In this 2020 Nissan Leaf's SL Plus review I am taking a look at the range, driving comfort, sharp turns and the 3rd party charging. By the way, the name of this EV is an acronym for Leading Environmentally-friendly Affordable Family vehicle and needs capital letters.
The Pro Pilot driver assist and practical hatchback body style set the 2020 LEAF apart from similar EVs. Having both 40 and 62 kWh version batteries available is a benefit for many, and suit varying range needs and budgets.
I find the 2020 Nissan LEAF to be a good car. Let's start from its price compared to its major competitor Tesla Model 3. The LEAF's is not only $5,000 cheaper than the base model 3, but it still gets its Federal Tax Incentive (United states).
Now, let's talk about the 2020 LEAF's battery pack. The new LEAF's base model range is not very long. It only has about 140-150 miles. But the LEAF Plus and the SL Plus have longer range, reaching to 241 miles per single charge. The LEAF is a nice comfortable ride with lots of power.
J.D. Power ranked the Nissan LEAF as the top performing non-premium vehicle and at the top of the compact car segment with a score of 83 problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100). See the attached release for more information.
As the technology flagship for the entire Nissan lineup, the Nissan LEAF has been the embodiment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility since the debut of the original LEAF in 2010. Since launch, Nissan LEAF has been one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the world.
Here are some of the key additions to the 2020 Nissan Leaf.
• Nissan Safety Shield 360 now standard on all models: Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning Lane Departure Warning and High Beam Assist
• Additional standard features on all models include Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Lane Intervention and Blind Spot Intervention
• Standard 8-inch color touchscreen display on all 40 kWh LEAF grades
• LEAF S features standard Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
• Driver and front passenger knee supplemental air bags, rear seat-mounted outboard side-impact supplemental air bags added to all models
• Intelligent Around View® Monitor and Intelligent Driver Alertness added to SV Technology Package
•New Sunset Drift ChromaFlair® premium color (late availability)
How much does the LEAF cost?
MSRPs for the LEAF trims are:
S 40 kWh $ 31,600
SV 40 kWh $ 34,190
S PLUS 62 kWh $ 38,200
SV PLUS 62 kWh $ 39,750
SL PLUS 62 kWh $ 43,900
Destination charges: $925
It seems to be the affordable family electric car. 3 kids in the back are fine, even in car seats. Big trunk. Bigger than the BMW SUV electric car trunk. And than the volt's trunk.
The 2020 Leaf is using passive thermal battery cooling, but the new Arya is going to have an active way of cooling your battery. The Envision Group makes the batteries for the Nissan Leaf. They have plant located right next to Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee Assembly Plant where the LEAF is manufactured.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.
