Are some electric vehicles going too far with the futuristic approach to driving? Maybe a better option for you would be the 2023 Nissan Ariya.
The Ariya doesn’t turn the clock back, but it doesn’t take you so far into the future that you won’t find an inviting feeling in the cabin of this new electric. The interior area, where you spend most of your time, is uncluttered, which is what we find in many EVs, but it remains functional, giving you controls where you need them so that you can enjoy the drive.
Nissan Understands the EV World
The most popular electric vehicle in the world doesn’t come from a luxury brand, it’s not the Chevy Bolt, and Tesla didn’t come up with it. The most popular EV in the world is the Nissan Leaf. While it will likely be surpassed in a few years, this success of the Leaf means Nissan understands the EV world and drivers that look for these cars more than any other brand. Rather than making giant leaps forward in style and electronics, the Ariya is an electric SUV with small forward steps to make it the right blend of what we want to enjoy.
What Makes the Ariya a Great Option?
The new Nissan Ariya comes into the 2023 model year as a five-passenger SUV that brings either FWD or AWD to your drive. You’ll have the choice of two battery packs, a driving range of up to 304 miles, and the sleek styling that makes this SUV look sporty and active. Safety is a priority for this SUV, with a full suite of active features to keep you out of trouble while out on the road. The Nissan ProPilot semi-autonomous system gives you an impressive hands-free driving experience for short periods on the highway.
The Cabin Features Room to Get Comfortable
If you’re looking at this Nissan EV, you’ll want to take a few minutes to get to know where the storage spaces are located. Instead of a large center console, you’ll find storage under the instrument panel and a retractable table under the climate controls. The Ariya features a flat floor to give you more room where the transmission tunnel used to reside. In the rear, you’ll find 16.5 cubic feet of storage for FWD models and 14.6 cubic feet for AWD versions. This cargo area features a divider that pots up to offer some under-floor storage space.
Driving the Ariya is a Bit More Fun than Expected
The first time you take the Nissan Ariya out for a drive, you’ll be amazed by the instant torque delivery that provides incredible acceleration for this electric SUV. The “zero gravity” seats offer a comfortable ride in a vehicle that’s agile and easy to drive. You’ll find three driving modes to fit your needs. These modes are Eco, Standard, and Sport, giving you various settings to ensure you can drive the way you want when you take this Nissan out on the road. As an electric vehicle, you’ll also find regenerative braking with three different settings to capture energy during your ride.
How Big is this New Nissan EV?
The Ariya is about the same size as the current Rogue, making it a compact electric SUV. The style is certainly future-forward, giving you a flowing shape and endless curves that seem to flow perfectly over the body. You might not find a sharp edge on the Ariya, but you will admire the edgy feeling of this vehicle. This Nissan SUV features a solid front grille, aggressive boomerang-like LED running lights, a rear spoiler, and two shark-like antennae on the roof. The wheels are either 19 or 20-inches in size, giving you the ride you desire out on the road.
What Features Make the Ariya the EV You Desire?
It’s easy to admire the hands-free driving package of the Nissan Ariya, so we’ll start there. The ProPilot 2.0 system brings you some driving on the highway where you can take your hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals. You’ve got to keep your eyes on the road and continue to pay attention to what’s happening, but at least you can relax a little bit.
Nissan gives this SUV an advanced AWD system called e-4orce. This system has a torque-splitting function that sends power to each of the wheels as required. If you’re looking for a bit more grip and control when out on the road, this system gives you the qualities you want to enjoy during your drive.
Across the dashboard, you’ll find two 12.3-inch digital screens. One is for your infotainment and gives you wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa integration, and it can receive over-the-air updates. The other screen gives you a digital gauge cluster to offer the readings you’ll need during your drive.
The Nissan Safety Shield 360 system is part of every model of the Nissan Ariya. This system brings you automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, automatic rear braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, and automatic high-beam assist.
How Much Power Does this EV Offer?
There are two different battery packs and layouts using either one or two motors for the drive. The base model is the Ariya Engage, and it gives you a 66-kWh battery and a single motor. This setup delivers 214 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque, and 216 miles of driving range. Using a quick charger, this EV can recharge to 80% in 35 minutes.
The longest-range model is the Venture+ which has an 87-kWh battery and a single motor. This model offers 238 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque, and 304 miles of driving range. Recharging to 80% takes 40 minutes for this model of the Nissan Ariya.
The most powerful model of the Ariya is the Platinum+ e-4orce model, which has the 87-kWh battery and the dual-motor setup. This model offers 389 horsepower,442 lb-ft of torque, and 265 miles of driving range.
Which version of the new 2023 Nissan Ariya will you drive? This could be the electric SUV that delivers the best way to enjoy this new driving experience. The Ariya is futuristic but not so over-the-top to be intimidating.
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