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...
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...