The problem with change is that it happens slowly and then suddenly – that seems to be the case with electric cars.
Really only the choice of Tesla or Leaf Nissan not too long ago; and now there seems to be another battery-powered car coming to our market any week.
The Nissan Ariya will come to Australia, at some point in the future. Its does that mean will come, but we still don’t know exactly when, which is a bit annoying because it’s actually pretty good.
Even more annoyingly, it was launched in 2020 and goes on sale in other mature markets in 2022. When it finally arrives in our market, it will most likely be a 2024 car. .
Nissan once claimed to have created the first mass-produced electric car in history with the Leaf. The first-generation Leaf was a decade ahead of its time in its ability to understand where the market was going and create the platforms needed to produce electric vehicles at scale.
It doesn’t quite have the range and battery cooling technology; As such, it never managed to pull together to fight Tesla globally.
Until recently, the American giant had all but the lower end of the electric car market to itself. 3 . sample car and Model Y SUVs.
However, for now, the Nissan Ariya will soon join the VolkswagenID.4 as Toyota bz4X and coming soon Subaru Solterra all will hit the Australian market in the next 12 months or so – Not to mention existing competitors like the Hyundai ioniq 5 And KIA EV6.
To find out if the Nissan Ariya was any good, we drove a foreign model around the Mount Cotton driver training center in Brisbane.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t exactly reflect real-world conditions, with super slippery roads, but it did give us reasonable insight into how the Ariya will behave on the road.
How much does Nissan Ariya cost?
Since the Ariya is yet to be confirmed in the final specs for our market, there is currently no price point that we can confidently share.
What we can say, is that in most markets, the Ariya competes in that overtakes the Tesla Model Y, which starts locally at just under $70,000 with no offers or costs. on the way – most will likely appear in the low to mid $70k buyers.
Whether Nissan Australia can get the Ariya around or below that price point remains to be seen. The low $70,000 price tag for the base Ariya will also see it compete with the Ioniq 5 and EV6, which is where it needs to be to compete with segment benchmarks.
That expected starting price will be for the 63kWh single-motor model, with higher trim levels likely to add $10,000 or more before the top-of-the-line 87kWh e-4orce dual-motor version can hit that mark. $80,000 high.
what How is the Nissan Ariya on the inside?
This is Ariya’s most surprising element. It is really a really pleasant, modern and nice place.
This is unlike any Nissan we’ve ever tested or sat in. It feels like this brand should be present across its entire product line, as it presents a very minimalist design – in true Japanese style – and that’s all but without the conventional switchgear. often.
The seats are comfortable and supportive while the two screens pay homage to the Mercedes-Benz school of interior design (from 2020).
We found the display to be super high-resolution and look modern, but the hardware and software – given our limited time with the car – still didn’t feel as quick and responsive as we’d hoped. want.
We expect this will likely improve for local versions of cars loaded with local data and connectivity.
There are ‘hidden’ buttons on the Ariya’s dashboard and center console, which are actually made from plastic but appear to have a wooden finish.
When you first turn on the Ariya, the buttons hidden beneath many surfaces light up and then, when pressed, provide you with reassuring sound and haptic feedback. This is not the first application of such technology in a car, but it is certainly one of the better.
Nissan has kept the air conditioning controls as separate buttons on the dashboard, and they are fun to use and play with. Again, none of these looks like any Nissan we know of, and if anything goes wrong, we expect other models in the automaker’s lineup to be. Japan will follow suit.
There’s also a neat sliding center console that can be moved back and forth and emphasizes the absence of a powertrain underneath.
We also like the electrically operated tray in the control panel that slides out at the touch of a button, creating a sort of storage bin with a lid.
We didn’t get to sit in the back while the car was in control, but based on our front seat position, it felt more than enough for two adults in the back, as you’d expect from an SUV this size.
Only one 466 liters start in front-wheel drive models, which should be plenty for most people.
What’s under the bonnet?
In Australia, Nissan will offer the Ariya in three trim levels including a choice of two battery sizes.
Entry model will be provided by a 63kWh battery with a 160kW electric motor drives the front wheels with a range of about 400 km, but if that is not enough, you can specify a larger motor 87kWh the battery increases that 530km and power up to 178kW. Both variants offer 300Nm of torque.
If you want the best Nissan has to offer, opt for a larger battery and then opt for a dual-engine configuration, which increases power. 290kW (with 600Nm) to all four wheels – the range is slightly back to about 500km.
