You have to go back to 2015 to find the most recent generation change of the Nissan Murano. The vehicle is aging and Nissan is slow to renew it. However, the ambition and intentions of the manufacturer are clear in terms of electrification. It is therefore very difficult to imagine seeing Nissan release a new generation of Murano in 2024 or 2025. Offering as much space on board as the latter, the Ariya could possibly be brought to replace it.
The last days, The Car Guide traveled to California to drive the 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce. Here’s the full review of our first impressions.
Interesting, but not revolutionary
For Nissan, the Ariya is a second-generation electric vehicle. We remember the first Leaf, released in 2012. A compact electric car whose format is similar to that of the old Versa. The manufacturer has also sold more than 600,000 worldwide and has managed to build a reputation and a place in the world of electric cars.
Photo: Germain Goyer
On the strength of this experience, Nissan has taken the exercise even further with the Ariya. That said, we seem to have had trouble giving birth to the Ariya and putting it on the market, we come back to this below. Remember that a concept was unveiled in 2019. It will therefore have been necessary to wait four years before it hits the market. Other manufacturers, like Hyundai and Kia to name a few, beat Nissan to the post. So, the Ariya looks like a product that should have shown up a year or two ago. Without being behind, Nissan is not ahead either.
The range of the Ariya could not be more extensive. The Japanese automaker offers front-wheel-drive versions with standard and extended range as well as four-wheel-drive with standard and extended range. As far as we are concerned, Nissan has provided us with an extended-range Ariya e-4orce.
Thus, we have in our hands an 87 kWh battery which allows us to achieve a range of up to 428 kilometers. In this regard, Nissan meets consumer expectations. For an Evolve e-4orce version, however, you will have to settle for a range of 330 kilometers. During our brief test, we recorded a consumption of 20 kWh/100 km in conditions that we consider more than ideal. For its part, Natural Resources Canada has not yet published its fuel consumption ratings for this model. It is also important to specify that we have not been able to experiment with charging with the Nissan Ariya.
Photo: Germain Goyer
Together, the two electric motors produce 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft. Admittedly, these data are impressive, but the total weight and format of the vehicle must also be considered. Unsurprisingly, you don’t feel any passion driving the Ariya. It’s just a means of transportation. A means of transport which accelerates with a certain aplomb but which does not provide a lot of sensations.
We are as excited on board as when we board an STM metro car. Especially since the management seemed completely disconnected to us.
An efficient e-4orce system
As absurd as it may seem, part of this event took place on the Sonoma race track. Of course, the average Nissan Ariya buyer will never go to a closed circuit to test drive their vehicle. Yet, that’s what we did. We have tested the operation of the e-4force system.
Essentially, if the system notices a loss of grip from one of the wheels, it manages the power sent to the other wheels and can even slow down one of them if necessary. We experimented with the whole thing on wet pavement and it seemed effective to us. We are curious to do the same on a snowy or icy road in the months to come.
However, note that the ProPilot Assist 2.0 driver assistance system is not yet available in Canada.
Photo: Germain Goyer
Difficult beginnings
We mentioned it above, the Ariya does not arrive in advance. Indeed, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 have had time to establish themselves well on the market. We will remember that in the spring of 2022, we learned that the marketing of the Nissan Ariya was again postponed. Just a few weeks ago, the Reuters news agency let it be known that the production rate of Nissan’s new electric model was far from that initially expected. Note that the Ariya is assembled in Tochigi, Japan. We sincerely hope that if Nissan took so long to come up with the final product, it’s because they tweaked it and corrected rookie mistakes.
There is still an elephant in the room at Nissan with this new model: availability. Delivered in dribs and drabs, the Ariya has generated a lot of interest among consumers here. Deliveries of the e-4orce version will begin this spring. The order books are already full, know that.
High prices
When you settle on board, you can see that the designers have done a great job. The seats are very comfortable as well as the ride. The cabin is spacious and we like that. In the back, headroom and legroom are beyond reproach.
Photo: Germain Goyer
Up front, there’s a sliding center console. Nice curiosity to present to your neighbor! However, one wonders what is its usefulness, especially since it prevents the passenger in the middle from sitting down when it is moved back. It should also be noted that the finish is successful and that we appreciate the blue color of the felt and the seats, in particular. Afterwards, you shouldn’t be surprised by a nice finish, because at $69,998 for an e-4orce Premiere version, the opposite would have been really disappointing. The Ariya starts at $52,998. It’s not the bargain of the year…
Based on the information we have at this time, all variants of the Nissan Ariya qualify for the $5,000 federal electric vehicle purchase credit. In contrast, only front-wheel-drive versions and the Evolve e-4orce would qualify for the $7,000 provincial credit.
In short
Much more advanced than the Leaf, the Ariya is nevertheless a vehicle that arrives late. Absolutely not revolutionary compared to other electric crossovers already on the market, it will nevertheless meet the desires and expectations of consumers who have been waiting for it for many months.