First Impressions of '21 Leaf SV

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LeftieBiker

Well-known member
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Upstate New York, US
I picked up my 2021 SV 40kwh Leaf with Tech and Protection packages last evening, and drove it home about 25 miles. This time I once again chose Brilliant Silver, primarily because this car had the best combination of price and features locally available, but also because my 2013 Leaf was this color. It looks quite sharp with the black interior.

I had decided, based on driving both my housemate's 2020 SV+ and my own 2018 SL 40kwh Leaf, that the heavier SV+ doesn't handle as well, or accelerate as well except when floored. I now think that what has instead occurred is that Nissan's engineers have subtly changed the car's driving characteristics a bit, starting in either 2019 or 2020, and that the changes apply to both battery sizes. What do I mean? Well, they have definitely changed the power delivery - likely through changing the accelerator pedal mapping - so that Eco mode is more sedate, and Normal (what I've always thought of as "Sport") mode is a bit less instant in providing power. This makes Eco mode, for me at least, what people here have complained for years about it being: too sluggish. It feels as though the car is being held back in Eco - almost like the feel of an ICE running too lean. In Normal mode, the news isn't as bad: the car definitely feels Peppy, although not as aggressive (some might say not as "touchy") about accelerating. Why did they do this? I think it was primarily to increase efficiency a bit, and thus range. I think they may have also been trying to reign in typical American aggressive drivers who are perpetually either stomping on the "gas" pedal or the brakes. For this reason I will probably join the ranks of those driving in "D" mode, after 8 years of driving mainly in Eco. I have to say, though, that I'm not thrilled about this. I was perfectly happy about having a pleasant, non-touchy Eco mode that just needed a bit more urging to deliver all necessary power, along with a Drive mode that provided just the right amount of Muscle Car feel. Now I instead have a Granny mode, and a Somewhat Sporty mode. I suppose that I'll get used to it.

A quick summary:

Pros:

* Nicer looking front seats. There is now a subtle multicolored striped pattern on the front cloth seats that looks quite nice.

* Larger touchscreen. I find the font and icons just a little garish/cartoonish, but it is easier to see the display.

* The stereo is perfectly ok. I had worried that I'd miss the Bose system, but I detect no obvious difference with the audio set the way I prefer.

* Pro Pilot is subtly improved. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but Pro Pilot is less annoying and intrusive on the 2021 Leaf (and even on the 2020) than on the 2018. Driving this car is more relaxing.

* They fixed the VPP again? Another question mark here, but I didn't notice the VPP sounds the way I do on the 2020, so they may actually have listened to the complaints about that. The car doesn't sound to me like a haunted submarine, the way the 2020 does.

Cons:

* The accelerator mapping. As noted above, I just don't like Eco mode now, and Normal mode, while fine for most everyday driving, isn't as Fun as it used to be.

* The brakes? The car has less than 100 miles on it now, and the brake pads may have a little glaze on them, so I'll use a question mark here. That being said, though, these are the weakest feeling brakes I have ever experienced on a new car. It actually takes some effort to stop the car at low speeds.

* They shrank the glove compartment! There used to be a small but deep 'well' in the back, where I kept my OBDII port reader. Now there is a plastic shield covering that area, leaving just a shallow space that doesn't hold much more than the owner's manual. When did that happen??

* That New Car Smell. One of the things I did like about the leather interior on the 2018 was the lack of new plastic smell inside the car. Well, it's still there in full force on the newest synthetic cloth interiors. Yuck! Based on the 2020, though, it should be mostly gone within a year. I sincerely hope so...
 
LeftieBiker said:
Well, they have definitely changed the power delivery - likely through changing the accelerator pedal mapping - so that Eco mode is more sedate, and Normal (what I've always thought of as "Sport") mode is a bit less instant in providing power. This makes Eco mode, for me at least, what people here have complained for years about it being: too sluggish. It feels as though the car is being held back in Eco - almost like the feel of an ICE running too lean. In Normal mode, the news isn't as bad: the car definitely feels Peppy, although not as aggressive (some might say not as "touchy") about accelerating. Why did they do this? I think it was primarily to increase efficiency a bit, and thus range.
This makes me even happier that I decided to "upgrade" my old (Gen1) Leaf with a 40kWh battery pack rather than buying a new (Gen2) Leaf. You haven't lived until you experience Drive in Glide mode via Dala's CAN-bridge (no regen)! Of course, no one would be stupid enough to install one of these in a new Leaf (if they would even work), but I love the torque of the early Leafs and never much drive in Eco mode anyway (just in bad weather).
Enjoy your new car!
 
I forgot to mention that the off-throttle regen in D mode seems to be reduced - there is more coasting and less 'drag'. Regen without braking is barely noticeable.

It also appears that Auto/Partial Recirculate still works in the '21. Our '20 must have a glitch involving that.
 
Yep, noticed there is an extreme difference in acceleration between Eco on, Eco off. I wouldn't classify it as sluggish and SOC still gives that "coasting in neutral downhill" feel when the pack is full but definitely a different feel.

