The Red, White, and Green

Before I tell you about my test drive this week of the new, all-electric Nissan Leaf, a disclaimer: If you’re looking for a review packed with performance stats (or any mention of the word torque), you’re out of luck; my experience with cars consists of putting about 4,000 miles a year on a fairly battered 2004 manual transmission Volkswagen Jetta that my husband refers to as Robocar.

(Before that, I lived for eight years sans car in Philadelphia, then Boston, then New York City; before that, I had a 1985 VW Cabriolet that spent more time on a AAA tow truck than it did on the road.)

OK, now the test drive results. Here’s what I can tell you about the Nissan Leaf:

It’s a real car. This may sound silly, but I think people expect electric cars to feel more like a toy than an all-purpose vehicle that you could take on the highway, on a road trip, and up in the mountains to go camping. The Nissan Leaf is not a novelty; when you’re in it, you would never know that it’s an “alternative” vehicle, save for the ultra-quiet driving experience and the fact that you’re fueling it for practically free.

It’s really quiet. About that pin-drop driving experience: With the absence of that familiar engine noise, it’s amazing how little sounds you would never otherwise notice seem really loud. So much so that Nissan had to actually go back and redesign the Leaf’s antenna and side mirrors to make them more aerodynamic, after they were resulting in too much perceptible “wind noise” to the car’s passengers. The turn signal clicker, to me, sounded way louder than usual; something I could totally get used to, but it took me by surprise at first.

It’s comfortable. Take it from someone who’s nearly nine months pregnant: This car has great lumbar support. I got to ride as a passenger in the back, as well as drive the car myself, and both seats were very comfy and offered a surprising amount of legroom (I’m a leggy 5’8″) for a compact hatchback. I also dug the recycled-soda-bottle fabric, though I would like to see an eco-leather option as well.

It’s zippy. I’ve always loved small, sprightly cars, and the Nissan Leaf fits the bill: It’s quick to the start, hugs the turns really nicely, and the brakes are responsive. In “eco mode,” which ups the amount of mileage you get per charge, the car does feel relatively heavier, though it’s still fine for tooling around town (not to mention being stuck in LA traffic).

It looks great. Before I saw the Nissan Leaf in person, I was expecting a Ford Focus-esque, run-of-the-mill hatchback. But in real life, the ride has style; the silhouette is sleek, the front of the car is gracefully curved, and the small rear spoiler detail gives it just a bit of edge. I saw it in that “earth blue” color that seems to be all the rage these days, but in black (see above) I think it would be a real beaut.

Let’s face it though; while it is nice to know that the Nissan Leaf stands out for all of the above, there are really two reasons you’ll want to buy or lease the Leaf: #1 It costs about 3 bucks to “fill it up” (a hefty 100 miles per charge), and #2 you’ll never again have to give a dime to dirty oil companies like BP.

–Jennifer Grayson

Related post:
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