Performance

4 out of 5 stars

All the electric motor's torque is available right from standstill, so as soon as you push the accelerator, the Leaf pulls like a train. Pick-up is just as strong on the move, and that makes it exceedingly punchy and easy to drive. The claimed 0-62mph time of 11.9 seconds doesn't look that impressive, but believe us, the Leaf feels much faster than that.
Ride & Handling

3 out of 5 stars

Its strange power delivery aside, the Leaf is a pretty conventional car to drive. The suspension does a decent job of soaking up bumps, but there's enough control to keep things tidy in bends. The steering is light in town, but it's a tad slow, which is a little disconcerting at higher speeds.
Refinement

5 out of 5 stars

Refinement is another advantage of electric power – aside from a faint whirr when you pull away, you won't hear a peep from the motor. There's some wind- and road noise as speeds rise, but you only really notice it because there's nothing else invading your eardrums. At all speeds, the Leaf is a quiet place to be.

Buying & Owning

2 out of 5 stars

The Leaf is very pricey, but the Government will contribute £5000 towards your purchase. Zero emissions at the tailpipe means you won't pay any road tax, and filling it with electricity will cost a fraction of what you'd pay for petrol. Just remember that a full charge takes eight hours from a domestic socket, and even that gives you an extremely limited range. We’ve observed that the range also drops drastically in cold weather.
Quality & Reliability

3 out of 5 stars

With all its new technology, it's tricky to tell how reliable the Leaf will be. You can be comforted by Nissan's superb reliability record, though, and the fact that the electric drivetrain components are very simple and have a five-year warranty. The build quality is solid, too, even if some of the materials are a little on the basic side.
Safety & Security

4 out of 5 stars

The Leaf comes with stability control to help you avoid trouble, and it also has six airbags in case trouble becomes unavoidable. The car is yet to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP, but Nissan is expecting a high score thanks to the Leaf's ultra-rigid structure.

Behind The Wheel

3 out of 5 stars

Despite the car's space-age technology, the cabin doesn't have a space-age look. All the controls are positioned where you'd expect to find them and everything is clearly marked. The touch-screen sat-nav system incorporates many clever extra functions, but it ca ne a little confusing. There's a range of instrumentation to give you various information about economy, charge levels and local charging facilities.
Space & Practicality

4 out of 5 stars

The Leaf is great for passengers. There's lots of head- and legroom, so four adults can sit in comfort, and five can squeeze in if needs be. There's a decent 330-litre boot, too. The position of the battery pack means there's a massive step in the boot floor when you fold the rear seats down, but that's the only concession you make on practicality.
Equipment

4 out of 5 stars

The Leaf's standard kit list contains everything your heart could desire. Air-conditioning, four electric windows, keyless entry, Bluetooth and a reversing camera are all provided, as is an advanced satellite-navigation system that incorporates dozens of other useful functions. You can use your smartphone to communicate with the car, allowing you to remotely check charge levels and fire up the air-conditioning while the Leaf's still plugged in.