Nissan Ariya Review

Motors & Performance

The Ariya is available with a broad range that includes two battery size options, five power outputs and the option of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Two-wheel drive versions can be specified with either battery pack, with the 63kWh producing 214bhp and the 87kWh delivering 239bhp to the front wheels. Customers opting for the 302bhp all-wheel drive or (e-4ORCE) versions can only choose the larger 87kWh pack. Opt for the latter version and the 0-62mph time is just 5.7 seconds, which will be plenty fast enough for most drivers.

If that's not enough Nissan now offers the Evolve+, improving power output and acceleration over the existing Evolve. This grade offers the highest power output of the Ariya line-up with 388bhp, compared to the 302bhp of the standard Evolve. This gives it a 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds - 0.6 seconds faster than the Evolve model.

In practice, even the entry-level 63kWh front-wheel drive Ariya feels fast enough on public, with its 0-62mph of 7.5 seconds. There’s more than enough gumption to get you up to speed for a fast motorway merge, or a cheek exit into a busy roundabout. If you do want more performance than that, then go for the e-4orce as the four-wheel drive and improved suspension make enough of a difference that it is a bit better to drive all-round – not just in terms of its fairly rabid straight-line pace

Drive & Handling

On the road, the entry-level 63kWh delivers a decent-enough ride provided you avoid the large 20-inch alloy wheels, which can make it feel lumpy and jarring over town roads. E-4orce models actually get slightly uprated suspension to deal with the additional weight of the extra motor, and this pays off as it does ride nicely – usefully better than the front-wheel drive, 87kWh Ariya. 

Steering is light and precise, and the Ariya immediately feels secure and predictable - all good things in a family SUV. There are three driving modes to choose from, Eco, Normal and Sport, and they all do pretty much what you expect; Eco softens off the responses to give you the best chance of achieving the possible 251 miles of WLTP range, 'Normal' a happy medium and Sport makes things a bit more peppy, although the modes aren’t that far apart, so most of the time the mid-setting is best. 

The one thing the Ariya does do is feel properly light - especially with the smallest battery option - something most electric cars struggle with. It turns, stops and handles with authority, and although it’s not ‘sporty’ in any significant sense, it’s predictable and solid. Sharp acceleration can, however, cause the front tyres to squirm a little - especially out of junctions. 

This trait is made worse by opting for the larger battery, as the extra weight means the Ariya can struggle to get its power down on damp or slippery roads, making it less fun to drive that rear wheel drive rivals. The e-4orce four-wheel-drive versions are a different story though, with more power and almost unstickable grip levels. 

The other advantage of the e4orce is perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and you get more power back when you hit the brakes, as the regen works on two motors rather than one.  On all Ariyas there’s a light-touch ‘B’ mode as well as proper Nissan e-Pedal (activated via a haptic button on the centre console) for more aggressive stopping power without ever touching the traditional brake pedal. 

One difference here is that the system is called e-Pedal Step, so the car will creep slightly in traffic like a normal automatic car, which just adds that little bit of functionality. 

Ultimately, the Ariya is very pleasant and confident to drive, but if you want a really sporty family car than the Kia EV6, Jaguar I-Pace or Ford Mustang Mach-E are all more engaging.