With its all-electric Nissan Leaf growing long in the tooth, Nissan has a brand-new all-electric option to take on the likes of the Tesla Model Y. The new Ariya is an electric SUV offered in both front wheel and all-wheel drive, manufactured in Tochigi, Japan. The Ariya offers trim-dependent range of up to 304 miles, and some models have as much as 389 horsepower with a sub-5 second zero to sixty time, blasting the tepid Leaf out of the water. Here’s a look at the different ways the Ariya gets served up.
The entry-level Ariya is the Engage front-wheel-drive, which starts at $44,525 msrp. It has a still-respectable 216 mile estimated driving range, and undercuts the Tesla Model Y on price. It is estimated to go 0-60 in about 7 seconds, and can get to 80% charge in just 35 minutes on a DC fast charger. It has 214 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.
The Venture+ trim starts at just $48,525 in front-wheel drive, only about four thousand more than the base model. This gets up to 304 miles per charge, making the small price premium fairly worth it if you want to go a longer distance. While its not the fastest iteration of the Ariya, it is certainly the most economical choice for legitimate transportation. It also goes 0-60 in about 7 seconds, and has 238 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.
Nissan offers faster versions of the Ariya, similar to the Kia EV6 GT and upper trim levels of the Tesla Model Y Performance. They also add all wheel drive, which is what makes them faster; motors at both the front and the rear of the car. There are a befuddling array of choices, with confusing nomenclature to boot. Vehicle power steps up to 335 horses for the ENGAGE e4ORCE, and 389 horsepower on the ENGAGE+ e-4ORCE ($48,525 and $52,525, respectively). Nissan claims for these two models a 5.1 second and 4.8 second 0-60 time, while the former can go only 205 miles, and the latter 272 miles. The range-topping Platinum+ e-4ORCE (we swear we are not making up these names) starts at $61,525 msrp and has a claimjed range of 267 miles with a 4.8 second 0-60 time due to its 389 horses and 442 lb-ft of torque.
Nissan offers an 8-year, 100,000 mile battery warranty (whichever comes first), and pays for 3 years / 36,000 miles (whichever comes first) of scheduled maintenance. They also include 24 hour / 365 days a week of roadside assistance and out-of-charge towing to the nearest charger, your home, or dealership. Nissan partners with Wallbox to offer buyers an in-home charger, such as the Level 2 Pulsar Plus 40A which costs just $649 without installation, and public EV charging is also included for one year with EVgo. A host of local and federal rebates and tax credits may be available depending where you live, for which Nissan has a tool on the website to check. Because it is made in Japan, the Ariya does not qualify for the major $7,500 federal tax credit, but there are other credits available from California as well as from the Federal Government for installing EV Chargers.
Beyond being an electric car, the Ariya offers a futuristic and luxurious interior that would impress space travelers from Wall-E to Marty McFly. Sound deadening material blocks out the sounds of the outside world, and optional ventilated and heated front seats ensure maximum interior comfort. Memory seat, steering wheel, and mirror positions enable multiple drivers to easily share the vehicle, and haptic touch controls on the dash power HVAC levels. Apply CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is in-dash navigation.