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2014 Nissan LEAF Preview

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Guillaume Rivard
Pros: Easy ingress and egress, quiet operation, pleasant driving dynamics, user-friendly controls, and a great audio system will delight 2014 Nissan LEAF buyers.

Cons: With a range of about 160 kilometres (down to 100 in cold temperatures), the LEAF is not suited for all drivers. What's more, charging the battery through a standard 120V outlet takes forever (15-20 hours, actually). As you can imagine, said battery also affects trunk capacity.

2014 Nissan LEAF 3/4 view
Photo: Nissan

2014 Nissan LEAF Price: There are three trim levels to choose from including S at $31,698, SV at $34,998, and SL at $38,498. However, buyers and lessees in some Canadian provinces get up to $8,500 in rebates.

Standard features in the 2014 Nissan LEAF include heated front and rear seats, a backup camera, and Bluetooth connectivity.

2014 Nissan LEAF Fuel Economy: How do you like a big, fat 0L/100km? With the LEAF, only electricity fees apply.

Improvements and Changes: Since the 2013 model was launched in late summer, there are no changes for the 2014 model year.

2014 Nissan LEAF Powertrain: The LEAF returns with an advanced 24kWh lithium-ion battery comprised of 48 compact modules, and an 80kW AC synchronous motor good for 107 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque. The transmission selector now has a "B" drive mode that increases regenerative braking during deceleration.

The standard 6.6 kW onboard charger reduces 220V charging times from roughly seven to four hours for a full charge. If you’re in a rush, the LEAF’s battery can be charged to 80% in only 30 minutes. By the way, the pack carries an 8-year/160,000km warranty.

Cargo Capacity: Despite the battery, you can load up to 679 litres of cargo inside the trunk. With the rear seats folded, the volume increases to 849 litres.

Safety: Beyond the aforementioned backup camera, the 2014 Nissan LEAF offers six airbags, stability and traction control, along with a tire pressure monitoring system.

Comparing the 2014 Nissan LEAF: The biggest threats to the LEAF come from the Ford Focus Electric, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and Chevrolet Volt.

Guillaume Rivard
Guillaume Rivard
Automotive expert
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