I used to drive Eco B but have grown to prefer Eco D as it almost like the old Eco B. On my initial test drive, it had rained earlier so streets were a bit wet and Eco was off. I was doing 40 mph and decided to see how much power was added for the Plus and was still able to break traction. Eco went back on immediately and that is where it will stay.

On PP; didn't you get PP2? or is that currently an Ariya thing for now?
 
Any read on whether dealers think Leaf ends post Ariya? Given the market expansion of Leaf, my guess we get at least one more model year. I think there is some marketing advantage to saying they have multiple EV choices. Leaf sales could actually go up with Ariya. I do think msrp on leaf has to come down a bit once Ariya is out to better differentiate.
 
DougWantsALeaf said:
Any read on whether dealers think Leaf ends post Ariya? Given the market expansion of Leaf, my guess we get at least one more model year. I think there is some marketing advantage to saying they have multiple EV choices. Leaf sales could actually go up with Ariya. I do think msrp on leaf has to come down a bit once Ariya is out to better differentiate.

I don't think the LEAF will end with the Ariya at all. Although prelim info of questionable accuracy seems to indicate that both cars are similar in size, Nissan is advertising it as a different kind of car which implies both can co exist.
 
If "PP" is "Pro Pilot" then I have to answer that I don't know PP from PP2. It is, AFAIK, the same system I had in the '18, just better "tuned." The only change I can see is that there are now little cartoon hands on the steering wheel icon on the dash when Steering Assist is engaged.
 
LeftieBiker said:
If "PP" is "Pro Pilot" then I have to answer that I don't know PP from PP2. It is, AFAIK, the same system I had in the '18, just better "tuned." The only change I can see is that there are now little cartoon hands on the steering wheel icon on the dash when Steering Assist is engaged.

Ok, sounds like not PP2. PP2 does lane changes iirc so thinking that would be noticeable
 
Just brought home my new 2021 SV Plus with tech. Probably has more than I wanted on it, but the dealer discounted $10,500 and (hopefully) will get the full $7500 tax credit - we'll see how that goes this year!

Traded in my 2012 to the same dealer that replaced the battery - probably lost $1000 on a private party deal, but did not want 3 cars around. Some questions:

- is the "e pedal" just high regen - does it have conventional braking at some point?
- should I expect similar mile/kWh as my old Leaf? Little heating required with steering and seat warmers - more A/C - that seemed amazingly efficient on my 2012. My overall GOM reading is 4.4 mi/kWh
- I guess I'll need to add a 50 amp circuit for the dual voltage charge controller - is a properly designed 40 amp OK?
- Anyone using a Open EVSE as charge controller? Mine stopped at 17 amps (240 VAC) - believe it should go to max of the OE, or max of the on-board charger? I'm thinking I'll need to re-install the "menu" button to determine if there is a max amp setting - if I can find it!
- It comes with Michellin tires - what is the max pressure that works well with these?

I'm sure I'll have additional questions and comments - only driven it a few miles, but seems very quiet, responsive and high quality.
 
ePedal uses the friction brakes as well as Regen. It will stop the car completely, just like using your foot would do. Handy in stop & go traffic.

I get slightly higher efficiency with the Gen II, but I don't try hard to be efficient, so for someone who does I can't say.

A 40 amp circuit is fine.

The Michelin tires aren't very grippy, so I use 38-42psi. I'd be concerned about loss of traction with higher pressures.
 
Marktm said:
Just brought home my new 2021 SV Plus with tech. Probably has more than I wanted on it, but the dealer discounted $10,500 and (hopefully) will get the full $7500 tax credit - we'll see how that goes this year!

Traded in my 2012 to the same dealer that replaced the battery - probably lost $1000 on a private party deal, but did not want 3 cars around. Some questions:

- is the "e pedal" just high regen - does it have conventional braking at some point?
- should I expect similar mile/kWh as my old Leaf? Little heating required with steering and seat warmers - more A/C - that seemed amazingly efficient on my 2012. My overall GOM reading is 4.4 mi/kWh
- I guess I'll need to add a 50 amp circuit for the dual voltage charge controller - is a properly designed 40 amp OK?
- Anyone using a Open EVSE as charge controller? Mine stopped at 17 amps (240 VAC) - believe it should go to max of the OE, or max of the on-board charger? I'm thinking I'll need to re-install the "menu" button to determine if there is a max amp setting - if I can find it!
- It comes with Michellin tires - what is the max pressure that works well with these?

I'm sure I'll have additional questions and comments - only driven it a few miles, but seems very quiet, responsive and high quality.

E Pedal is both. 50% higher regen than B mode but also uses friction braking "mostly" at very low speeds or when SOC is very high and regen is weak.

