S or SV, which to choose?

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

AthLeaf

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2014
Messages
22
Hey everybody, Todd here from Athens, Ga. My wife & I have started actively looking at Leaf's to replace her Prius. I've been reading this forum for a few days now and decided to join. The excellent information here has helped me figure a tons of stuff out, however I've still got questions. A good starting point is: S or SV?

We live in a small college town. She's a college professor and I'm a therapist in the county mental health/substance abuse clinic. When we carpool, our combined commute is about 30 miles per day. We are seriously considering the S mode. The price of the S is very appealing, and we aren't particularly attracted to any of the features of the SV. It seems that the only key differences between the two that could matter for us might be the following:

The 6.6 charger (which we can get via the charging package on the S)
The B-Regenerative system. (Whats up with this? Do we need it?)

In sum, is the S a good way to go, or are we really missing out without the SV? If we go S, should we get the charger package, or is the basic model ok?

Thanks in advance,

Todd
 
Since GA does get cold enough for snow/ice (as the storm that paralyzed Atlanta proved) the hybrid heater of the SV and SL can make a difference in range. At such temperatures, the resistive-style heater of the S does sap the battery (along with the cold), though if you only plan on driving the car for 30 miles per day, it may not be an issue.

Having the optional QC port will allow you to get to Atlanta and back with your Leaf, and PlugShare shows several of them in the Atlanta area.

In addition to the heater and lack of B-mode, the stereo on the S lacks navigation (won't miss it) and Bluetooth audio streaming (but has Bluetooth phone and you can connect your audio player via the USB or aux-in jacks). Also, the S only comes in black cloth interior and IIRC not all exterior color choices are available.
 
If you like cruise control, the S doesn't have it and it can't be added. If you are indifferent to it, and don't need the better heater either, the S may be for you. The last major difference is the S has a less sophisticated charge timer and you can't use Carwings with it to monitor it or remotely start charging or set the climate control. There is a simple climate control timer in the car.
 
RonDawg said:
Since GA does get cold enough for snow/ice (as the storm that paralyzed Atlanta proved) the hybrid heater of the SV and SL can make a difference in range. At such temperatures, the resistive-style heater does sap the battery (along with the cold), though if you only plan on driving the car for 30 miles per day, it may not be an issue.

Having the optional QC port will allow you to get to Atlanta and back with your Leaf, and PlugShare shows several of them in the Atlanta area.

Thanks for bringing out those points. My counter thoughts/questions are:

Regarding the hybrid heater, the winter storms and deep freezes are possible (like this year) but still rare. I'm going to make a wild estimate and say 5% of the year is below freezing. Knowing that, do you still think its worth the extra ~$5k for the heater?

Regarding quick charge, I'm still unsure as to the feasibility of utilizing the feature. If i want to take the leaf to Atlanta, don't I either have to a) choose a destination that has a QC station, or b) make a side-trip to a station? And then once I'm at a station, hope that its got a port available? Both of those factors seem like a burden, leaning me towards using the Prius for occasional trips to Atl, and using the Leaf only around town.
 
I have an older Leaf and thus I also have the power-hungry heater. I've learned to live with the range limitations in winter, but then again Southern California has even fewer freezing temps (and even less snowfall) than Georgia does. If you don't plan on driving the car more than 30 miles a day, it should not be an issue.

As far as driving to Atlanta, you will use up the entire battery going just one way, and in winter (or if the car has a degraded battery) you may not make it on a single charge even going one way. But the port does extend the usefulness of the car, and does allow it to charge faster on 240 volt (as long as the charging station outputs at least 20 amps). Note this feature cannot be economically added, it has to be factory-built with the rest of the car, so many people here recommend it just in case more QC's pop up or circumstances change and now you or the wife do have to travel further than you originally expected.

There's nothing wrong with the Leaf S with no options as long as you fully understand and accept what features the car does not have.
 
LeftieBiker said:
The last major difference is the S has a less sophisticated charge timer and you can't use Carwings with it to monitor it or remotely start charging or set the climate control. There is a simple climate control timer in the car.

