2011 Nissan LEAF

2011 Nissan LEAF

Episode 3010 , Episode 3027
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

2010 is clearly the year of the electric car. So far this season we’ve driven the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, MINI E, Tesla Roadster, the Chevrolet Volt, and even this Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. But this week we turn our road test eyes to the first modern, pure-electric, five-passenger family car to enter mass production, the Nissan LEAF. Now, the compact LEAF could forever change the way we think about everyday cars. So, come along, and you be the judge, as we turn over the new leaf!

Loosely based on the Nissan Versa, the zero-tailpipe emissions 2011 Nissan LEAF is powered by an air-cooled, 24-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the floor pan and rear seats of the car.  Its 192 cells are tied to an 80-kilowatt synchronous AC electric motor. With 107 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, it pulls the LEAF to a top speed of 90 miles per hour. 

Fully charged, the LEAF has a range of 60 to 120 miles, depending on weather conditions. That’s enough to cover most roundtrip commutes without too much range anxiety.  But, since it has no backup power source like the Chevrolet Volt, for long distances, the LEAF is a non-starter.

A full recharge using 110 household current takes an impractical 20 hours. Installing an optional 220-volt home charging station drops it to about 8 hours. Nissan also plans to install commercial quick-charge stations in parking lots that will provide 80 percent recharge in just 30 minutes. 

On the road, the LEAF drives with the spirit of a peppy, front drive compact car, albeit an extremely quiet one.  As with most electric motored cars, the LEAF delivers peak torque right off the line. A non-instrumented 0 to 60 run of 8 seconds confirmed LEAF to be fairly brisk. And, with no transmission, everything is smooth and machine like.

The LEAF’s suspension is basic economy car; MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam in the rear.  Stability and traction control are standard.

And, when the road turns, the LEAF holds its own very well.  With the 600-pound battery pack down low, the LEAF feels planted and stable.  The car is quite nimble, and sportier than expected, with the electric power steering being reasonably precise.

There is regenerative braking, of course, and it is relatively mild in Normal Mode. Switch to Economy mode and the throttle grows softer and the regenerative braking grows harsher. Otherwise, the all-disc ABS system with Brake Assist reacts well to panic stops.

Ride is comfortable too, absorbing broken city pavement without great drama.  All in all, the LEAF drives normally, like a traditional, well-built compact family car. And it looks pretty normal, too. The LEAF has unique styling without going for an eco-freakmobile look. It’s more consistent with current Nissan products like Rogue, Juke, and Versa.

The bug-eyed, bulbous compact five-door hatchback is longer than the Versa hatchback, and a little shorter than the Chevrolet Volt.  It’s all very aerodynamic, with the large LED headlamps carefully shaped to keep wind noise low. On profile the LEAF is seamless and sprawling, with an almost mid-size stance. The standard 16-inch alloy wheels help that impression as well. The back-end is also quite normal, with a large hatch flanked by tall, thin taillights, and topped by a roof spoiler. 

For a more futuristic look, you have to dive inside the LEAF. It’s clean, inviting, and loaded with soft touch controls and animated displays. There’s lots of plastic, but it has a good quality look and feel to it. Seats are all-day comfortable, with coverings made from recycled materials.

The center dash houses the standard navigation system, and a mouse like shifter that took about a nanosecond to get use to.

Other techie standard equipment on the base LEAF SV includes push button start, cruise, Bluetooth, automatic temperature control, and CARWINGS, a Smartphone feature that allows for remote monitoring of the charging status. The uplevel SL adds backup camera, HomeLink, and a solar panel to keep a small battery charged for the audio system.

The rear seat offers normally-tight compact car leg room, and while there are three seatbelts, only two adults will fit comfortably. There is, however, some compromise in the cargo bay. Part of the onboard charging mechanism creates a hump at the forward end.  But when the rear seats are folded, they line up perfectly and eliminate this objection.

Obviously, the traditional miles per gallon measure doesn’t apply to the LEAF.  But the cost to fully recharge it is about $3.  That’s nearly twice that of the Chevrolet Volt, but then, the LEAF offers about twice the all-electric driving range, too. Nissan expects an official government miles per gallon energy equivalent rating in the triple digits.

There are some notable digits in LEAF’s price as well. Base sticker is $33,600, before federal and state tax credits. Most buyers will be able to drop that price to $26,100. However, we think leasing the LEAF is the way to go, at $1999 down and $349 per month.  That’s on par with a lease for the Chevy Volt. The 220-volt charging station will cost you about $2,200 installed, but that too is eligible for tax credits.

Beyond being a pure-electric vehicle, the 2011 Nissan LEAF is a well-equipped and capable compact car. It’s hard to see how it can be your only car, unless your radius of travel is very limited. But, then, there are always rentals. So, we find that LEAF does indeed keep its promises, and along with Volt, is a promising start to a new electric family car age. And, we can’t wait to see what comes next.

 

Specifications

  • Engine: 80-kilowatt Synchronous Ac Electric Motor
  • Horsepower: 107
  • Torque: 206 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 8.0 Seconds

Long Term Updates

When we took delivery of our long term Nissan Leaf electric car, we weren’t sure how we would use it. After all, the anxiety of running out of power seemed very real.

