The Nissan Leaf, a car that enthusiasts have loved to hate ever since it launched in 2010. Actually, 'hate' isn't even the right word for some. Despise is more accurate. The Leaf, an acronym which stands for Leading Environmentally-friendly Affordable Family car, looks like nothing more than a plain Jane vanilla five-door hatchback. That's because it is, at least from the outside. But step inside and you'll find a dash layout that's – dare we say it – attractive.

It's almost as if Apple (circa 2010) had a hand in styling what the driver and front passenger see. But why is the Leaf so despised among car enthusiasts? Because, duh, it's an EV. And not a sexy-looking EV like the Tesla Model S (which also happens to be an absolute instant torque beast).

Dorkmobile is more like it. But after spending some time with a 2017 Nissan Leaf SL, we think it's time for those naysayers to reevaluate their opinions. Now that the first generation Leaf is approaching the end of its production cycle, Nissan has proven that an affordable EV with decent enough range is possible for the masses; more than 230,000 units have been sold worldwide. Not exactly a lightweight. Special thanks to Future Nissan of Folsom for letting us film the car.