Nissan Ariya Review 2024

The new Nissan Ariya is an electric SUV that's taken its time to come to market. Despite an abundance of rivals, our review shows that it's a very competitive car that, a few niggles aside, deserves to be on your shopping list if you're ready to make the switch to an EV but need a practical SUV bodystyle. 

We weren't expecting the Nissan Ariya to take so long to go on sale. After all, Nissan beat pretty much everyone to the punch with the Leaf, which in 2011 showed electric cars didn't have to be expensive with niche appeal. 

Nissan has enjoyed plenty of success with two generations of the Leaf, but it's taken a surprisingly long time to capitalise on that with another EV. What's more, the Ariya was first revealed in production form a full two years ago, yet orders have only just opened. You can thank the combination of a pandemic and Nissan's former CEO becoming a wanted fugitive for that. 

Anyway, the Nissan Ariya is here, it's available to order and it better be good, because in that time there's been a glut of rival electric family SUVs hitting showrooms. The brilliant Kia EV6 has set the standard, as has the Skoda Enyaq, while there's also the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-e, VW ID 4 and Volvo XC40 Recharge, to name but a few. 

Coupe-SUV styling that's totally different from the Qashqai helps the Ariya make an impression, even if it isn't quite the boldest design on the market. But it has a clear SUV stance and raised body, whereas some EVs such as the (otherwise fantastic) Hyundai Ioniq 5 are more like giant hatchbacks. 

That means you get a raised driving position, more ground clearance and loads of space for passengers - although the Ariya's boot capacity is unremarkable. More importantly for many is how classy the Ariya's cabin is, with clever tech, nice finishes and lots of neat details that help it stand out in a crowded class. 

In terms of motors and batteries, the Nissan Ariya can be had in two battery sizes with three power outputs. There are cheaper single motor and pricier (but faster) dual-motor variants, with a competitive maximum range on a charge of up to 329 miles. The Ariya doesn't lead the way in terms of peak charging speeds, however. 

But it is good to drive, on our limited initial impressions at least. Nissan has struck a nice balance between ride comfort and handling, meaning it works well around town and on a motorway cruise but there is still some fun to be had. 

Want a second opinion? Check out heycar's review of the Nissan Ariya. 

Nissan calls the Ariya a 'Coupe Crossover' rather than a full-on SUV. But its dimensions land it squarely in the family SUV sphere, with a length of 4595mm, a width of 1850mm and a height of 1660mm. That's a very similar size to the Volkswagen ID.4.

There's loads of room up front, with a driving position that strikes a good balance between being raised up for a better view out but not being perched too high. Leg space is superb thanks to a wide open floor and no bulky transmission tunnel, while we have no complaints about forward visibility or headroom in the front either. 

Climb in the back and it's also good news. Legroom is excellent – right up there with the Skoda Enyaq – and the cabin is wide enough to allow for three adults across the bench with a totally flat floor. That floor isn't too high either, meaning unlike some rivals (Mercedes EQA, we're looking at you) taller folk aren't sat with their knees around their ears. 

That sloping roofline does mean headroom isn't overly generous, but only the very tall will find their heads brushing the roof. The panoramic sunroof on Evolve spec doesn't have much of an impact, either. 

Storage is also pretty good, with decent sized door bins and a cubby and wireless phone charging pad under the centre armrest. The glovebox isn't huge, but you do get a neat centre storage cubby that drops down below the infotainment – this electrically opens and closes on top trims, which is a nice touch that shows the Ariya isn't built down to a price. The whole centre console unit is also motorised on Evolve trim, moving back and forth by 15cm. 

This attention to detail can't disguise the merely average boot space on offer. At 466 litres on two-wheel drive models it's not the worst in the class, but far from the best either, and there's no front boot to make up for it. At least there's underfloor storage for your cables, but this is deleted on four-wheel-drive models bringing the capacity down to 408 litres. 

This is new territory for Nissan, and it's clear the Ariya is the flagship car in Europe. The latest Qashqai moved the quality finish game on for the brand, but the Ariya has stepped it up even further. 

There's plenty of soft-touch materials, plus on Evolve trim some lovely suede panels on the doors and across the dash top. We also really like the wood finishes on the dash and centre console, which have haptic buttons neatly buried in them. In that respect it's very much like a cut-price BMW iX.

Granted, poke around a bit and you'll find hard plastics on the lower dash area and lower doors. But the same is true of any rival at this price point. The Ariya feels substantially more special than rivals from Skoda and VW, and even betters Kia and Hyundai's offerings for material quality. 

Regardless of which Nissan Ariya you go for you'll have a pair of 12.3-inch displays neatly integrated into one bezel on the dash top. That comes with navigation, plenty of connected services and over-the-air updates. 

The sat-nav will use real-time data to work out not just the best route if you need to charge on the way, but determine if those chargers are actually working and free. You also get Amazon Alexa voice control, although we weren't able to use this on our test route in Sweden. 

The centre touchscreen itself isn't the best in the business but it's not bad. There's plenty of features and it responds fine to the touch, but the graphics are a bit more downmarket than the rest of the cabin. That also applies to the digital dial display, which is clear and somewhat customisable but not class-leading. 

