2023 Nissan Leaf previewed in Malaysia; will go on sale on March 10

KUALA LUMPUR: Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM), the official distributor of Nissan cars in Malaysia, has finally previewed the Leaf facelift after teasing it for a while now. The new 2023 Leaf is set to go on sale on March 10 and will be offered in a single variant.

Largely identical to the pre-facelift model, the new Leaf doesn’t showcase many changes. However, the few revisions it contains are worth discussing.

So, let’s get started with the refreshed exterior design with new design elements like -

• New black aero grille
• Redesigned lower bumper
• New black inserts in the headlights
• Restyled wheels
• Redesigned rear spoiler
• A gray-accent diffuser
• Brand’s new logo

The cabin gets new tech elements that make the 2023 Leaf a modern-day car for today’s youth. On the dashboard sits a new 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. Also present is a new digital smart rear-view mirror and steering wheel with a new logo. A few items are carried forward from the previous-gen model like

• Automatic air-conditioning with a timer function
• Keyless entry and start
• Leather/Alcantara trimmed seats
• Graphite Black and Stone Grey color scheme

Powering the new Leaf is an EM57 e-motor making 150 PS and 420 Nm of torque. Also part of the setup is a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery offering a range of up to 311 km. For charging is a Type 2 port (located at the car’s nose), there is no change to the onboard 6.6 kW AC charger and CHAdeMo DC charger.

The car's safety kit is rather packed with features like

• Six airbags (front, side, curtain)
• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
• ABS, EBD, brake assist
• Hill Start Assist
• Nissan Intelligent Mobility suite of driver assist systems with Lane Intervention and Lane Departure Warning as well as high beam assist
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with Forward Emergency Braking (FEB)
• Around View Monitor (I-AVM) with Moving Object Detection (I-MOD)
• Driver Alertness (I-DA)
• Ride Control and Trace Control

As for pricing and colour options, the 2023 Leaf facelift is offered in several striking tones namely Stealth Grey, Vivid Blue, Midnight Black, Pure White Pearl, Burgundy, Opera Mauve, and Akatsuki Sunrise Copper. The EV, however, retails for RM 168,888 and includes a 3-year/100,000 km car warranty and an 8-year/160,000 km battery warranty.

Also Read: 2023 Kia Sorento launched in Malaysia; price starts from RM 211k