Our Rating
4/5
Pros
Cons
Introduction
Nissan was one of the first mainstream manufacturers to develop a mass-market EV with its groundbreaking Leaf which first arrived in 2010. For a number of years, it was the most popular electric car, and it was only recently knocked off the table by Tesla.
It took Nissan quite a long time to follow it up with a second electric car, but that moment has now arrived with the new Ariya. It’s a bespoke EV built around a specific platform shared with alliance partner Renault and aims to lift Nissan further upmarket with its lounge-like interior and additional technology.
The Ariya also offers an especially smart design with its coupe-like styling, while bringing a choice of powertrains and an impressive range of up to 329 miles. But in an increasingly crowded market, is the Ariya able to stand out?
Performance
The Ariya is available with two different powertrains. The majority of these are front-wheel-drive, but Nissan also offers a four-wheel-drive model, using a system called e-4orce.
Kicking off the range is the front-wheel-drive model equipped with a 63kWh battery and an electric motor producing 214bhp. Accelerating to 60mph takes 7.3 seconds and a range of up to 250 miles.
Upgrading to the large 87kWh battery brings a slightly more powerful motor producing 239bhp, though the additional weight of the battery means performance is roughly the same. The highlight here, however, is the range, with Nissan claiming up to 329 miles. At the top of the line-up, the e-4orce model gets a second electric motor that takes the power up to 302bhp, with 0-60mph taking as little as 5.5 seconds. The range is docked at 310 miles due to the extra power, however.
Ride and handling
The Ariya is a really rather impressive thing behind the wheel, with a greater focus on driving enjoyment than many of its rivals. The handling is sharp, while the low battery positioning gives it a low centre of gravity and means it’s more agile than you’d expect an electric SUV to be.
The slight downside to this is that the ride is slightly firmer than would be ideal, but it’s by no means uncomfortable, even when riding on larger alloy wheels. The e-4orce four-wheel-drive system also works very well in trickier terrains, such as snow or in especially wet weather.
Interior
Nissan has really lifted the quality of the Ariya’s interior, and it feels a noticeable step up above those of other Nissan products. Features such as a two-spoke steering wheel, and a large digital cockpit that merges a touchscreen and instrument cluster, give this SUV a particularly upmarket finish. There is also some etched wood-effect trim that houses haptic buttons, though these can be quite tricky to use at first.
While the Ariya isn’t the most spacious electric SUV on the market, it still offers more than enough room for most. The boot delivers 466 litres of space, while there is plenty of room in the rear seats even for adults. One elegant touch is a sliding centre console that can be moved via a button and allows those in the centre rear seat to have more legroom.
Equipment
The Nissan Ariya comes in two trim levels – Advance and Evolve. Standard equipment is very generous and includes full LED lighting, a 360-degree camera system, wireless phone charging and a whole range of driver assistance features that helped the Ariya to earn a top five-star safety rating.
Upgrading to the Evolve brings a wealth of additional features, including an electric panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a 10-speaker Bose sound system and self-parking functionality.
Cost
If you want an Ariya, it doesn’t come cheap, with prices starting from £46,145 for the entry-level 63kWh model, but if you want the larger battery it will set you back more than £50,000.
Prices then top out at £58,590, but even at that price, you can still specify additional features, including blue Nappa leather upholstery for £1,295 and a ‘Sport’ pack for £1,995. A two-tone metallic paint finish also costs £1,295.
Verdict
While Nissan’s second-generation EVs might have taken a long time to materialise, a car like the Ariya feels worth the wait.
This is a car that feels like it’s able to lift Nissan from mainstream to premium territory, with its high-end interior, smart design and plentiful equipment able to make it stand out next to an increasing number of rivals. It might not lead the pack – that honour has to go to the Skoda Enyaq iV – but it is not far behind at all.