You can bypass the former via wireless Apple CarPlay, although Android Auto is wired. Even the entry-level Ariya Advance gets a wireless phone charging pad too. 

One thing that may not suit everyone is Nissan's use of haptic feedback controls on the dash and wheel. The ones for the climate display look great and respond well (plus they're backlit, unlike VW's), plus they give you feedback to confirm your selection. But we found the ones on the centre console needed a solid stab before they worked. Old-school buttons are just easier to use on the move.

Orders are now open for the Nissan Ariya, which is on sale from £43,845. That gets you the Advance model with the 63kWh battery. You'll need £6,000 more for the 87kWh battery with the same trim level - make sure you really need that extra range.

The VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq have cheaper starting prices, but the Ariya's kit levels and power output justify the price, which is very similar to the base-spec Kia EV6 and cheaper than the Mustang Mach-e. 

The Nissan Ariya Evolve trim starts at £47,840, rising to £53,590 with the bigger battery. We've yet to try the Ariya e4ORCE dual-motor model with extra performance, and that starts at £52,295.

Nissan claims near best-in-class residual values for the Ariya, meaning it'll hold its value really well - a boon if you're buying outright. EVs already depreciate less than petrol or diesel models anyway.

In terms of charging the Nissan Ariya, it'll take in charge at a peak speed of 130kW. That's by no means class-leading (the EV6 and Tesla Model Y will pull in over 200kW, for example) but Nissan says the Ariya will hold a more consistent charge speed than rivals with bigger peaks. 

You'll need 28 minutes to add 60% charge to the 63kWh model, which rises to 30 minutes on the 87kWh battery. That rises to 10hrs and 14hrs respectively with a 7kWh home wallbox, but unlike some rivals the 87kWh Ariya has a 22kW on-board charger which allows faster AC public charging or three-phase home charging. 

Expect to pay around £7 for a full charge on the cheapest home energy tariff, but using public charging will increase that to between £30-40. 

Insurance groups for the Nissan Ariya start at group 31, rising to group 35 with the bigger battery and 41 for the e-4ORCE model. That's on a par with rivals, and of course being an EV you pay no VED (road tax).

Our first European test drive of the Nissan Ariya was conducted in Sweden, where the roads are impressively smooth and the speed limits are frustratingly low. This means we can only give limited impressions on ride and handling.

We do know, though, that the Ariya's steering is precise, nicely weighted and quite direct, helping it feel agile. The turning circle is good, which combines with the raised driving position to make it it a doddle to drive around town, with no gears to worry about.

There doesn't seem to be too much body lean, either. Grip seems good, but our front-wheel drive model did sometimes struggle to get its full power down out of junctions, troubling the stability systems. This is the case with many front-driven EVs - the Skoda Enyaq is rear-wheel drive so better able to put its power down. The dual-motor Ariya should be better in this respect. 

It's hard to be definitive on the ride, but it seemed largely smooth and well-damped on our test route. Our car was riding on 19-inch wheels, so the 20-inch rims might make it feel a bit firmer. 

It's also worth mentioning the brakes, which are progressive and more natural-feeling than a lot of EVs and hybrids. You can adjust the level of regenerative braking through three modes, up to the 'e-Pedal' one-pedal driving mode. 

Rest assured, as soon as we drive the Nissan Ariya in the UK we'll give you a proper driving verdict. 

You can get the Nissan Ariya with three power outputs and two battery sizes in various combinations, giving you plenty of choice.

The entry-level version puts out 218PS and 300Nm of torque with the 63kWh battery. That's sufficient for a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds. It's the version we drove, and its performance is punchy enough for most people's needs, if some way off the seat-pinning pace of the Tesla Model Y. 

Opt for the bigger 87kWh battery and the power output rises to 242PS, but as the battery pack is heavier its 0-62mph time is about the same. Both of these single motor variants top out at 100mph, if that matters to you. 

If you need more pace you should go for the all-wheel-drive e-4ORCE variant. Its 306PS output might sound like a modest increase, but its 600Nm of torque is twice that of the single motor mode, and that results in a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a 124mph top speed. 

The Nissan Ariya is yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, so until it has we can't be definitive on safety. 

But the recipe is there for a high rating. Not least because of the standard safety kit, which includes intelligent lane keep assist, blind spot intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking when going forward AND reversing, and pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Adaptive cruise control with steering assistance is standard, as is an automatic parking system that's more advanced in Evolve trim. 

The Nissan Ariya won't be able to tow as much as a petrol or diesel SUV, but for an electric car it's not bad. Two-wheel drive models are rated at 750kg, with all-wheel drive models managing a braked rating of 1500kg. 

There are only two trim levels available on the Nissan Ariya, and both are generously equipped. 

The entry-level Nissan Ariya Advance gets 19-inch alloys, full LED lighting, dual-zone climate control, heated and electric front seats, a heat pump, an electric tailgate, a heated front screen, the full infotainment suite, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, a 360-degree camera and wireless Apple CarPlay. 

Moving up to the Nissan Ariya Evolve gets you 20-inch alloys, adaptive beam LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, the motorised dash cubby and centre console, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, an intelligent rear-view camera mirror, electric memory adjustment for the steering wheels, synthetic leather, suede dash trim, a head-up display and a Bose sound system.