That's another thing...if you or the wife have to leave early in the morning, but your local utility's off-peak rate doesn't start until midnight, you may want to consider the SV. The reason is with the S, you can only set an "end" time, and you have no control over when charging starts. If you need to leave at 5 AM, and the car thinks it will need 6 hours to charge, it will start at 11 PM. The only way to set a start time with the S is to use an EVSE with a delay timer of its own.

Since you only plan on driving 30 miles a day, with the SV and SL you can set the start and stop times to reflect your actual charge needs. With the 2014 S, the car will automatically charge to 100%; the "Long Life Mode" which limited charging to only 80% was discontinued for the 2014 models.

EDIT: I just saw your thread about wanting to rely on 120 volt charging, so you would be charging at non-off-peak rates regardless. This also means the 6.6 kW charger will not be of any advantage to you over the slower unit except at a public charging station.
 
AthLeaf said:
Thanks for bringing out those points. My counter thoughts/questions are:

Regarding the hybrid heater, the winter storms and deep freezes are possible (like this year) but still rare. I'm going to make a wild estimate and say 5% of the year is below freezing. Knowing that, do you still think its worth the extra ~$5k for the heater?

Regarding quick charge, I'm still unsure as to the feasibility of utilizing the feature. If i want to take the leaf to Atlanta, don't I either have to a) choose a destination that has a QC station, or b) make a side-trip to a station? And then once I'm at a station, hope that its got a port available? Both of those factors seem like a burden, leaning me towards using the Prius for occasional trips to Atl, and using the Leaf only around town.
I have driven a 2011 LEAF SL for nearly three years that has the energy hog heater and if I was buying or leasing a new LEAF I would definitely go with the more energy efficient heater but it is a personal choice.
With three years of capacity degradation and in cold 25F to 35F weather my LEAF is a 30 to 40 mile range vehicle.
The DCQC isn't just to "drive to Atlanta".
I now use my DCQC a lot in colder weather at the Nissan dealer free DCQC downtown to eliminate range concerns and to avoid driving around in a cold LEAF.


IF I was in the market for a new LEAF I would go for the SL with all options. The around view camera is reported to be great. But that is my opinion and choice.
There are other people that had 2011 LEAF that went for the 2013 LEAF S and found its compromises to be an acceptable choice for them.
It is a personal choice.
There is no magic right choice even from the brilliant crowd source on MNL.
:D :D
 
I leased my 2014 S a little less than 2 months ago. I use it for commuting which is a little under 60 miles round-trip. I got the quick charge so I can charge faster at home with 240V. The main reason I got the S was the cost over 2 years of lease payments. I wanted to see if an EV would work for us and wanted to do it as economically as possible. We love it and it's working out great. When the lease ends in February 2016 I am hoping the next generation LEAF is available with a bit more range and if so we will likely purchase the next one and then I'll go for all the bells and whistles.
 
I never like to get the 'cheap' version of anything, and the S is just a 'cheap' version of a Leaf: no 6kW charging, no center console, no cruise, no heat pump, etc. By the time you try to pick and choose your upgrades, you're spending the same $30k+ as if you would have just gotten the better trim. The only real decision point I ever saw for the Leaf was QC or no QC (and that's not as big of a deal now as it was back when I bought mine).
 
TimLee said:
I have driven a 2011 LEAF SL for nearly three years that has the energy hog heater and if I was buying or leasing a new LEAF I would definitely go with the more energy efficient heater but it is a personal choice.

Completely agree with that. The biggest downside to the LEAF is the big reduction in range during very cold temperature spells - the heat pump in the 2013-2014 SV/SL makes the LEAF more usable during those times.