But, we adapted. We found the Nissan Leaf makes a great second car; perfect for reasonable commutes, around town errands, and just about anything short of long distance vacations.

But, while we often saw driving range indicated at over 100 miles, using heat or a/c, 65-70 was more reality.

With mostly short haul use, we had no trouble keeping it fully charged using household 110 Volts. Still, if we owned one, installing a 220 Volt charger would be best.

After 9 months, we can say the light, eco-friendly upholstery has taken quite a beating. It’s not very stain resistant. But,  driving enjoyment has only grown. The Leaf is quiet, quick, and agile.

So as we bid goodbye to our Leaf, we conclude that EVs are indeed viable, and we sure will miss this one.

Mileage: 1,300

After two months and with 1,300 commuter miles on the digital odometer, our staff is very pleased with the practicality of this pioneering EV. The Leaf is comfortable, able to haul plenty of household goods, while still bordering on fun-to-drive. The range indicator always drops faster than expected when you’re first starting out, and so far we’ve used heat and a/c sparingly to extend range. But, we’ve never come close to running out of power. With the hottest months of summer ahead, we’ll see if we can keep our cool in the Nissan Leaf.

2024 BMW X2 1

2024 BMW X2

The X1’s Dynamic Alter Ego Gets Bigger and Better

Episode 4406
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

It seems like everyone in the SUV world is trying to out-rugged one another. But over at BMW, they just keep doing what they do: Making stylish, high-performance sports activity vehicles, and even making them more attainable. This latest BMW X2 is proof of that.

At first glance, the 2024 BMW X2 Compact Sports Activity Coupe looks like the more dynamic platform-mate to the BMW X1. Afterall, the X1 utility is just so boring it needed the help. Weel, that’s not at all true, of course, but BMW is the brand that spearheaded the whole coupe-like SUV movement and continues to spread that theme throughout their lineup. So, hence this fast roof X2.

For its second generation, the X2 has gotten a lot bigger, a full 7.6-inches longer, which means it can now call the X1 its little brother. The roof slopes more drastically than before too, with even bigger changes in back, with the SUV-like liftgate and minimal back glass replaced with more glass set in a hatchback-style lid. Some might say the exaggerated fenders and sharp creases are a bit much, but we’re not among them. It looks great, especially with the optional M Sport Package’s 19-inch wheels, unique bumpers, and black trim.

Still, like many stylish small utilities, it is still a little hard to see out of. But that’s what cameras and a myriad of sensors are for. The X2 is clearly more upscale than before with xDrive all-wheel-drive now standard. So, no more front-wheel-drive X2s for now, though that never was a big deal to us, or to the owners of the new MINI Countryman who share this chassis.

BMW’s curved display is easily the highlight of the interior; operating with the ninth generation of iDrive technology, it blends the LED driver display into the central touchscreen. Front seats are both sporty and comfortable, and while many stylish sloped roof SUVs often sacrifice the utility part, rear seat space in the X2 is plentiful. With 25.3 cubic-feet of space, rear cargo capacity is barely less than the X1, and max capacity, at 51.7 cubic-feet, is actually more than the X1 due to the longer body.

This xDrive28i is the base offering, powered by a 241-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-4 with 295 lb-ft of torque. For an upgrade, that same engine gets cranked up to deliver 312 horsepower in the M35i; both get a seven-speed DCT. We stuck with the standard 2.0-liter for testing, dialed in Sport mode, and hit the track. And while it does feel very quick on the street, whether it was turbo lag or engine tuning, there just wasn’t a real sense of urgency off the line.

Once it got rolling though, power did pour on pretty effectively, getting us to 60 in 6.2 seconds, and then stayed very consistent down the track. There was even a nice little kick of additional oomph with every gear change. So clearly not the most invigorating BMW experience we’ve had recently, but the 14.9-second quarter-mile, finished at 96 mph, is plenty quick for an entry-level ute, and there’s always the M35i.

We’d also put handling in the “upscale” category. Even with the M Sport Adaptive suspension, softer tuning produced more body roll than expected. Steering was a bit too vague and light for our taste; without the tenacious grip we expected through our handling course. On the other hand, this X2 was very stable and safe, with a more substantial feel than before. In our panic braking test, the X2’s pedal was soft until the very end of travel when it firmed up quickly. But with an average stopping distance of a scant 96 feet, they clearly did their job.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the xDrive28i are 24 City, 33 Highway, and 28 Combined. We averaged a quite good 31.1 mpg of Premium. That rates slightly better than average for the Energy Impact Score, 10.6 barrels of annual oil use with 5.3 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $42,995, which is $1,500 more than a base X1. Then a healthy step up to the M35i which starts at $52,395.

While we did appreciate the original X2 for its more stylish take on the X1, there’s a lot more to love this time. The 2024 edition of the BMW X2 is more than just a better looking X1, it’s bigger and better all around. Now, one could argue if any brand really needs three coupe-like SUVs in their portfolio. But when you’ve got the formula for success like no one else, you might as well deploy it in as many ways as you can.