Head-to-Head: Nissan LEAF S 2015 vs 2018 Tesla Model 3 LR

September 1, 2019 by Steve Hanley

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Last week, Arthur Driessen – the intrepid explorer of Tesla Model 3 cruising the United States in his Tesla Model 3 – presented his 2018 Model 3 LR to CleanTechnica the sumptuous regional offices of New England, also known as Blueberry Pointe, my home in Rhode Island. Since he's got his car back in April 2018, Arthur has traveled nearly 90,000 kilometers to get to all the Supercharger stores in the United States.

styling: A little over a year ago, I bought a used Nissan LEAF S. It was interesting to see both cars side by side. Model 3 is elegant and futuristic. It's about as beautiful as any mass-produced vehicle. Leaf? In comparison with model 3, it is a little wrinkled, a little aged. Put both cars in a parking lot and people will be attracted to the Tesla. Most would ignore the LEAF. Mark one for model 3.

ride: I had never piloted a model 3 before Arthur drove me through the countryside. The suspension of the car is firm but comfortable. It swallows bumps and hollows easily. Nothing seems to upset his balance. The LEAF also has a well-controlled ride, but the Tesla is a little more stable and predictable. Mark two for model 3.

Acceleration: The only streetcar I've driven in was as fast as the Model 3 LR, it was my neighbor's Boss 302 Mustang in the 70's. The 3L single-engine model does not have the ability to crush the globes eyepieces of a Model S P100D with Ludicrous mode, but it is more than enough for 99.997% of driving situations. Especially from a stopped start, the acceleration is just beautiful. It flattens a little as the car picks up speed, but it's still delicious. The LEAF has a good acceleration, but nothing to do with the Tesla. Score three for model 3.

interior: Let's face it. The interior of Model 3 is light years from the inside of LEAF. This minimalist dash with the unique touch screen gives the LEAF dash a regal feel inspired by the steampunk style. The interior of LEAF is fine. The interior of the Tesla is brilliant. Score four for model 3.

L & # 39; Audio: The audio system of model 3 is fantastic. It is clearly the best I have ever heard in a car or at home. The three-voice harmonies of Crosby, Stills and Nash have never been so good. The LEAF sound system is in order but nothing special. Score five for model 3.

steering: The steering wheel of Model 3 looks like a scalpel in the hands of an experienced surgeon. The car sculpts smooth, consistent bows in bound S-turns and confers a sense of confidence and control that is a step forward from any other vehicle I've ever experienced. Leadership in the LEAF is good. I can reach the top of my favorite ramp at 70 mph, as I did with my Mazda RX7. But model 3 is more precise, more precise. Score six for model 3.

Passenger space: This one is a bit of tossup. Model 3 has a little more legroom at the front and back, but the LEAF has a tailgate, which means that bulky items fit more easily into the LEAF than in the Tesla. But model 3 has this impressive glass roof that further widens the feeling of space for those inside. Score seven for model 3.

Navigation: Model 3 has a superb navigation system with Google Maps. The LEAF has no navigation capability. Although anyone with a smartphone can use the Google Maps app and mount his phone on the dashboard. But the small screen of the phone can not compare to the huge screen of Model 3 for clarity and ease of use. Score eight for model 3.

Driving assistance: This one is not a contest. Model 3 offers a full range of driving assistance functions: adaptive cruise control, downstream emergency braking and track centering. The Tesla autopilot is also very complicated. The SHEET has none of it. Brand new score for model 3

A note on the autopilot: I had never experienced the autopilot before and it disappointed me. I live in a region that has many two-lane roads that sometimes expand to become overtaking lanes on one side or the other. Model 3 was still looking for the yellow central double stripe, even when the speed was less than or equal to the speed limit, while a human driver would tend to stay right in the overtaking areas, unless doubling a slower vehicle.

For whatever reason, every time a passing lane occurred on the roads we were driving on, a big truck was approaching the opposite direction. The impression was, at least for a brief moment, that the Tesla was heading straight for the oncoming truck path. It was very disturbing, although I'm giving more knowledge of the system would probably alleviate some of my initial apprehensions.

In addition, self-guidance in the curves felt awkward. A human driver tends to anticipate a turn, to turn back a bit earlier, to hold the line during the turn, and then to unroll the steering wheel gradually at the exit. The Tesla waited too long to begin the turn, appeared to make several corrections in the middle of the turn and waited too long to complete the turn maneuver. The Honda Clarity that I tested last year was more successful in turn than a human driver, but it was unable to cope with more sharp turns.

I found this behavior disconcerting and not confident. I was always hyper vigilant during turns because the system left me in doubt that it would follow the right path. As a result, I was never able to relax while driving and enjoy the road. I probably would not use the autopilot as much as my host only used it on controlled access highways that only ran smoothly.

Price: The single-engine model 3 LR car is not currently available on the Tesla website. The Standard Plus range is $ 38,990, while the two-engine extended-reach version is $ 47,990. Let's face the difference and say that a single LR car would cost about $ 43,000 if you could still order one.

I paid $ 10,000 for my used Nissan LEAF. It is suitable for 90% of my driving needs with regard to distance traveled with a single load. I like to drive it, especially knowing that I do not use a drop of gasoline along the way. Mark one for the SHEET.

Years ago, Road and track liked doing comparison tests between three similar cars or more. They submitted each of them to a battery of tests, totaled the scores and declared winner. But then they asked each member of the team: "If it was your money, what car would you buy?" These results were often very different from the official results.

Some people think they need a 4 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms, a garage for 3 cars and a "multimedia room". Others are content with a traditional Cape Town home or a ranch. The rest of this analysis is strictly subjective and many of you will not agree with my conclusion.

One of the basic principles of the economy is that every dollar you spend for one thing is a dollar that you can not spend on something else. We must make choices and it is these choices that make the study of economics so interesting.

My choice is the Nissan LEAF used. That's 90% of what I need from a car, but it costs about 20% of what I would spend driving a new Tesla. Since this category is worth 10 points, I hereby declare that the 2015 LEAF is the official winner! Your mileage may vary. See the dealer for details. And if you come to a different conclusion, do it well and ride happy. May the EV force be with you!

Editor's note: As usual, I love and appreciate Steve's honesty and his particular way of speaking and writing complete stories. It's no secret that at CleanTechnica we are fans of Tesla's Model 3 and have enthusiastically reported its commercial success. However, we have also regularly highlighted the incredible offers you can get on used electric vehicles. Basically, in my opinion, the two options constitute the best deals for buyers of two main types: economical offer on a solid, good, all-you-really need. Steve's analysis here perfectly expresses this bet of complementary options, and I think that it deserves additional thanks for somehow spinning the needle on a subject that is changing so quickly and so easily into a jumble of debate. animated between EV fans. He presented the two points lucidly, convincingly, without controversy and without tribalism. Yes, a model 3 is a wonderful vehicle and it is clear why it sells so well. On the other hand, yes, you can get used electric vehicles for a a lot less money this could, depending on your preferences and your needs, offer more value for the dollar. Both choices are excellent. Both lead to very happy owners and reduce vehicle emissions. Steve said everything better, but I thought I should put the accent on the skillful literary threading at the needle that he did there. He is now allowed to go back to the beach to bask in a relaxed and philosophical way, or whatever he's doing there. -Zach

Keywords: Review of Nissan Electric Vehicles, Nissan Leaf, Nissan LEAF Long Term Review, Review of Nissan Leaf, Tesla, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model 3 Long Range, Tesla Model 3 Reviews