The Nissan Leaf 2011

2011 nissan leaf car review

$32,780 – $33,720
The Nissan Leaf 2011 Features

* Pure battery-electric car
* Five-seat compact hatchback
* 100-mile range (estimated)
* 95 mph top speed
* Programmable charge time
* Buy or lease

The Nissan Leaf 2011 is the nation's first purely battery-electric mass-market consumer vehicle. Its slow rollout starts with Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington in December 2010. Hawaii and Texas will get theirs in January. Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C., will follow in spring. The rest of the country will have to wait until late 2011. The 2011 model year's allotment has already been reserved.

With no onboard range-extending generator like the Chevrolet Volt's, the Leaf has a range of roughly 100 miles, period. A five-seat compact four-door hatchback, the Leaf SV carries a base price of $32,780, but a federal tax credit brings it down to $25,280. State incentives can knock thousands more off the price. Nissan will also lease the Leaf for $349 per month for 36 months after $1,999 down.

Standard features include a 120-volt trickle charger, a navigation system, wireless connectivity and the ability to schedule charge times via web or smartphone. The SL trim level, priced at $33,720, adds features like automatic headlights, fog lights, a solar panel, backup camera and a cargo cover.

The Nissan Leaf 2011 says the average cost for a required 240-volt home charger plus installation will be $2,200, and more than half the assessments through October 2010 came in under $2,000 . A federal tax credit will cover 50 percent of the cost up to $2,000 through 2010. (Credits might or might not be extended.)

The Nissan Leaf 2011 Exterior
Among high-efficiency four-doors with aerodynamic shapes, the Leaf manages to look distinctive, mainly due to its curvy rear end and raised headlights, which are designed to deflect oncoming air around the side mirrors to reduce drag and noise. Sixteen-inch alloy wheels are standard.

One of the most interesting features is a small solar panel (atop the SL trim level's liftgate spoiler) that trickle-charges the regular 12-volt battery.

The Nissan Leaf 2011 Interior
The five-seat Leaf has a 60/40-split folding backseat that extends the cargo area forward. Though it's a hatchback, the cargo volume behind the seats is closer to that of a sedan's trunk.

Cloth upholstery is the only choice, and the interior is almost indistinguishable from a regular car's, with the exception of the drive mode selector, which looks like a computer mouse. The usual cupholders, center storage console, door pockets and glove compartment are all present.

The standard touch-screen navigation system superimposes a graphical range indicator on the map. It also provides multiple energy-readout screens to help gauge energy use and remaining range.