What's the news?

Nissan has revised its all-electric Leaf model as well as bringing its production to the company's Sunderland plant. Three levels of trim are now available and Nissan has given buyers the option to lease their car's battery.

Exterior

Unusually, the mid-life refresh has barely touched the outside of the car. A few aerodynamics tweaks have been made to improve range, but other than that the style and shape of the Leaf remain unchanged. Top spec Tekna versions get 17-inch alloy wheels and LED lighting as standard.

Interior

All three trim levels - Visia, Acenta and Tekna - sport a higher grade of upholstery in the cabin. Due to the relocation of the Leaf's charging point, buyers can also enjoy a bigger boot, as well as improved legroom for passengers. The front two seats are now height adjustable, too.

In terms of technology, all Nissan Leafs now come with the Around View Monitor, which should make parking that little bit easier. Top-of-the-range Tekna versions have also been fitted with a seven speaker Bose sound system; although we'd assume that using this at full volume for too long would decrease the Leaf's range considerably.

Mechanicals

The biggest improvement to the Leaf is with its battery. Buyers are given the option to lease or buy their battery; the former giving a lower on-the-road price. In conjunction with the new offer, Nissan has managed to increase the Leaf's range from 109- to 124 miles thanks to a more efficient heating system, an upgraded 'E-powertrain' and a new regenerative braking system. In addition, Nissan claims to have halved the charging time from the outgoing model to just four hours - when charged with the optional 6.6kW charger from a 32-amp socket.

Drivability has also been revised, and Nissan has tweaked the suspension system.

Anything else?

Thanks to Nissan's new battery leasing scheme on its Leaf Flex models, the lowest priced Leaf is now down to £15,990 after the Government's £5,000 plug-in grant. Battery leases start from just £70 per month and come with (as do purchased batteries) Nissan's five-year/60,000-mile battery warranty.

James Giddings - 15 Apr 2013