Only 1 2023 Nissan Leaf Trim Is Worth Buying as a Daily Driver
The 2023 Nissan Leaf continues to be an affordable and straightforward EV that folks can buy if they want to go green without buying a fancy and expensive high-tech EV. That being said, Nissan does offer trim options on the Leaf for customers who want some variety in their life, and to that end, there’s only one trim worth buying as a daily driver. Here’s a look at which 2023 Nissan Leaf trim is the best for everyday driving.
An overview of the standard 2023 Nissan Leaf
At a starting price tag of under $29,000, the Nissan Leaf continues to be a compelling option for folks looking for an affordable EV. However, according to Car and Driver, that price point hides some bad news. The standard Leaf comes with a single electric motor with 147 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. It’s a weak motor, but it does allow the Nissan EV to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.4 seconds.
The standard Leaf also comes with a 40-kWh battery, and this only gives the Nissan a range of 151 miles. All Leafs can be charged on a 120-volt or 240-volt outlet, and it’s also capable of DC fast charging. Although the materials are cheap inside the car, they don’t look cheap. Additionally, since the Leaf is a hatchback, it does have more space than a regular sedan will.
As for tech, the Leaf has a 7-inch digital gauge cluster display and an 8-inch touch-screen display. The Nissan EV also comes with Nissan’s suite of smart safety features, called Nissan Safety Shield 360. This suite provides things like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert system, and more.
The best trim is the 2023 Nissan Leaf SV Plus
Nissan offers one trim above the standard trim, and it’s the best trim for the Leaf. That trim is called the SV Plus and improves the Leaf in several ways. The Nissan Leaf’s electric motor on the SV Plus trim delivers 215 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque instead, allowing it to go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. This trim also gets a 62-kWh battery, allowing the Nissan to get a max range of 226 miles.
On top of that, according to Autotrader, the SV Plus trim also gets a 100-kWh quick-charge port, LED headlights, a hybrid heating system, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Its tech features also got upgrades, as Nissan’s ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous self-driving system comes standard with the trim, as does a 360-degree camera. The Leaf’s infotainment system also gets a navigation system.
Those features won’t be cheap, though, as the SV Plus trim starts at about $37,000. That said, according to multiple car critics, the upgrades that the SV Plus trim provides are more than worth the price.
Multiple car critics agree that the SV Plus trim is the best overall
Daily drivers need good range, and that’s exactly what the Nissan Leaf SV Plus provides. That’s also precisely why Car and Driver and Autotrader say that the SV Plus trim is the best trim to buy. The interior and tech upgrades also boost the car’s convenience, and the heated features are great for winter.
Another car critic, The Drive, also agrees that the SV Plus trim is the best Leaf trim. Just like Car and Driver and Autotrader, the SV Plus’ additional range is the main reason it’s considered the best trim. The other features that Nissan gave to the trim are also good overall and help make the extra cost worth it.
