric cars 2024

Looking to join the electric car revolution but have a smaller budget? Here are our best used electric cars to buy
24 Jan 2024
Top 10 most reliable family cars to buy 2024
Most reliable family cars 2023
Best cars & vans

Top 10 most reliable family cars to buy 2024

We reveal the most reliable family cars you can buy according to the 2023 Driver Power survey
4 Jan 2024
The most important cars of the last 35 years
Most important cars – header image
Best cars & vans

The most important cars of the last 35 years

We’ve reviewed hundreds of models over the past 35 years, but these are the ones that our team believes really made a difference
13 Oct 2023

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024