Jul 17

Jul 17 Nissan Ariya Test Drive

Today, I had the pleasure of spending a little over an hour behind the wheel of a 2023 Nissan ARIYA Platinum+ E-4ORCE. And what a pleasure it was! In Platinum+ trim, the Ariya I drive had every available feature and option. From self-parking tech to heated and cooled seats, and every driver assist device that Nissan offers.

As some of you know, my daily driver is a 2022 Nissan Leaf SL Plus. Despite only looking a little bigger from the outside, the Ariya is larger in every dimension, which pays big dividends inside. The backseat is plenty roomy for two, and can hold three for shorter distances comfortably. The front is positively cavernous with the open concept interior. Speaking of the interior, it is a much nicer than that of the Leaf, even in the lower trim levels.

The Platinum+ rocks a pretty convincing swath of blue faux suede across the dash that feels nice to the touch. I also really liked the dual 12.3 screens that comprise the bulk of the dashboard and control area. There are a handful of touch-sensitive buttons embedded in the plastic would trim on the dash and center console. The front seats were very comfortable, and were heated and cooled in the loaded example I had my hands on.

The ride and handling were smooth and precise, making for a pleasant driving experience. Acceleration was brisk, but not neck-snapping. Smoothness was obviously the goal the engineers were aiming for, and they achieved it. Cargo room is ample. With the optional all-wheel drive, the Ariya can be equipped with a trailer-hitch that allows towing of up to 1500 pounds, so it nails practicality as well. It is a great follow-up to the Leaf.

Will I be replacing my Leaf with an Ariya when my lease is up? Maybe. I could be tempted with a lower-spec model with all-wheel-drive and the larger battery. I definitely won’t be buying a Platinum however. The sticker price of the car I drove today was just over $63,000. For about the same money, the Cadillac Lyriq is much more luxurious, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is much more fun to drive. A Tesla Model Y performance is faster to 60 MPH, travels 40 or so miles further on a charge, and is $9,000 cheaper than the Ariya Platinum. All three of which qualify for the some level of EV tax credit, thus making them all less expensive in the long run.

If you are in the market for an electric crossover, the Nissan Ariya is absolutely worth a drive! Don’t just take my word for it, scroll down to watch MotorWeek’s road test of the Nissan Ariya Platinum+. Enjoy!