I'd also take the 6.6 kw charger. Even if you don't think you'll need the faster charging given your commute pattern and the availability of an ICE car for longer trips, once you get the LEAF you'll naturally try to use it for every trip possible, and thus stretch the range. 6.6kw does just that.
 
pdaunno said:
I leased my 2014 S a little less than 2 months ago. I use it for commuting which is a little under 60 miles round-trip. I got the quick charge so I can charge faster at home with 240V. The main reason I got the S was the cost over 2 years of lease payments. I wanted to see if an EV would work for us and wanted to do it as economically as possible. We love it and it's working out great. When the lease ends in February 2016 I am hoping the next generation LEAF is available with a bit more range and if so we will likely purchase the next one and then I'll go for all the bells and whistles.

Same here. I leased an SV in 2013, but if they have a 100+ range model when this lease is up, I'm buying a loaded SL.
 
One possible solution to the cost of the better heater: get the S model, and insulate all the coolant/heater lines. It has been done, and is explained here, somewhere. It makes a real difference in power consumption, apparently. Also, block the grille in cold weather, although my doing that without insulating as well didn't make a dramatic difference (I have an SV, though, not an S). Just make sure you unblock it as Winter ends.
 
Thanks everyone for the great info and feedback. Wifey and I took it all in to consideration and concluded that the S with charger package may be our best choice. Its a bummer to lose carwings and the hybrid heater, but it sounds like both of those losses can be somewhat restored on our own (via EVSE with timer and manual insulating of the heater).

Haven't contacted any dealers yet. There's one a few towns over that has 2 of just what we want - 2014 White/Black S w/ charger - don't know how much negotiating to expect...
 
AthLeaf said:
Thanks everyone for the great info and feedback. Wifey and I took it all in to consideration and concluded that the S with charger package may be our best choice. Its a bummer to lose carwings and the hybrid heater, but it sounds like both of those losses can be somewhat restored on our own (via EVSE with timer and manual insulating of the heater).

Can't believe you would buy a new car with the intention of modifying a major sub-system to meet your needs, not to mention you've just eliminated the ability to use any "simple" (e.g. cheap) EVSE on a timer basis. Personally, I wouldn't want to live without CarWings.
 
I own a 2012 SL & would say that if you afford the SV get the SV, if you can't afford it, the S will give you a taste of what owning a true EV is like and make you look forward to a fancier model when your lease expires.

I live in TN and it's amazing how I can only get 55ish miles in the cold winter, but I regularly get upper 80s in the summer. You've got another car, so when the S model doesn't meet your needs, you can take the Prius. I've only got 1 car, so that wouldn't work for me, but either way, you'll love your LEAF and with a 2 or 3 year lease you shouldn't have much if any battery problems.

Go for it!
 
Negotiate by email with every Nissan dealer within LEAF range of you. If you want the S, fine, but if you're leasing, the SV may not be too much more per month. But the S with charge pkg will work for you. Where you are, good AC is more important than heat.
 
If you do negotiate, look for an SV without the charge package - no QC. Those are harder to move despite the irrational nature of the "upgrade" - usually no QC stations within an easy drive. That's how I got mine for 2$k down (plus $1k tax) and $149 a month.
 
AthLeaf said:
Thanks everyone for the great info and feedback. Wifey and I took it all in to consideration and concluded that the S with charger package may be our best choice. Its a bummer to lose carwings and the hybrid heater, but it sounds like both of those losses can be somewhat restored on our own (via EVSE with timer and manual insulating of the heater).
Good luck.
In checking about insulation of the heater hoses, several people reported the S hoses are much different than 2011 and 2012 and not much heat loss on S or need to insulate.
But even on 2011 and 2012 the insulation is a modest improvement and not any where close to the heat pump effectiveness.
The non heat pump heater is an energy hog and reduces winter range by up to 50%. Want to be sure you understand what you're getting.
On the charge timer the S does have an end timer which is what I use most of the time. And with some trial and error you can use it to have charging start roughly when you want. You may not really need EVSE timers.
Another thread with good discussion of pros and cons of S is http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14404&start=0#p327086" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
 
The current Leaf is a throwaway car; you want to stick with leasing. Don't get lured into a higher payment for frills on a car you're going to hand back to Nissan in the not too distant future anyway, instead just get the cheapest price you can on a base model. JMO.
 
Back
Top