Overview & Reviews

The 2013 Nissan Leaf receives a new 6.6-kW onboard charger that cuts charging times in half. There's also a new "B-mode" driving mode that increases regenerative braking during deceleration. Finally, Nissan has added a more affordable S model to the lineup.

• Spacious, quiet cabin
• Ample features
• Established in terms of reliability and availability
• Affordable base price.

• Mediocre performance.
• Limited cruising range

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 35.00

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  Safe bet for a used car - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By Ray Murray - December 7 - 1:37 am

  This continues to be an excellent car. I still favor it for everyday driving. I now live in a single location in Maryland. I have my own charging station. Yesterday I charged the car from 35% to 98% in two hours of non-peak time on the BGE Electric Vehicle Schedule. That cost about $1.60 for 55 miles of driving. Ive found this car easier to live with having a Level II charger at home. Previously I was charging it at my condo overnight using the 110V charger. I purchased this car used to see for myself what living with an electric car is really like. I kept my older cars just in car just in case I found it too difficult to deal with the electric car at times. This car has substantially exceeded my expectations as a car I can live with. It has become my favorite car to drive. I live in two locations in the Washington D.C area on the Beltway. I was expecting to only use this car at one location for local driving. Instead, I find that I can also go between the locations on weekends without range anxiety. This car works very well in the DC area, now the worst commuter area in the nation. When in nasty traffic jams on the DC beltway, the BW parkway, and other major roads this car doesnt get grossly worse energy economy as is the case with my other cars (one a hybrid). In some cases the economy even improves in when you get into a major traffic slowdown. In the DC area that means 99% of the time. I find that a used purchase of a Leaf is a safe bet. I purchased a certified used one with 0% financing for extra security. From what I see now, I think that a non-certified one could have been a good buy too. I got the advantage of someone else claiming the $7500 tax credit, which made my cost lower since people buying new ones have that incentive. I noticed that people buying new 2015 or 2016 models can get very good purchase, financing, and lease deals too. I figured out that that some people wont get the full 7500 incentive since they dont pay 7500 in federal taxes anyway. If they purchase used, or even lease a new one, they effectively get the advantage of that credit. As far as living with the car goes, you learn to "plan" your driving a bit more, to make sure it has adequate charge. For me it is nice my older cars in reserve. I have not purchased a charging station yet, so I depend on my trickle charger and public charging stations. I end up going to businesses (restaurants, malls, grocery stores, etc) having charging stations. Whatever Ive saved in gasoline cost in the last month Ive ended up spending that (and more) at those businesses. In some cases such charging stations are a mile or two from where I need to be. That has help pushed me to get some more much-needed and pleasant exercise by doing some more walking. As I walk along roads I wish a lot more more people had electric cars so I wouldnt have to hear as much noise, or breath as much exhaust. I do not find that there are yet enough charging stations in the overall DC metro area area. They tend to be common in some areas and very absent in other areas. The campus where my suburban Maryland employer center is doesnt seem to want to make them available. I like the free ones at some businesses, but realistically Id like some more paid stations that price the power roughly around the cost I pay at home, plus some extra cost for occupying the space beyond a reasonable charging time. It is nice that Walgreens has stations, and Id like to see them at all of their locations, however, their cost of $2.00 per hour makes it more expensive to power a Leaf than powering my Honda Civic Hybrid at current gasoline prices. I found that living with the hybrid for 9 years, learning how to leverage the regenerative braking, has helped me transition to living with the Leaf. Buying a Leaf used is a safe bet. You can learn to live with its range quite well. 5/22/2015. Ive had this car 7.5 months now and have put 6000 miles on it. I use it much more than my other cars. I have to make a point of driving them periodically to make sure they dont sit too long. I am ready to get rid of one of them. I have come to appreciate the quietness of the car, and its decent sound system. Ive averaged 4.6 miles/kilowatt in nasty DC/Baltimore area traffic, which comes out to about 115 mpg, although I am paying BGE and Virginia power the equivalent of about $4.00/gallon. I still rely on 110V charging overnight for most of my charging, though Id like to have a 240V charging station. I have found some free charging stations, that I end up using about 25% of the time. The whole charging station situation is not ready for prime time yet. I did find that charging stations are easier to find in the city of Washington D.C. than gas stations. Overall I continue to be very pleased with this used Leaf. A used one is a safe bet.

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  2013 SV Leaf Review - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By leaf_owner - October 5 - 11:40 am

  My commute consists of 5 days a week 33 miles each way on mostly highway (55-60mph) with limited city traffic. I can drive back and forth to work on 1 charge with no problems of range as I pull in my home with about 30 miles of range. You must get a home charger as the trickle charge (regular 110 outlet takes to long to charge). I installed for $1800 the AV Charger which is a 220 volt/30amp charger which charges the car from empt to full in 3-3.5hrs or about 26 miles per hour of charge. The information above is based on driving in April and May in Central NJ. I have not driven the Leaf in the colder temperatures but I will post a follow up this winter.

