• 2023 Nissan LEAF comes with a host of updates
• Offered with a subscription plan, free from concerns on depreciation and battery replacement cost
• Ideal for short term ownership

This post is sponsored by Edaran Tan Chong Motor

It goes without saying that cars are a major purchase in life, likely the second biggest after a house. It’s one of the reasons why many of us opt for the sensible options with a proven track record of reliability, low running costs, and established after sales support to minimise the uncertainties.

Being relatively new in the Malaysian market, there are more uncertainties surrounding electric vehicles (EV) such as charging availability outside urban areas, tax structure in the future after the incentive period (zero road tax for now, pay based on power output after?), and even resale value.

What’s more is that EVs are expensive to make, which translates to a high entry price into EVs. High price and uncertainties are arguably the two biggest hurdles for buyers to commit to the EV lifestyle.

Also read: 2023 Nissan LEAF facelift previewed in Malaysia, est. price RM 169k, CarPlay/Android Auto

Enter the 2023 Nissan LEAF facelift, priced at RM 168,888, around RM 7k less than before. It is offered with a subscription plan for a worry-free EV experience. Ideal if you’re looking to buy your first EV. Owners will be required to pay a monthly subscription fee of just RM 1,800 for a 3-year contract (terms and conditions apply).

Also read: RM 7k cheaper than before, new 2023 Nissan LEAF facelift launched in Malaysia

To get close to the monthly figure of around RM 1,800 from traditional bank hire purchase loans, a significantly longer loan tenure is required – we’re talking about 9 years with a 10 percent downpayment.

With the worry-free subscription plan, potential owners don’t even have to fork out a downpayment when they subscribe to a 2023 Nissan LEAF. Yes, that’s right, zero downpayment.

And once the 3-year contract is over, simply return the Nissan LEAF without incurring any penalties and choose another Nissan, or just end the 3-year plan. Owners also have the option of upgrading to other Nissan models at the end of the subscription term. Either way, owners won’t have to worry about disposing the car.

Granted, you won’t be owning the car. But for buyers who prefer to avoid the concern on depreciation (imagine putting the car up for sale after 3 years when you took a 9-year loan), this plan makes a whole lot more sense.

As for the 2023 Nissan LEAF facelift, it gets a slightly revised exterior with a full-black front grille, redesigned 17-inch wheels, and the new Nissan brand logo around the car. Changes aren’t significant but that just means they’ve got it right in the first place, and it still looks rather handsome, to this writer at least.

A much needed upgrade is the new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Nissan also added the Intelligent Rear View Mirror, which uses a digital camera that is fed to the rear view mirror to overcome potential obstruction in the cabin.

The suite of ADAS in the 2023 Nissan LEAF has been updated to include Lane Departure Warning and Lane Intervention, which gives haptic feedback through the steering wheel.

There's also High Beam Assist, Forward Collision Warning with Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking (AEB), and Intelligent Around View Monitor (360-degree camera) with Intelligent Moving Object Detection.

The rest of the cabin is still as easy to get accustomed to as it gets. There’s minimal learning curve to operating the Nissan LEAF; just get in, push the power button, put it in drive, release the parking brake, and off you go.

Every button is where you’d expect it to be, no surprising discoveries or hidden features – no gimmicks. Sure, large screens and fancy interior lighting are a novelty at first but like everything new, the charm wears off after a while, but great ergonomics and comfort do not.

The seats are comfortable with evenly distributed pressure points around the back. Nissan doesn't market them as Zero Gravity Seats, but they do feel rather similar.

Ride quality is also one of its strengths along with well-insulated cabin, which makes for a relaxing car to travel in - a car you’d want to be in to unwind after a long day at work.

Speaking of work, the NEDC-rated 311 km range is more than sufficient for urban users. Hooked up to a 6.6 kW AC charger, the Nissan LEAF will be fully charged in 7 hours from depletion. If you decide not to install a dedicated home charger, the AC 3-pin charger that is supplied with the car takes 12 hours to fully charge the battery.

The 2023 Nissan LEAF now uses a Type 2 connector for AC charging (previously Type 1), while DC fast charging is still done via CHAdeMO, which is rated at 50 kW.

If your daily routine only involves travelling back and forth to the office with the occasional grocery runs, then an EV would be a match for your lifestyle. The 2023 Nissan LEAF with its subscription plan is a worry-free option for anyone who’s looking to jump into the EV world. For short-term users, this is the way to go.

Find out more about the subscription plan for the 2023 Nissan LEAF here.

Also read: Review: 2nd-gen Nissan LEAF – Perfect introduction to EVs