Nissan Leaf

THE Nissan Leaf was once a pioneering car in the race towards electrification. It was the first mass-produced electric car, offering a relatively low-cost package in the plugin midsize hatchback class decades before rivals, and was a glowing testament to the brand's ambition of bringing EV motoring to the mainstream. However, the speed at which the market has advanced has made life tricky for the Leaf, so Nissan has reacted by giving us an all-new model - and this one isn't resting on its laurels.

- Jordan Katsianis

That’s because this third-generation Leaf is a totally different proposition to the one that came before. It rides on a new platform, and rather than taking the shape of a traditional VW Golf-like hatchback, now features a crossover-like fastback body. It also comes with a far more impressive range figure and a cutting-edge interior.

Nissan has yet to reveal pricing in the UK, and we'll have a more thorough drive in a few months, but for now things are looking bright for the new Leaf.

The firm didn’t need to set out to build a high-performance or fun-to-drive EV, so it didn’t - and this makes the Leaf feel much more in tune with its key customers: those looking for a calm, comfortable and confidence-inspiring EV driving experience.

There are two distinct models. The first option is the base 52kWh setup that has a decent enough range figure of around 270 miles on the WLTP cycle. Nissan says this version has been created to offer customers in urban environments a good balance between range and cost, while also being more efficient thanks to its lighter battery pack.

The long-range variant has a different mandate, with motorway mileage being the key objective.

As such, its battery pack is enlarged to 75kWh, giving a comparatively strong range of up to 375 miles. Nissan has also gone to great lengths to extensively test the car’s high-speed range, giving us a self-verified range of almost 270 miles at an average speed of 70mph.