Review of the new Nissan Ariya 2022

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The Ariya is a giant leap in the right direction for Nissan. It feels more premium than anything we’ve seen from the brand, and it backs this up with some great engineering and technology underneath the stylish body. Performance and improvement are impressive, as is the Ariya’s range compared to the smaller battery model. Distinctive interior touches and numerous utility features combined with interesting design and materials make it an attractive choice, proving that Nissan’s push for electrification is really picking up speed. degree.

Nissan pioneer in electricity. The brand beat its main competitors to reach the market with Leaf electric car it launched more than a decade ago – but despite such a start, Ariya is Nissan’s second full-fledged product EV for Europe.

Luckily – spoiler alert – that’s a good thing. While Volkswagen ID.4 Feeling like it was sold out in a hurry to market in many places, Ariya was more convincing. Underneath the slim, almost coupe-like figure-SUVbody styling is based on the CMF-EV platform of the Renault-Nissan Alliance – the same technical basis as that of the French brand Megane E-Tech Electric intersect in the family.

However, the Ariya is larger with a length of 4,595mm and a wheelbase of 2,775mm. Its battery options also vary as the Nissan range starts with a 63kWh (usable) option which, combined with a 215bhp electric motor drives the front wheels, serving the claimed 250-mile range. Our testing came out at 3.6 mph/kWh, which means the Ariya should easily deliver 225-mile real-world mileage from a full charge without any compromises to driving is focused on the environment, which is impressive.

When the battery is close to empty, a 130kW quick charge means a 20 to 80% full charge will take 28 minutes by industry standard, while overnight charging at home will take around 10 hours.

More important to performance is the engine’s 300Nm of torque, and as with any EV, it’s pretty much available out of the box. It means the 0-62mph sprint takes 7.5 seconds, much faster than internal combustion engine cars of the same size, but the big benefit is the ease of acceleration and this makes the Ariya How comfortable it is to move.

Choose the larger 87kWh battery option and you also have the choice of 239bhp single-motor and 302bhp dual-motor e-4ORCE powertrains, with the latter delivering a 5.7sec 0-62mph time.

In our lower-powered front-wheel drive test car, there was very little engine whine in flight and it only became apparent when you asked for things. This level of fine-tuning extends to the ride of the vehicle as well. There’s a strong point to the Ariya’s suspension setup and relatively good body control, although our test route wasn’t the shortest.

However, the steering represents how the car will be used by owners – commuting, touring, driving in the city and suburbs – and the Ariya handles collisions flexibly. active, adheres to ledges, grids and road repairs to provide a good level of comfort.

We’ll have to wait for a full UK test to gauge its dynamic performance properly, but on some Swedish forest roads it’s smooth, the ride feels direct and offers a great deal of weight. good quality in Standard driving mode, feels consistent with other controls; there’s also a Sport setting that adds weight and increases throttle response, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Nissan’s familiar electronic pedal setup from the Leaf is back with the Ariya, this time dubbed the Electronic Pedal Step. Here, it means the car won’t come to a complete stop on its own, but the regenerative level is enough to merge in and out of the throttle during normal street or country driving, so you rarely must touch the brake, again. contributes to a comfortable, stress-free feeling for Ariya.

Some competitors offer more configurability when it comes to their regen settings and maybe another mode in Ariya would be nice, but the fact that the system is well calibrated and easy to use is what matters. more important.

It’s a different kind of driving pleasure, but the Ariya shows that with some tweaks to your approach and mindset, there’s still a rewarding driving experience out of a full EV like this, thanks into accessible performance, fine-tuning, and levels of relaxation.

However, the Ariya is much more than the way it drives and its functional elements. Nissan is pushing hard in the upscale direction and is proud of its Japanese heritage, so inside the cabin, the car features Japanese Andon-style lighting to create the effect of a traditional paper lantern. system. It’s a beauty that elevates the interior and gives it a personal touch in a crowded classroom.

Coupled with the smart wood-like trim that houses separate tactile climate controls (which work well), the interior is a delight. It feels much more special than cars like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Toyota bZ4X – and compared to those competitors’ setups, the pair of 12.3-inch monitors can deliver slightly sharper graphics. The functions are also good, even if the response to touch input can still be a bit slower.

Saturday, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity plus Alexa integration and battery thermostat functions to recharge all the features most efficiently. There is a smart route planner that can choose the most energy efficient route and suggest charging stops on your journey.

The base Advance model gets plenty of standard equipment, including wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, heat pump, LED headlights, 19-inch alloys, heated seats, powered tailgate, and system kit. Nissan safety and driver assistance. The second includes ProPilot with Navi-Link, fully automatic parking, lane keeping and blind spot assist, AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert and collision warning.

List prices for the Ariya start at £43,845, with £3,995 going to the Evolve trim, which also brings adaptive high beams, a panoramic roof, ventilated front and rear seats, other seat covers, 10-speaker Bose audio, head-up display, Nissan’s ProPilot Park system, digital rearview mirrors and sliding center console.

That center console is electronically operated and can move forward and backward, creating more space in the back if you’re carrying a passenger in the middle or revealing more space up front. adds a sense of ventilation to Ariya.

There’s plenty of space in the back; The car’s battery is 33% thinner than the Leaf’s, which means the floor is relatively low, which provides good legroom. Although the roof is sleek, headroom is also good.

With the center console sliding forward the cabin offers plenty of space, while there’s also an electrically operated compartment that emerges from the lower part of the dashboard, providing secure storage. The movable lid on this compartment means there’s a place to prop up a device to keep an eye on whether you’re waiting at a charging point, underscoring that Nissan has really thought about how buyers will use it. car use.

Boot space comes in at 466 liters for the two-wheel drive model, which is roomy, and the depth and breadth means the Ariya will swallow a car or a golf bag at any angle no matter what.

It’s the mix of strong performances in every area that a new car – and an all-new EV – needs to score high on that makes the Ariya such a compelling proposition. Revolutionary new electric cars are few and far between today, but as a successful evolution of the formula, Nissan’s first next-generation model is a convincing lineup for the Japanese brand.