Release Date: Available now
Price: From $43,190
Power: 2 motor AWD
Battery Range: 304 miles
0 to 62 mph: 5.1 seconds (Estimated)
Smarts: ProPilot Driver assistance, new voice command tech, e-Pedal, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Alexa
The Nissan Ariya may be coming a little later than first promised, but it's getting here very soon. And it looks like Nissan has its sights set firmly on the Tesla Model Y, with an electric crossover SUV that is a sight to behold.
The Nissan Ariya is set to arrive in the U.S. sometime before the end of 2022, following launches in Japan and Europe. When exactly still isn't clear, and the ongoing global chip shortage has complicated matter. But this will mark the next stage in Nissan's long-running EV strategy, following its success with both generations of the Nissan Leaf. So here's everything you need to know about the Nissan Ariya.
Nissan Ariya 2022: Price and availability
The Nissan Ariya prices start at $43,190 and is available to order in the United States right now. That gets you the front wheel drive Engage trim, which has a 63 kWh battery. Other, more expensive models will be available, but AWD configurations won't be delivered until some point in early 2023.
The FWD Venture Plus model, which has the larger 87 kWh battery starts at $47,190, getting you the longer range in the process. Also coming is the Evolve Plus ($50,190), Empower Plus ($54,690) and the Premiere ($54,690).
If you'd rather the benefits of an all-wheel drive platform, prices start at $47,190 for the Engage e-4ORCE with the 62 kWh battery. 87 kWh models include the Engage Plus e-4ORCE ($51,190), the Evolve Plus e-4ORCE ($54,190) and the Platinum Plus e-4ORCE ($60,190).
The car was originally due to hit Japan in summer 2021, but had to be delayed due to supply chain shortages. Those issues also meant that American deliveries didn't begin until the very start of 2023.
Nissan Ariya 2022: Design and interior
The Ariya's styling is relatively unchanged since the concept car that broke cover at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2019, and that's just fine with us.
It's a futuristic-looking thing, with slim LED lights, an angular front end, large grille and a gently sloping roofline that gives it an almost coupe-like feel. A single horizontal brake light gives the rear a similarly sci-fi vibe, and we're big fans of the Akatsuki Copper color. Check out the gallery below for a closer look at the Ariya.
On the inside it's clear that Nissan has made big changes from the current Leaf hatchback electric car. It has a larger 12-inch infotainment display, a digital gauge cluster, and a very modern-looking interior you'd expect from any premium electric car. But this time it's in a Nissan.
Nissan also hasn't followed the trend of adding all controls to the touchscreen, which can be difficult to use while keeping your attention on the road. So there's also a touch-sensitive pad on the dashboard for climate control, and while not as tactile as buttons it's better than the alternative.
Naturally the wheel also has a number of key controls built in, so you should be able to alter settings without blindly flailing at flat screens and panels.
Nissan Ariya 2022: Performance
Performance will depend on which of the many Nissan Ariya models you drive. However, at the moment, it's difficult to gauge how fast the Ariya will be — since Nissan isn't listing any serious performance specs on its U.S. website.
All five FWD models offer 221 lb-ft of torque, but the Engage is limited to 214 horsepower. This was previously announced to be able to go from 0-62mph in around 7.5 seconds. The four other FWD models have 238 horsepower, but have to contend with the larger 87 kWh battery. So don't expect much change in acceleration.
The AWD e-4ORCE models were said to offer between 278 and 306 horsepower, with the ability to hit 62mph in 5.7-5.9 seconds. The top-of-the-range Performance model, now seemingly called the Platinum Plus, was said to be able to make that distance in 5.1 seconds with 389 horsepower.
Remember, these figures are estimates based on what we've been told before. Things may change in the run up to the U.S. launch, especially now that the line-up appears to have been overhauled.
Nissan Ariya 2022: Range and charging
Like all electric cars, the total range you can get will depend on which car you end up driving. And, naturally, price and battery size plays a very big part in it.
At the absolute lowest end of the spectrum is the entry-level Ariya Engage, with the 67 kWh battery and up to 216 miles of range. Which is not great, frankly, and the car's size is the likely reason why it has worse range than a 62 kWh Nissan Leaf (226 miles).
But the bigger batteries offer a lot more range, as you'd expect. The highest is the Venture Plus, offering up to 304 miles, while the Evolve Plus, Empower Plus and Premiere models all offer up to 289 miles.
The AWD E-4ORCE models don't do as well, since they have the extra motor to power. That means the 67 kWh Engage E-4ORCE has the worst range of any Ariya, with up to 205 miles of distance per charge. Meanwhile the Engage Plus E-4ORCE and Evolve Plus E-4ORCE both offer up to 270 miles. The Platinum Plus E-4ORCE has slightly less at 265 miles.
Power is supplied by a 7.2 kW AC charger on all models, with a CCS port that offers DC rapid charging up to 130 kW speeds. Unlike the Leaf, there's no CHAdeMO port to be see, and means you can recharge the car at any non-Tesla station.
Nissan Ariya 2022: ProPilot and Intelligent Integration
In keeping with its looks, the Ariya is loaded with technology. The electric SUV features Nissan’s ProPilot semi-autonomous driving system, complete with freeway driving aids and guided parking. You also get automatic emergency braking (at the front and rear) plus a 360-degree camera system.
Inside, it's all about Nissan's Intelligent Integration concept. The dashboard contains dual 12.3-inch displays — one for driver info and one for infotainment — plus a color head-up display.
The dual screens are particularly cool. Because they're linked, content on one display can be sent to the other with a swipe — for instance, the passenger might find a location on the route and send it to the driver screen for navigation. On the center stack, there are haptic controls that only reveal themselves when the car is running.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration are both on board, too, and you can use Amazon Alexa or Nissan's own voice-control system if you wish. Updates for all of this tech can be delivered wirelessly using a built-in 4G connection.
Nissan Ariya 2022: e-Pedal
One of the more interesting features from recent Nissan Leaf models is the e-Pedal, and that will be coming to the Ariya at launch. However the e-Pedal in the Ariya is not the same as the one in the Leaf.
In the Leaf, e-Pedal is essentially regenerative braking on steroids, allowing for single pedal driving once you learn how to time it right. Just release the gas pedal and the car will automatically come to a stop and won't start up again until you press down on the gas again.
In the Ariya, however, the car won't come to a complete halt. It'll slow down to around 1-2mph and continue to creep forwards until you hit the brake pedal. Why? According to Nissan this is how a lot of drivers use e-Pedal on the Leaf, not trusting the car to come to a complete stop by itself. The impression I got was that there's no option to turn off creep mode in the settings, as you would get in a lot of other modern electric cars.
However the Ariya will still have a dedicated e-Pedal button, letting you toggle the regen on and off while you drive. It's something I wish more EVs offered, rather than forcing you to delve into the settings to adjust everything.
Nissan Ariya 2022: Outlook
Nissan is no stranger to the electric car market, and it seems it's taking a lot of the lessons it's learned from previous efforts and adding them to the Ariya. ProPilot, e-Pedal and all the other things its been perfecting over the past decade.
Crucially we're looking at a car that offers performance to better compete with other electric car makers. But with the electric SUV market becoming increasingly crowded, there's going to be a lot of competition to deal with. Let's just hope the Ariya will be able to survive on more than just brand awareness and its existing reputation as a solid electric automaker.
