Oh, what a sad song Nissan has been singing.
This is a company that overthrew its CEO, Carlos Ghosn, and sent him to jail before he escaped to Lebanon. Then the board untangled his alliance with French automaker Renault, a marriage of convenience at best. Then along came COVID and its attendant parts shortages.
The result delayed much-needed fresh product, such as the 2023 Nissan Ariya, the long-needed follow-up to the aging Nissan Leaf electric vehicle. Nissan was early to the segment, but forfeited its lead.
Cue the Nissan Ariya, Nissan’s second battery-electric vehicle, a compact SUV that’s clearly larger than the Leaf, but not too large. In fact, many will find its length perfect, as it’s about the same size as a Nissan Rogue.
Having introduced the front-wheel-drive version of the Nissan Ariya earlier this year, with a single motor and an adequate 238 horsepower, the company has followed with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model that generates a healthy 389 horses. Nissan dubs this model the e-4orce, a mangling of English that causes every gaijin to roll their eyes.
Nevertheless, designers endowed Nissan’s newest EV with what it describes as “timeless Japanese futurism,” aka its design is meant to age well. But it lacks the uniquely memorable design of the first Nissan Rogue or the Infiniti FX 35. Still, its tastefulness should prove palatable to mainstream buyers. One thing that may upset them is the lack of a front trunk, or frunk in industry parlance. Nissan thinks new buyers won’t miss the frunk, which houses the climate control components. All-wheel drivers also don’t get underfloor storage in the back, as that space is used for the other electric motor. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs.
But the cabin itself offers no tradeoffs to passengers, as it’s about the size of a Nissan Rogue but feels roomier as it’s an inch taller and 2 inches wider. As a result, space is generous in both the front and second row. Cargo space is slightly less than 23 cubic feet, expanding to more than 59 cubic feet with the seats folded. Front-drive models have underfloor space in the rear; all-wheel drive models don’t, as they use the space for the second electric motor.
Nissan has endowed the Ariya with unique detailing that makes it more than just another mainstream SUV. There’s a power-operated sliding center console that allows easier access to the space below it. There’s ambient lighting, which isn’t typically found in mainstream vehicles. There are door panels with unique textures and finishes, along with a beautiful wood strip across the instrument panel that houses flush, backlit, haptic feedback switches. Above it are two 12.3-inch screens, one for the instrument cluster, one for the infotainment. The whole cabin has a feeling of modern, upscale agelessness without a lick of trendiness.
But the best part of the Ariya e-4orce is its additional power. While the front-wheel drive, single motor Ariya has a mere 238 horsepower, and a 0-60 mph time of 7.5 seconds, the e-4orce’s all-wheel drive and 389 horsepower, there’s more than enough power for making fleet work of any trip. Pop it into the sport driving mode, and reaching 60 mph takes less than five seconds.
The Ariya Engage base model gets a 63-kWh battery with an estimated 205 miles of range between charges, while pricier Engage+, Evolve+, and Platinum+ trims have an 87-kWh battery pack with 272 miles of range for the first two, and 267 miles for the Platinum+.
But Nissan, which once promoted its “four-door sports cars” seems to have forgotten its handling heritage. Yes, the Ariya is quick, yet very quiet, thanks to a lot of sound insulation and laminated glass. But the steering feels light and lacks road feel. And although the braking is strong and effective, it suffers from brake pedal where little happens for half of its travel. Together with the lack of steering feel, there’s a detached quality to the driving experience that doesn’t inspire confidence unless you know its limits, which are higher than you might expect.
The other disappointing part of the driving is the Ariya’s regenerative braking, which captures energy generated during braking and funnels it back to the battery. Boosted to its highest setting, regenerative braking allows you to drive while rarely using the brake pedal, if at all. While other EVs allow for one-pedal driving, the Ariya’s regenerative braking never reaches the level of its competitors. One-pedal driving is one of the great joys of EVs, and it’s not strong enough in the Ariya.
Nevertheless, for those who have never driven an EV before, the Ariya proves to be a modern, up-to-date SUV that just happens to be electric. And with four-wheel drive, you get plenty of power. It’s an agreeable, modern, everyday EV that will please you every time you pass a gas station.
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2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce
Base price: $43,190-$60,190
Powertrain: Synchronous electric motor
Horsepower/Torque: 389/442 pound-feet
EPA fuel economy: 272 miles (87 kWh battery)
Recharge time (10-80%): 35 minutes
Length/Width/Height: 182.9/74.8/65.7 inches
Ground clearance: 6.7 inches
Cargo capacity: 22.8-59.7 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 1,500 pounds
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