Used 2011 Nissan Leaf SV for sale 

Nissan offers the Leaf hatchback in only two trims with an optional Cold-Weather Package. The base SV trims come loaded with features such as the Nissan Connection, which is a remote vehicle access system that reports battery recharging data and can activate the climate control through a mobile phone. The SL trim adds more convenience features to the mix along with a spoiler-mounted solar panel. The home charging station and a quick-charge port are both optional and need shelling out even more money. 

We Recommend

Although prices are pretty affordable, we recommend choosing the base SV trim and also opting for the home charging station with a quick charging port which shall reduce the charging times by a considerable margin. 

The 2011 Nissan Leaf features an 80 kW synchronous AC motor under the hood that is powered by a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which generates 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. The motor is paired up with a single-speed automatic transmission which drives the front wheels only to minimize the transmission losses. 

Although the power and torque delivery are instantaneous with it being electric, do not expect lightning-quick 0-60 mph timings. It takes almost 11 seconds to achieve 60 mph on the speedo from standstill and the top speed is limited to well under 100 mph. But outright performance is not what it was intended to offer, so we aren’t complaining. 

That being said, the lack of an engine means there is only a subtle whine of the motor under heavy throttle scenarios. Though the acceleration figures aren’t particularly exciting, the Leaf offers snappy acceleration and the regenerative braking isn’t too vague to feel either. The low-mounted battery pack and well-tuned suspension and steering setup mean one can take corners rather effortlessly. 

The only direct rival to Leaf Electric at this price point is the Mitsubishi I-MiEV. It is the most affordable electric car available but isn’t really up to the mark in terms of performance at all. The Ford Focus EV is much pricier and also gets a higher power output but still isn’t much quicker off the line. The Tesla Model S is quicker than most fuel-burning vehicles in the market today but costs almost twice as much as the Nissan. 

The 24 kWh battery mounted underneath the floorboard of the car is rated to offer 117 miles on a single charge and although we can expect the real-world range to be much lower, it is still one of the best we have ever had. With a 220-volt home charger, it shall take anything between 4-8 hours to replenish the battery depending on the charging unit as per Nissan. This can be further reduced to just 30 mins at a commercial quick charging station. 

The Ford Focus Electric is set to offer two battery options with the larger battery offering a similar driving range as that of the Leaf. The tiny battery employed by Mitsubishi is rated for 65 miles of range which is hard of any use in real-world applications. The Tesla Model S is the star performer here, employing a massive 60 kWh battery pack that returns the best ever driving range for an electric vehicle. 

The Nissan Leaf features a split-level style dashboard, similar to the Honda Civic. The center control panel that controls all the functions of the car looks good and is ergonomically designed. The material quality is just on par with regular hatchbacks but the fit and finish are far more superior. The lack of an engine burning fuel under its hood means that every bit of ambient noise filters through and showcases the cost savings done in this regard. 

The cabin does not feel short of room even at the front with there being plenty of headroom and legroom on offer for an average-sized American. The rear seats offer a knee seating position with the legroom being a bit limited as well. The 14.5 cu-ft of luggage space at the rear is pretty good but when folding the rear seat, the onboard 3.3-kilowatt recharger is housed in a box several inches tall which eats up into the cargo space. 

The Mitsubishi car obviously does not stand its ground in this comparison as the tiny compact city car hardly has any space in its cabin. The Ford Focus on the other hand has a much more spacious cabin and although the luggage space is identical to the Leaf, the maximum cargo space is much more usable. The Model S is the most spacious of the lot, being a sedan in the comparison of hatchbacks. Some of the interior feature sin the Nissan Leaf Electric are:

• Front bucket seats and 60/40 fold-down rear bench seat
• Recycled cloth seat fabric
• 3-spoke urethane tilt adjustable steering wheel w/steering wheel mounted
• Automatic temperature control
• Chrome interior door handles
• Electronic parking brake
• HomeLink universal transceiver

How intuitive is the 2011 Nissan Leaf Electric’s infotainment unit?

