Radically-improved Nissan Leaf is now a proper ‘made in Britain’ EV with bigger battery, cabin & quirky nod to its maker

EVERY Five Guys has a sign on the wall that says: “Today’s potatoes are from . . .” 

Somewhere local. 

David Shepherd

David Shepherd

David Shepherd

Up front, that slick twin-screen dash has built-in Google for maps, music and more[/caption]

That makes me happy. 

Because not only does it mean the chips will be fresh and tasty, it’s a reminder that you’re backing British farming. 

Helping to put food on the table for someone else. 

It’s the same with some cars. 

If you buy a Mini Cooper or a Toyota Corolla or a Nissan Qashqai or a Nissan Juke, you get a tasty motor first and foremost. 

But you also support tens of thousands of people who work in the British car industry. 

So everyone wins. 

The next “Made in Britain” motor coming our way is the radically- improved Nissan Leaf. 

Now a proper long-distance family motor that happens to be electric. 

Rather than a fugly eco car with phish range. 

Let’s just say the original Leaf was a rubbish getaway car. You’d be  better off on foot. 

This new one has the option of a 270-mile battery or a 375-mile  battery.

So you might need to charge it once a fortnight. The smooth body and flat belly help it slice through the air. 

Steering wheel paddles adjust the levels of braking regen to add more electrons on the go. 

After trying a prototype, I  am pleased to say Leaf 3.0 drives nicely too. 

Smooth, quiet, sophisticated, fast when you want to go fast, relaxed when you don’t. 

The new multi-link rear axle, compared to the old torsion-beam set-up, really improves ride and handling. 

It’s actually shorter than the old car, with a smaller turning circle, so it’s easier to park and manoeuvre in town.

Yet the cabin is bigger. There’s room for a rear-facing child seat in the back. There wasn’t before. 

The boot is bigger and more useful with luggage dividers from a Qashqai. 

Up front, that slick twin-screen dash has built-in Google for maps, music and more. 

Bose headrest speakers direct satnav and calls to the driver’s lugholes. So they don’t spoil the song for everyone else. 

The big glass roof, with thermal protection, dims in sections. And actually increases headroom.

There’s lots of charging ports for devices and drink holders for your Five Guys milkshakes. Like I said, proper family car. 

Other observations. The 3D rear lights. I like them. Two upright bars and three horizontal bars. 

That’s because ‘two’ and ‘three’ in Japanese sound like ‘Ni’ and ‘San’. 

Supplied

The big glass roof, with thermal protection, dims in sections. And actually increases headroom[/caption]

David Shepherd

Those striking 3D rear lights aren’t just for show – they spell out ‘Nissan’ in Japanese numbers: two (ni) and three (san)[/caption]

That’s also why Nissan’s legendary race cars wear the number 23. 

Let’s hope there’s a sporty Leaf NISMO further down the line because I’m told there’s room for a rear e-motor to make it 4WD. 

For now, though, we applaud Sunderland for giving us a practical electric car we would be proud to own. 

It just needs a badge that says it’s home-grown.