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If you are in Greenwich and find yourself wanting to see a Leaf 40, the slightly cheesey Nissan Experience place at the O2 Arena / Millennium Dome have a japanese import version there to get a look at.
First thoughts: Buttons. Lots of buttons.
So much of the car is the same as the existing Leaf models, but the big changes are:
Body panels: Front panel, headlights, front wings are a different shape. Rear B pillars slightly different pressing to cater for redesigned light cluster.
![DSC_0516.JPG]()
Charge port has been moved up into the bonnet, above a fake (smooth) grille that hides the Pro-pilot radar. and for Europe, has a type 2 socket rather than type 1. (This one, being Japanese, was type 1)
Dashboard: Out goes the double binnacle and digital speedometer. In comes a Pseudo-analog physical speedometer needle. It'll probably still intentionally under-read by 10%.
Central console : Much bigger, and somewhat overpowering, so if you ever need to exit the driver's seat via the passenger side, there's much more to step over. Electronic parking brake is back - to support the parking assist mode. We will see how reliable this one is, since Nissan removed it last time for reliability problems.
Buttons. Lots more buttons. One for e-pedal on/off, one for Pro-Pilot on/off, one for parking assist on/off.
Boot: The floor of the boot is deeper, there seems to be a bit more space between the wheel wells. but they still insist on having that stupid bose subwoofer taking up valuable boot space on the model I saw.
Dashboard language was Japanese, Radio / Satnav was Japanese, so I didn't get to play with that much.
One very odd change : The indicator stalk on this one is on the right, wiper on the left, which is the opposite to current Leafs. This could be a variant between the Japanese version and the European version.
![DSC_0514.JPG]()
![DSC_0513.JPG]()
Battery pack is still in the same place, the same shape, and voltage. Any unwillingness of Nissan to offer the 40kWh pack as a retrofit on the current 23kWh/30kWh models is mostly a software support and business process issue, in the same sort of way that they've stated there's no process to fit a 30kWh pack in a car that previously had a 24kWh pack. ("No process to..." often is mistranslated as "impossible to"). They worked out a formal process for replacing the battery pack with the newer chemistry packs when Gen 1.0 cars were showing early degradation problems in hot places like Arizona.
Doors, overall Seat design, parcel shelf, windscreen and other windows are still the same as the current Leaf. Rear seats still can't fold anywhere near flat. Heater controls are identical as previously.
Motor is theoretically capable of more power output than the current version, thought I was told it was an efficiency redesign rather than more power output was the intention.
Overall, if you ignore body shape and cosmetic changes, there's probably not that many more changes between this Leaf and the current version than between the original Gen 1.0 leaf and the Sunderland-built Gen 2 (or is it now 1.5) Leaf. Best bit for me would be the battery capacity.
Things that, in my opinion, are worse, having seen it in the flesh: The new retro analog speedometer, the central console (too bulky). Not keen on the pretend radiator grille.
Am I going to rush out and put a deposit down? No. I'm not in the market for a new car for another two years or so, and then I'll look at the ex-demo or second-hand models.
If I didn't already have a Leaf, and was in the market, absolutely. I'd buy one as soon as the ex-demo ones become available.
Things that Nissan have missed as worthwhile enhancements:
Proper fold-flat rear seats
Faster than 50kW charging where available.
Three-phase capable on-board charging that can still charge at >=6.6kW on singla phase like the later i3s (more of an issue for Mainland Europe).
Things I'll only find out on a proper test drive:
If the cruise control can have a pre-set speed of below 45km/h. Not that important as it's now radar adaptive cruise control, right down to a stop.
At what point the brake lights come on in e-pedal mode. If it's done sensibly, it will only be when the friction brakes are automatically applied.
First thoughts: Buttons. Lots of buttons.
So much of the car is the same as the existing Leaf models, but the big changes are:
Body panels: Front panel, headlights, front wings are a different shape. Rear B pillars slightly different pressing to cater for redesigned light cluster.
Charge port has been moved up into the bonnet, above a fake (smooth) grille that hides the Pro-pilot radar. and for Europe, has a type 2 socket rather than type 1. (This one, being Japanese, was type 1)
Dashboard: Out goes the double binnacle and digital speedometer. In comes a Pseudo-analog physical speedometer needle. It'll probably still intentionally under-read by 10%.
Central console : Much bigger, and somewhat overpowering, so if you ever need to exit the driver's seat via the passenger side, there's much more to step over. Electronic parking brake is back - to support the parking assist mode. We will see how reliable this one is, since Nissan removed it last time for reliability problems.
Buttons. Lots more buttons. One for e-pedal on/off, one for Pro-Pilot on/off, one for parking assist on/off.
Boot: The floor of the boot is deeper, there seems to be a bit more space between the wheel wells. but they still insist on having that stupid bose subwoofer taking up valuable boot space on the model I saw.
Dashboard language was Japanese, Radio / Satnav was Japanese, so I didn't get to play with that much.
One very odd change : The indicator stalk on this one is on the right, wiper on the left, which is the opposite to current Leafs. This could be a variant between the Japanese version and the European version.
Battery pack is still in the same place, the same shape, and voltage. Any unwillingness of Nissan to offer the 40kWh pack as a retrofit on the current 23kWh/30kWh models is mostly a software support and business process issue, in the same sort of way that they've stated there's no process to fit a 30kWh pack in a car that previously had a 24kWh pack. ("No process to..." often is mistranslated as "impossible to"). They worked out a formal process for replacing the battery pack with the newer chemistry packs when Gen 1.0 cars were showing early degradation problems in hot places like Arizona.
Doors, overall Seat design, parcel shelf, windscreen and other windows are still the same as the current Leaf. Rear seats still can't fold anywhere near flat. Heater controls are identical as previously.
Motor is theoretically capable of more power output than the current version, thought I was told it was an efficiency redesign rather than more power output was the intention.
Overall, if you ignore body shape and cosmetic changes, there's probably not that many more changes between this Leaf and the current version than between the original Gen 1.0 leaf and the Sunderland-built Gen 2 (or is it now 1.5) Leaf. Best bit for me would be the battery capacity.
Things that, in my opinion, are worse, having seen it in the flesh: The new retro analog speedometer, the central console (too bulky). Not keen on the pretend radiator grille.
Am I going to rush out and put a deposit down? No. I'm not in the market for a new car for another two years or so, and then I'll look at the ex-demo or second-hand models.
If I didn't already have a Leaf, and was in the market, absolutely. I'd buy one as soon as the ex-demo ones become available.
Things that Nissan have missed as worthwhile enhancements:
Proper fold-flat rear seats
Faster than 50kW charging where available.
Three-phase capable on-board charging that can still charge at >=6.6kW on singla phase like the later i3s (more of an issue for Mainland Europe).
Things I'll only find out on a proper test drive:
If the cruise control can have a pre-set speed of below 45km/h. Not that important as it's now radar adaptive cruise control, right down to a stop.
At what point the brake lights come on in e-pedal mode. If it's done sensibly, it will only be when the friction brakes are automatically applied.