The 7-inch GPS screen also doubles up as the main display for displaying all the information related to the car’s battery management system. The system also allows the users to pre-plan the charging times to recharge the car when the power rates are cheaper. One can also pre-heat or cool the cabin by tapping onto the grid and avoid using the battery power and affecting the driving range. The driving range shown is also instantaneous which displays the available range depending on the AC and other amenities used in the vehicle. Some of the infotainment features in the 2011 Nissan Leaf Electric are:

• 7.0-inch LCD display
• AM/FM stereo w/CD/MP3/WMA/CD-ROM playback
• 6-speaker audio system
• Navigation system w/XM NavTraffic
• XM satellite radio
• Bluetooth hands-free phone system and iPod input
• Voice recognition

The exterior design of the Leaf is polarizing to look at and doesn’t look like anything else on the road, making it stand out anywhere it goes. With no engine under its hood, the hood tapers down all the way to the bumper due to the lack of any air dams.

The swept-back headlights bulge into the fender flares that aids the smooth flowing of air to improve the aerodynamics of the car. The door mirrors also look sleek and futuristic which further helps in bringing down the drag coefficient to just 0.29. The rear is pretty much conventional with vertical tail lights on offer. 

The high stance of the Leaf aids in going over bumps and potholes comfortably with the compact footprint and short wheelbase of the car even when it is fully loaded. The Focus on the other hand has the lowest ground clearance and is also shorter in length. The Mitsubishi and Tesla cars are the most compact and largest cars here and hence are also the lightest and heaviest respectively. Some of the exterior features in the new Nissan Leaf Electric are:

• Auto on/off LED headlights
• Front fog lights
• Remote controlled power exterior mirrors
• Aerodynamic underbody cover and v
• Photovoltaic solar panel spoiler
• 16-inch alloy wheels

Nissan isn’t a brand that compromises the safety of their cars and especially with an important car like the Leaf, there is no shortage of the safety functions on offer. The NHTSA has rated the Leaf electric with a perfect 5-star overall rating while it also scored well in the tests conducted by the IIHS for the 2011 model year. The Nissan telematics adds another layer of safety to the car and other prominent safety features have been listed below. Some of the safety features in the 2011 Nissan Leaf Electric are:

• Vehicle dynamic control (VDC) and Traction control system (TCS)
• Dual-stage front airbags w/occupant classification system
• Front side-impact and front/rear side curtain airbags
• Nissan Connection telematics
• RearView monitor
• Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)

2011 Nissan Leaf vs Ford Focus Electric

The Nissan Leaf is currently one of its kind in the market, but Ford is all set to bring in a car that stands right in its way of enjoying a complete monopoly in the segment. The Focus has a spacious cabin and elegant design as its strong points. The 2011 Leaf on the other hand is more affordable, has a superior range as standard, and has plenty of technology on offer as well. 

2011 Nissan Leaf vs Mitsubishi I-MiEV

Although there is no comparison between the two, the Mitsubishi I-MiEV is the only all-electric car available as of today other than the Nissan Leaf. Although it is more affordable, it has a very short driving range, limited cabin features, and tight cabin space, making it very difficult to be chosen over the Nissan Leaf. 

2011 Nissan Leaf vs Tesla Model S

The most exciting car today and the most exciting car to come, these cars also aren’t in the same league but have created the same stir in the market. The Tesla Model S has exceptional performance and features to boast about but the affordability that the Nissan Leaf has to offer is unmatched. 

The 2011 Nissan Leaf is the first practical all-electric car to have made its way to the masses in America and with no other direct rival in its way until the launch of the Ford Focus EV, it will surely enjoy the monopoly in the segment. Not just the lack of rivals, it is a wholesome car in itself as it offers a pretty usable driving range, decent home charging speeds, spacious and feature-loaded cabin, and yet does not cost a fortune.