Nissan Leaf hatchback

Drive

The Leaf couldn't be simpler to drive. After climbing aboard and pushing the start button, simply select 'D' on the automatic gearbox and it pulls away smoothly and silently. The electric motor gives the equivalent of 108bhp, but it's the 280Nm of torque that really impresses, as it's instantly available, so the Leaf is surprisingly quick off the line. Top speed is just 89mph, and 0-62mph takes 11.9 seconds, but it's perfectly suited to low-speed city driving.

Comfort

The Leaf is setup for comfort rather than handling, but the soft suspension makes it very relaxing to drive, and it rides over bumps and potholes with ease. There's no noise from the motor at all, and wind and road noise are both well suppressed. It's easy to get comfy behind the wheel as there's plenty of adjustment on the seats and the steering wheel, and ample head and leg room mean the Leaf can seat five people in relative comfort, and overall the cabin has an airy, calming quality thanks to the light materials used and the attractive central display.

Reliability

The Nissan Leaf's main propulsion systems are electrical, which means fewer moving parts much less likely to break down. Service intervals should be few and far between, and Nissan has a strong reputation for building reliable vehicles. However electric cars are an unknown quantity, and questions about battery degradation over time and resale values remain unanswered. Because of this, Nissan's warranty is three years (or 60,000 miles) for standard parts, but five years for major components like the Lithium-ion battery and electric motor.

Practicality

The Leaf's maximum quoted range is 100 miles, but you'll struggle to reach that figure unless you use the 'eco' mode on board, with reduces the motor's power and increases the effect of the cars regenerative brakes, which charge the battery when applied. Recharging from a standard household socket takes eight hours, but using a specialised charging point (the infrastructure is still in its early stages) can fill 80% of the battery in half an hour. The short range does limit the Leaf's practicality, as does the small 330-litre boot - but for city dwellers it's still an attractive prospect, and will transport five passengers with ease.

Value for money

Choice is limited, there's only one engine and trim level on offer, but the Nissan Leaf comes kitted out with plenty of gadgets, including automatic headlights, rain sensing windscreen wipers, keyless entry, satellite navigation (controlled via a 7-inch touchscreen in the dash) and you can even use a mobile phone or computer to monitor the level of charge of the battery remotely. However this exhaustive list comes at a price, £30,990 - which is reduced to £25,990 by the government's £5,000 grant. There are three ways to buy a Leaf. You can either buy outright, spread the cost over a longer period of time with a Personal Contract Purchase scheme with the option to buy at the end - or through a new electric mobility package. Nissan currently estimates that a new battery would be required after roughly 100,000 miles. Demand is outstripping supply.

Running costs

While on the move the Leaf produces no tailpipe emissions, and along with the satisfaction of knowing that their car isn't damaging the environment, that means that owners won't pay any road tax, or the congestion charge in London. Nissan estimates that over the course of a year the Leaf would cost just £257 in electricity bills - roughly £2 per eight hour charge. Few if any cars cost as little to run, going a long way to justifying its high purchase price.