Page 82 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

COTY I Contenders

Nissan Leaf

PRO Laudable cargo capacity • Cushy ride • Nationwide availability
CON Middling range • Indefensibly lofty price • Trails Model 3 everywhere
ould you pay $1,245 top-selling electric car. So why Kudos to Nissan for boosting to normal friction braking is not
more for a Nissan Leaf doesn’t it boast world-beating energy density by 25 percent so smooth at all.”
WS Plus than a standard- driving dynamics, range, and the 62-kW-hr pack basically fits Ogbac described the Leaf’s
range Tesla Model 3? Would packaging? where the 40-kW-hr pack went. handling as “sloppy” and its
a $520 savings get you into a Package-wise both compa- But range anxiety is a numbers steering as “dead”—words that
mid-level 215-mile $42,580 Leaf nies locate the battery under the game, and the low, low 200-mile don’t appear in the Tesla’s
SV Plus over a 240-mile Model 3 floor, and both started out with range doesn’t cut it. logbook. The Leaf understeers
Standard Range Plus? low rear hip-points that forced The Leaf also disappointed and squeals its tires everywhere,
We’re a hard-no to both, our knees into the air and ruined in terms of driving dynamics while the Tesla quietly hustles like
especially since the Leaf’s fast- thigh support. With one midcycle compared to the Tesla (and even a pole-dancing Cardi B.
charging options are limited to refresh, Tesla has largely fixed the Kia). Yes, blending regen- In the end, Rechtin summed
funky CHAdeMO plugs. that. After a redesign and a erative and friction braking is the Leaf up thusly: “This purpose-
With Tesla dealers in only freshening, Nissan hasn’t, and hard, but even after Nissan’s nine built electric car falls miles short
25 states (and 25 countries), its interior struggles mightily to years of practice, Rechtin noted, of the Tesla—literally and figura-
the Nissan Leaf is the world’s justify a $40,000 price tag. “The transition from the e-pedal tively.” Frank Markus

SPECS 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus SV 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus SL
Base Price/As Tested $39,405/$42,580 $43,445/$44,315
Power (SAE net) 214 hp 214 hp
Torque (SAE net) 250 lb-ft @ 800 rpm 250 lb-ft @ 800 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.4 sec 6.5 sec
Quarter Mile 15.1 sec @ 93.3 mph 15.1 sec @ 93.3 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 120 ft 123 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.77 g (avg) 0.76 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 28.1 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) 28.2 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 114/94/104 mpg-e 114/94/104 mpg-e

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback Engine/Transmission DC permanent-magnet electric motor/1-speed automatic Curb
Weight (F/R Dist) SV 3,825 lb (57/43%) SL 3,846 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 106.3 in Length x Width x Height 176.4 x 70.5 x 61.4 in Energy Consumption, City/
Hwy 30/36 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.00 lb/mile (at vehicle)

Nissan Versa

PRO Good starter car • Good looks • Nice interior finishes
CON Underpowered engine • Noisy interior • Poor back-seat headroom

ot too many economy cars 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple
offer the styling and value CarPlay and Android Auto capa-
Nthe 2020 Nissan Versa does. bility, and three USB ports.
With handsome looks and interior The Versa SR model we tested
finishes, the Versa is a good had a price tag of $19,645 and enough punch. Unlike its Kicks Inside, occupants will like
option for those looking for cheap came equipped with safety sibling, which feels quicker, the the stylish cabin. Second-row
wheels with style. features such as automatic Versa has trouble gaining speed. passengers might suffer from
Building a car that looks good, emergency braking, reverse-gear But despite the negative limited headroom due to the
comes with modern tech, and has automatic braking, and lane comments about its drivetrain, Versa’s descending roofline.
a low price isn’t an easy task. But departure warning. judges appreciated the tuning of And although legroom for the
Nissan managed to improve the But the Versa continues to the suspension, which absorbed rear is still decent, rear passen-
previous Versa in every way while suffer from engine noise and still most of the bumps and ruts gers somehow lost 6 inches of
still delivering terrific value. feels underpowered. With 122 of choppy roads. And that’s it compared with the previous
Inside, our Versa SR came hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, the compared with other Car of the generation.
equipped with orange stitching, a Versa’s tinny engine doesn’t have Year entrants from luxury brands. Miguel Cortina

SPECS 2020 Nissan Versa SR
Base Price/As Tested $19,135/$19,645
Power (SAE net) 122 hp @ 6,300 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 114 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 9.7 sec
Quarter Mile 17.4 sec @ 81.0 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 124 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.84 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 28.3 sec @ 0.58 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 32/40/35 mpg
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission 1.6L DOHC 16-valve I-4/Cont variable auto Curb Weight
(F/R Dist) 2,680 lb (61/39%) Wheelbase 103.1 in Length x Width x Height 177.0 x 68.5 x 57.7 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 105/84 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.55 lb/mile
82 MOTORTREND.COM JANUARY 2020