When I was small, the Evans family was frequently a few minutes late to Scout meetings, church socials, Christmas parties, et al, but my mom compensated for our tardiness by bringing delicious chocolate chip cookies or an hors d'oeuvre. That’s the formula Nissan should follow with the 2023 Ariya – the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volkswagen ID.4 have already started the party, so the Japanese EV better bring something tasty.
Keen to show off its new baby, Nissan brought me to Madrid, Spain, to enjoy the gracefully styled Ariya against a backdrop of tapas, rioja, and pleasant Iberian weather. Mother Nature, however, missed the memo, as our group’s visit was under the cover of persistent, steady drizzle – not a big deal for the purposes of a test, since consumers at least occasionally have to drive in the rain. However, they don’t often take their electric crossovers on Madrid’s Jarama Circuit, which is the only place we were allowed to drive.
