Exterior Nissan says the 2018 Leaf’s exterior design draws inspiration from the brand’s IDS Concept car from a few years ago. Familiar Nissan design cues include a plunging V-Motion grille flanked by boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and pillars designed to give the roof a floating appearance. Sixteen-inch steel wheels are standard, and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are available.
Interior The Leaf has room for up to five people, and Nissan says passenger space is roughly the same as the outgoing Leaf. There’s blue stitching on the seats, doors, armrest and steering wheel, and the illuminated starter button is blue, too.
The instrument panel features an analog speedometer and a 7-inch configurable color screen. There’s also a center screen that shows vehicle and entertainment information, and navigation-equipped models include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Meanwhile, the NissanConnect system lets you search for available charging stations.
Under the Hood The 2018 Leaf’s electric motor makes 147 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque, which is 38 percent more horsepower and 26 percent more torque than the previous Leaf’s motor. As in other electric cars, the torque from the Leaf’s motor is available from zero rpm, improving acceleration.
The 2018 Leaf’s 40-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is the same physical size as the prior Leaf’s 30-kwh battery, and it’s located in the middle of the car for improved directional stability. The Leaf should be able to drive around 150 miles on a full charge, according to Nissan, and a depleted battery will take 16 or eight hours to recharge on 240-volt service at 3 or 6 kilowatts, respectively. As with the prior Leaf, you can manage charging and precondition the cabin with a smartphone app.
Safety The 2018 Leaf offers ProPilot Assist, a self-driving system that can manage the following distance from traffic directly ahead all the way down to a complete stop. The system can also help steer the car and keep it in the middle of the lane. The driver is expected to remain attentive when ProPilot Assist is active.
Available active safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. A 360-degree camera system is also available.