The e-4orce twin-engine AWD variant to its full potential will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. However, you really don’t need that much acceleration for a basic family SUV, as the base 160kW engine provides ample acceleration, accelerating from zero to 100km/h in a very decent manner. physical. 7.5 seconds.
How to Driving a Nissan Ariya?
We’ll reserve our final judgment on when to drive the Ariya on public roads in Australia, but our time behind the wheel suggests it should have no problem competing with cars of its time when drive and handle.
In fact, we don’t need any more time to tell you that it’s definitely a much better balance bike than the Model Y, because that’s already so obvious.
Whether it can match the Kia EV6 in terms of dynamics and fun factor remains to be seen as we spend time with the AWD variant.
Acceleration on the front-wheel drive model feels lively, and the steering – although relatively lackluster – is precise and easy to use.
Multiple driving modes make it fun, especially when regenerative braking is maxed out.
Some call this single-pedal mode, and that’s the most accurate description of it – whereby, the moment you lift the accelerator, the vehicle begins to decelerate (and recharge with kinetic energy). It takes some getting used to but it’s really the only way you should drive the Ariya on the road.
We’d love to see Nissan produce the rear-wheel drive Ariya, like the Model Y and many of its competitors.
There’s no reason an EV offered with dual-motor AWD should be front-wheel drive, since the engine already has space in the rear and there’s no real additional cost associated with the drive shaft and different things.
What do you get?
The specific Australian specifications are yet to be confirmed, however if we look at what the UK market gets, we can get a rough idea of what will be available.
Ariya Advance (British spec):
- 19-inch alloy wheels with aerodynamic covers
- Automatic LED headlights
- LED daytime running lights
- LED front and rear fog lights
- LED tail light ‘blade’
- Automatic folding of heated mirrors
- Rear privacy glass
- Electric hands-free rear trunk
- PVC/Cloth combination upholstery fabric
- Selectable drive modes
- Rain sensor wiper
- 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch navigation system
- Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
- Plasma cluster ion air purifier
- Heated leather steering wheel
- Front heated seats
- Electric front seats, 6-way with driver’s belt
- Intelligent Surround View Monitor (360 degree camera)
Ariya Evolve adds:
- Electric panoramic sunroof
- Electric moving center console
- Synthetic leather upholstery and Ultrasuede
- Ventilated front seats (heated and cooled)
- Bose 10-speaker premium sound
- Smart key with memory function
- Seat
- mirror
- Steering wheel
- Setting A-IVI
To be Is the Nissan Ariya safe?
The Nissan Ariya has earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2022, which will no doubt translate into a local ANCAP score when it’s launched here.
It received a score of 86% for its ability to protect adult passengers, 89% for child passengers, 74% for vulnerable road users and a very commendable 93% for systems. safety support system.
Despite its excellent score, it still lags behind the Tesla Model Y, scoring 97% for adults, 87% for children, 82% for vulnerable road users, and a staggering 98% for support safety aid.
Standard safety features include:
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- fork support
- Reverse AEB
- Forward collision warning
- Smart lane intervention
- Lane keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- ProPilot with Navi Link
- Traffic jam pilot
- Intelligent Lane Keeping Assist (middle)
- Support angular & fork speed
- Low speed flying
- Traffic sign recognition
- Legal speed regulation
- Blind spot support
- Rear cross-section support
- Headlight support
- Monitor the driver’s attention
- Intelligent Surround View Monitor (360 degree camera)
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Tire pressure monitoring
- Dual front, side and ‘far side’ airbags
- Dual curtain airbags
how much How much does a Nissan Ariya cost to run?
Nissan Australia covers its entire range with a 5 year unlimited km . warranty.
The Ariya will be covered by the same warranty, potentially backed up by a longer battery warranty as is the case with the Leaf, which comes with a “Condition of Health” guarantee that will protect the battery to retain 3/4 of its capacity. initial. capacity at least eight years or 160,000 km – whichever comes first.
Service and pricing information is currently unconfirmed for our market. Nissan doesn’t offer free subscriptions to public charging services with the current Leaf, but it’s unclear whether the Ariya’s flagship status warrants a different strategy.
CarExpert takes on Nissan Ariya
If Nissan can properly price the Ariya and ensure plenty of stock at launch and beyond, many buyers waiting for a Hyundai or Kia may find themselves tempted to switch to a Japanese car. just fine in every respect.
We hope Nissan can bring the Ariya to our market as soon as possible, backing it up with better battery warranties and better charging offers than its rivals.
Brands need a reason to attract EV buyers, and Ariya offers a great package just waiting for the right price tag.
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THAN: Everything Nissan Ariya