I didn't see a difference in efficiency

If you want to spend the money...why not. I simply used my current EVSE as it was more than good enough

On tire pressure; that is a highly personal decision. Higher pressure will wear longer and get better efficiency at the loss of some traction. I tried recommended pressures twice; my 2016 and 2018 and both times I simply could not live with the feel of the car when negotiating the many roundabouts in my area so I pumped the tires back up and simply increased my following distance (not really as I don't follow closely in most cases because I want room to regen if needed)
 
I tested a 2021 SL Plus because my dealer called me and wanted me to come look. The accelerator mapping is definitely changed from 2019 to 2021 (not sure when). I noticed the 2021 was really sluggish compared to mine and mentioned it to the salesman. I stopped in a parking lot and went through all of the menus to see if there were any "adjustments" available, but found none. It got a little better after some aggressive driving (perhaps it learns driver characteristics like many modern ICE cars), but was still sluggish and I had to be careful because it naturally had the OEM Michelins. After having the Michelins on the 2015 and 2019, I will say that traction is marginal regardless of pressure so you might as well run them at 40 to 42 so that the handling is not too vague. The ceramic brake pads do take some time to break in. I shifted to neutral and used the brakes gently approaching stop lights for at least a thousand miles to get the pads seated.

You will really notice the different accelerator mapping going from a 2011 or 2012 to a 2021 because the 2011 and 2012 will give full acceleration by flooring the accelerator while even my 2015 and 2019 require feathering the accelerator to apply just enough pressure for full kW (and pressing the pedal farther as speed increases) instead of just flooring the pedal. Done correctly, my 2015 was as quick as my 2011, but it is not easy to be consistent. My 2019 is quicker than my previous cars because it has twice the horsepower, but it still benefits from careful feathering. The 2021 also benefitted from feathering, but was significantly slower than my 2019. The heat pump and dry heater are both more efficient than the hot water tank of the 2011 and 2012. I did not find significant difference in efficiency between the heat pumps in my 2015 and 2019 vs. the air conditioner in my 2011, but the dash efficiency display is more accurate (instead of greatly optimistic) so it may look like your efficiency is lower than the 2011 and 2012 models. The dual voltage Nissan EVSE needs a 14-50 receptacle with either 40 ampere or 50 ampere breaker and appropriate wiring. As a reminder, the Nissan EVSE will not work on 208 volt circuits, but works fine on either 240 or 120 volt (limited to 12 amperes at 120 volts).

Needless to say, I will keep my 2019 because I don't like the accelerator mapping of the 2021. Also, there are not enough incentives to make trading cost effective.
 
I kind of wish that I had known about the 'de-tuning' before I leased another Leaf, as I might have considered either buying a late model one (like my SL!!) or trying to find a leftover 2019 or 2020* to lease. Ah, well, using D mode in all but heavy traffic should work ok. I'll be watching for a chip mod, though...

* Our 2020 feels quicker than the 2021, but I don't know if it's the greater HP compensating for the de-tuning, or if it has the previous accelerator mapping. I have time now to find out. I'm also wondering if my housemate, who loves slow cars like the Prius, will fall in love with the '21 and if we might end up unofficially swapping cars.
 
A tuning chip would be great. I wish I could get the consistent full on accelerator response of my 2011 with the higher horsepower and torque of the 2019, but the axle shafts and CV joints might pay the price! Enjoy your new car!
 
Marktm said:
- should I expect similar mile/kWh as my old Leaf? Little heating required with steering and seat warmers - more A/C - that seemed amazingly efficient on my 2012. My overall GOM reading is 4.4 mi/kWh
At lower speeds, less efficient because of the weight increase, at highway speeds, seem similar. CoD is the same on both generations from what I read.

- It comes with Michellin tires - what is the max pressure that works well with these?

I'm sure I'll have additional questions and comments - only driven it a few miles, but seems very quiet, responsive and high quality.
I started at 40, then 42, finally settled on 44 because the Gen 2 plus is quite heavier than the nimble Gen 1 that I was used to. I run Eco mode so my tires live longer, too tempting to play Stoplight Champion in regular mode. :lol:
 
LeftieBiker said:
* They fixed the VPP again? Another question mark here, but I didn't notice the VPP sounds the way I do on the 2020, so they may actually have listened to the complaints about that. The car doesn't sound to me like a haunted submarine, the way the 2020 does.
Now I'm curious.... My 2020 sounds like something out of a Tron movie. What does the new VPS sound similar to? Does it still stay on up to 25 mph? Mine stays on, even when stopped. It stops if I put it in park.
 
congrats on the new car. when you bring it in for it's checkup tell them about the differance in throttle response. they might be able to reset it to your liking
 
knightmb said:
LeftieBiker said:
* They fixed the VPP again? Another question mark here, but I didn't notice the VPP sounds the way I do on the 2020, so they may actually have listened to the complaints about that. The car doesn't sound to me like a haunted submarine, the way the 2020 does.
Now I'm curious.... My 2020 sounds like something out of a Tron movie. What does the new VPS sound similar to? Does it still stay on up to 25 mph? Mine stays on, even when stopped. It stops if I put it in park.

You can turn off the Forward motion VPS sound with LeafSpy Pro on a 2020.

It only will slightly make noise when in gear and stopped but once you start to roll the sound goes away.
 
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