Our time behind the wheel of the new Nissan Leaf was limited to a prototype at Nissan’s test facility in Tochigi, Japan, however it gave us a good insight into how the car’s dynamics and powertrain have developed.
The motor feels lively, with smooth acceleration and only a hint of whine. The extra pace is obvious, but more interesting is the evolution of how you drive the car thanks to the e-Pedal.
While it takes some getting used to, once you judge the level of deceleration from the regenerative braking in this mode, it quickly becomes natural to roll to a stop on the flat or a gradient by modulating the accelerator. It’s nicer than using the brakes because the brake pedal feels soft and squidgy. On top of that, the transition between regenerative braking and conventional braking still feels too grabby.
The Leaf still isn’t ‘emotional’ to drive, despite what Nissan’s engineers want you to believe, because its steering is numb. Nevertheless, it’s agile enough, given the weight of the batteries, which are mounted low in the chassis.
We’re told the European version will be firmer still and even more agile, but while the ride felt softer than the outgoing car’s it still had a lumpier, firmer edge to it on the admittedly limited section of bumpy road we experienced. It felt unsettled here, although over more rolling surfaces and through gentle bends the Leaf exhibited more control.
The improvements to refinement were instantly apparent, even in this prototype. Road noise is noticeable but only because other noises are so well suppressed.
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