What's a quick way to tell the difference between....

...the pre-updated Leaf and the post-updated model? In the US, I think the 2013s are the ones with slightly better range and an updated heater, but in Japan, that change came mid-2012. So a "2012" model could be either one or the other.

I'm looking at a couple of Leafs, and from the price I can usually tell if it's pre- or post-update because there's like a $4K difference even if they only have 3000 miles on them as dealer test drive cars. Is there a quick way to tell if I'm not getting taken for a ride, paying for a post-updated version but actually buying a pre-updated one? Like a small accent, trim piece, etc?

In the US, the '13 Leafs are assembled in Smyrna, TN and have no side marker lights on the 2 front fenders. On the '11 and '12 Leafs we got (assembled in Oppama), we had the side marker lights. I think those are required in Japan, so that's not 1 way to tell. As for updated heater, well, only the SV and SL trims (not S) have the hybrid heater (w/heat pump).

'13 Leafs should have the PDM stack that looks like http://articles.sae.org/11993/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10934" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which integrated the on-board charger that used to be in the hump in the back. See http://sfbayleafs.org/news/2013/01/2013-nissan-leaf-product-highlights/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The '11 and '12 Leafs look very different under the hood w/a "valve cover". See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/wiki/index.php?title=File:2011_nissan_LEAF_11.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=69224" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is what's under the hump in the back of the '11 and '12 Leafs. The hump's gone on the '13. But, if you get the Bose stereo (began in the US on the '13), the Bose subwoofer goes there and takes up some of the freed up space.

http://sfbayleafs.org/commentary/2013/09/2013-vs-2011-nissan-leaf-whats-new-whats-gone-whats-changed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has some pics of the Bose sub. Also, we first got a % SoC meter on the b&w display on the '13 (you to press a button to cycle thru the displays). The '11s and '12s didn't display % SoC at all.

Oh yes, that above URL shows a pic of under the hood of the '13 and the foot-operated parking brake. The ends up leaving space for a tiny cubby/bin where the electric parking brake control was on the '11s and '12s. I'd seen a pic of a Chinese food container fitting perfectly in there.

Ah, excellent! For the untrained, it seems the quickest way is to just open the hatch and look at the shape of the trunk "wall"!

treinjapan said:

Ah, excellent! For the untrained, it seems the quickest way is to just open the hatch and look at the shape of the trunk "wall"!

Click to expand...

And, look under the hood.

treinjapan said:

Ah, excellent! For the untrained, it seems the quickest way is to just open the hatch and look at the shape of the trunk "wall"!

Click to expand...

Nope, the easiest is that parking brake thing. If you can see the button on center console through the window it's '11-'12, if there is nothing than it's '13

This is the '11-'12:


This is the '13:

Wow! Very helpful pictures! Thanks!!

Until I've seen what a JDM-spec 2013+ Leaf looks like on the inside, I would not use a US model as an indicator of age for ones sold elsewhere. The ones made in TN are made ONLY for the US and Canada, and have changes directed towards that market, like the missing turn signal repeaters in the fenders (since it is not a requirement here). Some of the components are sourced from US and Canadian suppliers, and do not come from Japan.

As cwerdna mentioned, perhaps the best way is to see if there is a charger "hump" behind the back seat and if there is a PDM or a faux valve cover above the electric motor.

http://insideevs.com/nissan-officially-announces-2013-leaf-in-japan-more-range-less-money-new-functionality/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; might help the OP, a little.

As cwerdna mentioned, perhaps the best way is to see if there is a charger "hump" behind the back seat and if there is a PDM or a faux valve cover above the electric motor.

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The uninitiated might mistake the Bose subwoofer unit for that charger hump, though.

LeftieBiker said:

As cwerdna mentioned, perhaps the best way is to see if there is a charger "hump" behind the back seat and if there is a PDM or a faux valve cover above the electric motor.

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The uninitiated might mistake the Bose subwoofer unit for that charger hump, though.

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Hence why you should also look under the hood for either the faux valve cover or the PDM. Also, all the pics I've seen of Leafs with the Bose have the Bose unit exposed and with the "Bose" logo on it.

cwerdna said:

http://insideevs.com/nissan-officially-announces-2013-leaf-in-japan-more-range-less-money-new-functionality/ might help the OP, a little.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that link. In the pics of the interior, there appears to be a wide slot where the brake release lever on the 2011/2012 models is, hinting that the 2013 JDM Leafs also have a foot-pedal operated parking brake, but that pedal is not visible in the shots even though it shows the footwell (albeit darkened).

cwerdna said:

http://insideevs.com/nissan-officially-announces-2013-leaf-in-japan-more-range-less-money-new-functionality/ might help the OP, a little.

Click to expand...

That link was so helpful it hurt. Thanks a lot man.

^^^
No prob. Hopefully you caught the press conference video on that page. Too bad I can't understand Japanese.

Kadota-san (Chief Vehicle Engineer) came to a meeting at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA in December 2011. I was there, along w/a # of MNLers. There are some shots of the '13 Leaf at the end but plenty of illustrations all throughout (from me skipping around...)

In the European market Leaf is the parking brake difference also present? In other words does the European 2011 model Leaf have the electronic parking brake in the centre console, and the 2013 model Leaf have the foot operated brake?