Nissan first introduced the Ariya as a new electric car and eventual replacement for the Leaf. The Leaf, long the "everyman’s EV," was small, practical, and low-priced. The Ariya is a good replacement, though it’s neither as cheap nor as small.
At a glance
- Comes with a long list of standard equipment
- Drives well, though not with any pizzazz
- Infotainment and technology are yesteryear
- Holds a good value proposition overall
The Ariya is about the same size as the Nissan Rogue, but more wagon-shaped than SUV. This makes for better aerodynamics and drive appeal, but means less interior room and cargo space. Compared to the outgoing Leaf, however, the Ariya is larger both inside and out ... while still technically qualifying as a compact.
The lowest-priced Ariya model, the Engage, comes with a 63-kWh battery pack, front-wheel drive, dual-zone climate control, a power-adjusting front seat, a "secret" power-sliding center console storage space, plus wireless CarPlay and Auto connectivity. It also boasts a bunch of driver’s aids and safety systems including adaptive cruise control and blind-spot intervention with rear automatic safety braking. It’s a pretty loaded vehicle with a price tag of about US$41,000 and a range of about 205 miles (330 km) per charge (per the EPA).
But the upgrade to a larger battery, all-wheel drive, and a less basic interior can be had for about $5,000 more. Every non-base model of the 2024 Ariya has an 87-kWh battery pack. This increases range while the dual-motor AWD system (aka “E-4orce”) boosts power output as well. The same Engage model with E-4orce added means 272 miles (438 km) of range ... even with the AWD addition and over 100 horsepower (74.5 kW) in muscle gain.
The AWD system does add a lot more to the drive dynamic of the Ariya, but even so, it’s not a sports car. I wouldn’t even label it as "fun." The words "practical" and "useful" and "comfortable" all fit, but "fun" definitely does not. The Ariya isn’t sluggish or lacking in confidence; it’s just not engaging. If owning something with sporty dynamics or that gives bragging rights for 0-60 sprints is important to you, this isn’t your car. If efficiently getting from here to there without a lot of fuss or adjustment to your daily lifestyle is what you need, the Ariya will deliver.
The interior technologies in the 2024 Nissan Ariya are not very blingy or wowing compared to most others. A basic graphical interface that is one step above Windows XP greets you. It’s functional, perfectly usable, and fairly simple to understand. But it’s not flashy or modern.
If you do most things through Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, this Nissan interface is just fine. If you use the native interface most of the time in your current non-Nissan vehicle, you’ll probably experience a bit of a learning curve getting to know this Nissan setup. And some of your more technophilic friends might make fun of it. Especially if you attempt to use the MapQuest-looking navigation that comes with it.
Charging in the 2024 Ariya is fine for everyday users. If you have access to Level 1 or 2 plug at home or at work, you’ll be perfectly well set in the Ariya. It comes with a NACS (Tesla) adapter as an option, so you can access that network as well. Or the standard J1772. But it’s not going to be fast. Nissan claims it can charge at up to 130 kW, but we never saw more than 90 at the Electrify America chargers we used. It did pull the maximum from our 240V/50A wall unit up to the last 15%, which is where charging slows to keep the battery cool (a trait common to almost every EV).
There are several models of EV that are similar to the 2024 Nissan Ariya in size and capability. Most of them have better charging, range, comfort, and efficiency. None of them are as low-cost or simple. That’s the Ariya’s strong suit. It does just about everything OK and doesn’t cost too much when doing it. For most folks, the Ariya is an excellent commuter and daily vehicle, and it still appeals to the majority of EV buyers who are two-car households. Just like the Leaf did.
Product page: 2024 Nissan Ariya
