While many electric vehicles (EVs) have made their way to Malaysia, one of the early EVs to enter Malaysia was the Nissan Leaf back in 2013 (ZE0 first generation). The ZE1 was launched in Malaysia in 2019, and now Nissan Malaysia has previewed the 2023 Nissan Leaf facelift ahead of its launch on March 10, 2023.
A quick look on the outside will let you know that the Leaf has been given several new enhancements. The front end now gets a full black aero front grille, a newly redesigned lower bumper and new black inner-finished headlights that now come with high beam assist.
Other exterior enhancements on the 2023 Nissan Leaf facelift include a new redesigned aero spoiler, new grey-accent diffuser, new 17-inch 5-spoke wheels, and most importantly, the new Nissan Logo at the front and the rear. All together, the minor changes to the Nissan Leaf result in a refreshed sleek exterior that challenges some of the newer EVs of today.
Exterior enhancements aside, the 2023 Nissan Leaf remains the same under the skin. The electric motor and the high-voltage battery setup have been carried over from the outgoing version. As such, the 2023 Nissan Leaf facelift produces a total output of 110 kW (150 hp metric) and 320 Nm from a front-mounted single electric motor. The same 40kWh high voltage battery still provides up to 311 km of range (NEDC), which is a bit of a shortfall compared to the new EV competitors in Malaysia.
Maximum charging rates also remain the same at 6.6 kW with AC charging and 50 kW with DC fast charging. What’s new in terms of charging for the Nissan Leaf is that the AC charging socket is now the Type 2 socket. The DC charging socket is still the CHAdeMO type.
Inside, the 8-inch touchscreen head unit now comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. There is also a new smart rearview mirror that is connected to a camera located under the third brake light. Interior upholstery options include Graphite Black and Stone Grey colour options.
A few updates are also given in terms of safety. The 2023 Nissan Leaf features a new intelligent lane intervention & intelligent lane departure warning system, a new intelligent rearview mirror, and a new high beam assist system.
Like the outgoing model, the 2023 Nissan Leaf can also be “owned” via a subscription program estimated at a monthly price of RM1,800. More details on the 2023 Nissan Leaf facelift will be available upon its launch in a few days from now.
Following its upcoming launch, the 2023 Nissan Leaf facelift will be on display at the “Nissan Electrifying Drive” event at selected Nissan Showrooms nationwide. The dates and locations of the events are as such:
- 11-12 March – ETCM Glenmarie, ETCM Jalan Raja Laut
- 18-19 March – ETCM Klang, ETCM Kuantan
- 25-26 March – ETCM Butterworth, ETCM Johor Jaya
- 8-9 April – ETCM Ipoh, ETCM Batu Pahat
