Nissan Ariya - design and space set it apart

The Nissan ARIYA can have two- or four-wheel drive and is offered in four trim levels, with several motor options (from 214 to 394 hp) and batteries of two capacities (63 and 87 kWh). The latest addition is the sporty NISMO version. The car we tested had “e-4ORCE” four-wheel drive and the larger battery.

 When Nissan launched the model, it stressed that this was an elegant, fully electric crossover combining the practicality of a versatile SUV with the space, comfort and style of a compact premium car. Elegance, space and range are its strengths. The futuristic design has been achieved partly at the expense of practicality.

Dimensions, boot and a spacious interior

The Nissan ARIYA is almost 4.6 metres long, more than 2.1 metres wide including the mirrors and almost 1.7 metres tall. In the e-4ORCE version the boot holds 415 litres and opens at the press of a button or with a kick of the foot under the rear bumper.

Our test confirmed that the Nissan ARIYA has a very spacious interior, legroom included, and a long range. The panoramic roof adds to the sense of space, and the electrically adjustable sliding centre console lets you adapt the interior to your own preferences. The ventilated seats, with three settings, deserve credit. Unfortunately, once you switch them on, you can clearly hear the fans whirring. In winter, in turn, you will make use of the three-level seat heating.

The Auto Trader award, performance and range

Given its space, range and comfort, the Nissan ARIYA should prove itself on long journeys. And indeed, we are not the only ones who think so. The Japanese e-SUV was named “best car for long journeys” in the annual Auto Trader New Car Awards in the UK.

The British awards covered 23 categories, and the finalists and eventual winners were chosen on the basis of individual reviews from car owners in the UK. The Auto Trader New Car Awards differ from other motoring awards in that the winners are chosen not by industry judges but by individual car owners - sometimes more than 200,000 of them. Respondents were asked to rate their cars in 16 categories, including reliability, performance, styling and running costs.

The Nissan ARIYA we tested has 290 kW (394 hp) on tap. For a car weighing 2,218 kilograms, that is more than enough. The manufacturer quotes 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. The test car had an 87 kWh battery, which should give the four-wheel-drive version a maximum WLTP combined range of 499 km.

 

Interior: centre console, e-Pedal and ProPILOT Park

Let us also take a look inside, where space and futuristic design are the dominant features. Both the central armrest and the central pull-out storage compartment are electrically operated. The first slides forwards and backwards, the second opens. With the armrest moved back, a huge - and sadly unused - space opens up between the driver's and passenger's legs. Perhaps it could be put to some use, especially as the central storage compartment is surprisingly small? Opening it is odd, too: pressing the button once is not enough, you have to keep holding it down. Closing it takes another few seconds. On the central armrest, besides the drawer open/close button, you will also find the e-Pedal switch, the parking button and the drive mode selector. Tilt up the padded storage lid and you will find a wireless phone charging pad - to put your phone there, you have to tilt the lid up every time.

e-Pedal mode triggers very strong braking as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator - in most situations pressing the brake pedal becomes unnecessary. This can make driving in town easier.

The Nissan Ariya offers ProPILOT Park, which helps with parking if the 360° camera system is not enough for you; that system delivers a high-quality image and positions the car well against the dynamic reversing guidelines. The Japanese e-SUV has no conventional rear-view mirror - what you see is a camera image. This takes some getting used to, because you can neither see your own face nor glance at the rear-seat passengers.

 

Test summary

To sum up, the Nissan ARIYA is a very spacious EV that can carry you in comfort on a long trip. Those who value more practical solutions may have some reservations, but lovers of design and futuristic features will be very pleased.