New Leaf priced for Oz

NISSAN will launch its new-look Leaf electric small hatch Down Under this August with a range of key technology updates the brand says is designed to make zero-emission motoring even more appealing.

Priced from $50,990 plus on-road costs – a modest increase of $1000 over the outgoing model – the two-variant Leaf range receives Nissan’s new badging front and rear, a revised grille, darkened headlight treatment, revised 17-inch alloy wheel design, rear spoiler and remoulded side sill covers.

The MY23 Leaf adds dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto levelling, LED rear lights and daytime running lights, heated door mirrors, and front and rear fog lights, and important new exterior sound projection to warn pedestrians and other road users when the vehicle is approaching.

Dubbed ‘Canto Sound’, the bespoke sonic identity is carefully designed to be audible, but not alarming, to those outside the vehicle, even on busy city streets, Nissan says. It is automatically activated at speeds below 30km/h and varies in pitch to complement the vehicle’s speed.

Leaf variants also receive a new Smart Rear-View Mirror which pairs with the vehicle’s rear-view camera, and new safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera with moving object detection, and AEB with pedestrian detection.

The Nissan Leaf continues to offer a driving range of 270km (WLTP) in entry-grade form, the up-spec Leaf e+ offering up to 385 km (WLTP). Output of the two variants is rated at 110kW/320Nm and 160kW/340NM respectively while the 0-100km/h dash is dispensed in 7.9 and 6.9 seconds.

At home, and connected to a standard 240V/10A outlet, the regular and large battery Leaf variants respectively take 21 and 36 hours to fully charge, dropping significantly to 7.5 and 11.5 hours when plugged into Nissan’s AC wallbox.

Quicker still, DC fast chargers can top-up the Leaf variants from 20 to 80 per cent in just 60  and 90 minutes respectively.

“The Nissan Leaf has been inviting Australians to experience electric since the first-generation vehicle arrived here in 2012,” said Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson.

“And with a stylish new look and more safety technology, and with the flexibility of two battery-capacity options, the switch to zero-emission motoring is now even more appealing in the new Nissan Leaf.

“With more people now considering an EV as their next new car than ever before, electric vehicles are no longer the cars of tomorrow – they’re the cars of right now. And I’m proud to say the Nissan Leaf has been leading that charge for 10 years in Australia.”

The updated Nissan Leaf range is available locally from August.

2022 Nissan Leaf pricing*: 

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.