The Nissan Leaf was never a looker. Going back to the first-generation model, it looked dorky. With a shape likely dictated more by aerodynamic efficiency than head-turning good looks, it looked like a fish; a fish out of water in fact next to sophisticated looking family hatchbacks and cute-utes. Nonetheless, Nissan managed to move some 300,000 examples, cementing it as the world’s best-selling EV (take that, Tesla).

En route to 2018 and its first ground-up redesign, Nissan decided it’s about time to push the Leaf from the fringes of geekdom to mainstream car-dom. It’s about time someone other than Sheldon Cooper could learn to appreciate what the Leaf can do. This time, Nissan is touting the Leaf as the EV for everyone—it’s the car you, your wife, your brother, your sister, your kids, and probably even your dog would like to take for a spin, without having to put a paper bag over their heads. Yes, innovative and pioneering is good, but making it drive like an ordinary vehicle is the Leaf’s main mission here.



A couple of laps around Singapore Nanyang University’s CETRAN test course reveals the unmistakable truth: mission accomplished. Granted the two-hectare test course isn’t really set-up to be the Nürburgring, but at least it’s enough to show off how extraordinarily ordinary the Leaf drives and operates.

Before getting to the drive itself, it’s worth noting that the Leaf looks remarkably like a regular family hatchback. Gone is the parrot fish look and in comes something akin to a family hatchback. It’s got that Anne Hathaway-getting-a-Princess-Diaries-makeover type of vibe. It still isn’t as sexy as Adriana Lima sashaying with her wings, but at least it looks the part. The angular lines, sharper lights, generous wheels—blink fast enough and you can mistake it for a warm hatch.



The same goes when you step inside. As you try to get all familiar with the Leaf’s cabin, it strikes you as ordinary. No fancy shiz here—no giant tablet-like touchscreen, no falcon doors—it’s typical Nissan fare. Because of that, getting used to the Leaf’s operation is quick and easy. With a course navigator that’s more concerned about processing the test drive group, getting comfy and heading out to the test track had to be done ASAP. And that’s doable. Granted the seats feel awkward (they’re perched higher because of the floor-mounted battery back), the rest of the package gets two thumbs up. The best parts have to be the instrument cluster with its giant LCD screen and the toggle-type gear selector which is so easy to use.

Going to the drive itself, the CETRAN test course simulates city streets and as such, the drive is limited to “pedestrian-friendly” speeds. In these circumstances, the Leaf is a blast to drive. It continues to ride on the first-generation’s platform, but stiffened and fitted with a quicker steering rack. While it’s hard to comment whether this version has had noticeable improvement over the Leaf of old, one thing is for certain: it feels hefty. Sure, the steering is responsive and all, but there’s also an undeniable feeling of mass; like a boxer sporting a beer gut. Still, for the great masses out there, peak torque of 350 Nm available from 0 rpm and a serenely quiet ride are more than enough reasons to love the Leaf.



The most sci-fi element of the Leaf is its ability to do one-pedal driving. Nissan calls it e-pedal and it’s an ingenious combination of the engine’s regenerative braking and conventional friction brakes to slow the car appreciably without having to apply the brake pedal at all. It can even hold the car on steep grades without having to expend any electrical energy. It takes a few corners to get used to, but after this, most will undoubtedly appreciate this unique feature.

With a name that actually stands for “Leading Environmentally-friendly Affordable Family vehicle”, the Leaf’s main mission is to cater to families. And for that, it’s has succeeded here. It’s a car that manages to do everything to a consistent eight-out-of-ten standard, rather than any one thing brilliantly. Some will continue to raise an eyebrow or two at the prospect of giving up their internal combustion habit; some may still opt to ogle a Tesla, but for the vast majority of would-be EV buyers, there’s no better choice than the Leaf. It performs and drives quite like an ordinary family hatchback and for that, it’s done what it’s designed to do.