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  know what is important to you - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By jas2012leaf - September 22 - 11:39 pm

  I lease a 2012 Leaf. It comes with no spare tire, a real drag. It is not a winter car for those who have trouble driving in snow. It needs winter tires for the front, and I dont know how much that will help. Using heat,wipers,defrost, and driving in snow lessens the range by 30%. I commute 26 miles uphill <1000 ft and Ive used 80% of the power to do it in winter on bad days. I use a 120volt space heater to warm the car first. Better range (126 mi/charge) 2016. Ad now is misleading . 126/106 isnt the range, but the mpg equivalent- comparing it to a gas car. Dont be fooled. Solar roof is available only overseas,not in usa yet. Decent second car, my 1st, but Im waiting to 2016 for next..

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  Test drive it and you will be sold! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By atlpsychdoc - August 5 - 2:40 am

  Had my 2013 for about 3 months now. I cannot imagine EVER driving an ICE car again. Now, gas powered cars feel crude, rough and loud. The Leaf is smooth and quiet. I feel like Im driving on air. I love the fact that I am helping to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and that I am not contributing emissions to the environment. (This car was second choice to my unaffordable fantasy car, a TESLA , but I truly couldnt be happier.) Acceleration is not exactly going to wow you when getting up to highway speeds, but its certainly enough to feel safe merging into highway traffic. I expected an electric car would be VERY sluggish and was pleasantly surprised from the test drive on!

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  the second car becomes my first car - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By seattle_ite - April 13 - 5:46 pm

  I was not convinced about buying the leaf at all. It looked weird and all the popular auto mags did not seem convinced. A friend convinced us to take a second look and we bought it as a second car ... that was four months ago. So far... - The lease + gas is approx the cost of my previous monthly gas bill. I am basically driving a new car for no extra cost. - - I have taken out my gas car about once a month ! I visited my Costco gas station after four months !!! Its comfortable, spacious and very well equipped. I would have preferred to buy the SV with the BOSE + cameras in hindsight. Bottom-line: if you commute < 60 miles / day, buy a leaf - you wont regret it.

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  Great Commuter Car - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By mr_kq - June 27 - 6:29 am

  As long as you use this car within its range limitations it is wonderful. I am getting the EPA rated range without trouble (about 85 miles with 100% charge and 65 miles with 80% charge which is recommended to maximize battery life).

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  DO NOT GET THIS CAR!!! The worst ever!!!! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By Alma Caux - June 18 - 7:34 am

  we were very excited about every single thing about this car. LISTEN! Life changes and if your does, then you will have to deal with the worst nightmare of you buy or lease this car! After 3 years with this car we are lucky if we get 45 miles out of it on a full charge!!!! 45!!! its horrible!!! if you forget BECAUSE YOU ARE HUMAN!!! to charge it one night, no car the next day! If you move out of state BECAUSE LIFE CHANGES! then you need to get a place with garage to charge it!!! your job must be near your home or it wont happen! 45 miles!!! plan on that! No place for emergencies! or trips! Second car? be real, if for any reason "the first" car fails, plan on 45 miles with one car! DO NOT GET THIS CAR!

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  Great car. Driving the future. - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By dm3 - March 30 - 3:31 pm

  Comfortable, roomy all electric car. Amazing not using any gas. Havent used our other cars since we leased it. Overall pleasant car. Roomy, good visibility, handles pretty well, well built, generally well thought out. Compared to Volt, better visibility, seats 5 much better electric range, quick charge option to charge in 30 minutes. Good lease deals available. Factor in gas savings and the car is practically free.

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  Poor electric car, dont buy any Nissan product. - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By Gats - January 12 - 5:52 am

  I was excited for my first electric car when I bought it last year. They say 110+ miles in sticker but dont expect more than 90 miles. If you drive highways/winter it would significantly low. The worst part for this car is the customer service and dealership. My from tire worn out in less than 10k, checked wheel alignment and its perfectly aligned but they wont even cover under any warranty, very poor quality stuff. I will certainly recommend buying electric car bit stay away from Nissan.

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  Dont lease a LEAF!!! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By pangarkar - September 30 - 4:18 pm

  At first when I leased my 2012 Leaf it was the coolest car around. I told all of my friend and before I knew it 6 of my colleagues at work had also leased the Leaf. Man do I wish Id have waited!!! Now I cant even use the car because of range anxiety. I am getting about 40 miles per full charge for a car that only has about 9000 miles on it. Ridiculous!!! Not even close to the 106 miles on the New car sticker. And yes Range anxiety is REAL- believe me when the meter starts to get near the red mark and you still have about 10 miles to go you get real nervous very fast!! I would NEVER lease another LEAF again.!! Nissan says that this is normal for the car!! Really! 40 miles for a charge!!