The electric vehicle (EV) has been around since 1832, but its fossil-fuel-driving rival quickly overtook it, and the EV faded into obscurity for over a century. Nissan was one of the first automakers to revive the EV with the Nissan LEAF, but it stopped there as other automakers quickly took over the market with longer driving ranges and newer technology.

Nissan will build upon the foundation it started with the all-new 2023 Nissan Ariya electric crossover.

Is the Nissan Ariya the right electric crossover for your family? Continue reading to find out.

Nissan Ariya: Exterior

The Nissan Ariya didn’t take the initial route that the Nissan LEAF did, which arrived on the scene with a famously funky, even polarizing, design. Instead, the Ariya EV rolls in with a futuristic but more palatable aesthetic that most buyers will find attractive.

Up front, the Nissan Ariya features a closed-off grille, slim, angled LED headlights, boomerang-shaped LED signature lighting, and a short hood for better visibility. From the side, the Nissan Ariya has a long, swooping roofline that connects to a forward-leaning rear glass and hatch. Heading to the backside, the Ariya features slim LED taillights with a smoked treatment, making them almost unnoticeable in the daytime. Overall, this modern-looking electric crossover’s design has a little something for everyone.

The Ariya will initially be available in six two-tone colour combinations, all of which will feature a black roof and other black accents.

The Ariya fits in the smaller end of the midsize crossover segment, or on the larger side of the compacts, measuring 4,645 mm long, 1,899 mm wide, and 1,661 mm tall. It sits atop a 2,776-mm wheelbase.

The Ariya comes relatively well-equipped with upscale exterior bits, including the following highlights:

  • 19-inch alloy wheels
  • Full-LED headlights
  • LED signature lights
  • Full-width LED tail lights
  • Heated side-view mirrors
  • Roof-mounted spoiler

Available features on higher trim levels include LED fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, illuminated kick plates, a power liftgate, a panoramic moonroof, unique 19-inch wheels, and more.

Nissan Ariya: Interior

Inside, the Nissan Ariya features a sleek and clean design with very few physical buttons cluttering up the instrument panel. Instead, this electric vehicle uses capacitive haptic switches on the wooden centre dash as its primary controls. The cabin also shows off its usefulness with a centre storage box and fold-out tray tucked under the centre of the instrument panel and adjustable centre console that moves to suit the driver’s preference.

The Ariya is also all about comfort with Nissan’s signature zero-gravity front seats and loads of sound-absorbing material to keep the cabin peaceful. Thanks to the seating arrangement and battery placement, the Ariya has plenty of rear-seat room with 972.8 mm of headroom, 1,333.3 mm of hip room, 939.3 mm of legroom, and 1,420.8 mm of shoulder room.

The Ariya’s front seats have 1,006.1 mm of headroom, 1,421.8 mm of hip room, 1,073.4 mm of legroom, and 1,451.2 mm of shoulder room. 

The Ariya also has decent cargo room at 646 litres with the rear seats upright. Nissan doesn’t offer its cargo capacity with the rear seats folded.

Inside, the Nissan Ariya comes standard with a range of high-end features, including:

  • Leatherette seating
  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Dual-zone automatic climate control
  • Two rear USB ports
  • Auto-dimming rearview mirror
  • Heated front and rear seats
  • Reclining rear seats
  • 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
  • Six-speaker audio system
  • Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • SiriusXM

The Ariya has plenty of upgrade options too, including power seats with integrated memory, ventilated front seats, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, Nappa leather seating, power centre storage with table, wireless phone charger, 10-speaker Bose audio system, and much more.

Nissan Ariya: Powertrain

The Nissan Ariya has a handful of powertrain options that vary in output with battery and drivetrain combinations. The base powertrain in the Engage front-wheel drive (FWD) trim is an AC synchronous motor paired with a 63-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack that delivers 214 horsepower (hp) and 221 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque to the front wheels for a 7.5-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint.

The next powertrain pairs an 87-kWh battery pack to an AC synchronous motor and delivers 238 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. This combination is standard in the Ariya Venture+ and Evolve+ and delivers a 7.6-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint time.

Next up is the dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) e-4ORCE platform with the 63-kWh battery pack that delivers 335 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. This setup is standard in the Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE AWD trim and delivers a 5.4-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint time.

Topping the range is the same dual-motor AWD e-4ORCE platform paired with the 87-kWh battery pack that delivers 389 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. This combination is standard in the Ariya Platinum+ e-4ORCE AWD and Premier e-4ORCE AWD trim levels and delivers a 5.1-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint time.

Nissan Ariya: Driving Range and Charging

As mentioned above, the Ariya has several powertrain and battery options, which affect driving range and charging times.

Nissan recommends a 240-volt charging setup at home for the Ariya. With this installed, it takes 10.5 hours to recharge the 63-kWh battery from 0% to 100% and 14 hours for the 87-kWh battery.

When you’re on the go and need a quick charge, you can plug into a DC fast charger and get on your way quickly. The 63-kWh battery pack takes 35 minutes to charge to 80% on a 130-kW fast charger and 65 minutes on 50-kW fast charging. The 87-kWh battery pack takes 40 minutes to reach 80% on a 130-kW charger and 90 minutes on a 50-kW charger.

The Ariya includes a standard 120-volt charging cable to plug into a normal household outlet, but you should only use that in emergencies, as it can take days to reach a full charge.

The estimated range for all the Nissan Ariya trim levels with a full charge is as follows:

  • Ariya Engage FWD: 346 km
  • Ariya Venture+ FWD: 482 km
  • Ariya Evolve+ FWD: 458 km
  • Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE AWD: 330 km
  • Ariya Platinum+ e-4ORCE AWD: 426 km
  • Ariya Premier e-4ORCE AWD: 426 km

Nissan Ariya: Safety

The Nissan Ariya has not been through IIHS safety testing yet, but it has loads of standard safety features and driver-assistance technology to help keep you and your family safe. These features include:

  • ProPILOT Assist with Navi-Link
  • Intelligent adaptive cruise control
  • Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
  • Blind-spot warning
  • Haptic steering
  • Blind-spot collision avoidance
  • Forward collision warning
  • Lane-keep assist
  • Lane-departure warning
  • Rear automatic emergency braking
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
  • Front and rear parking sensors
  • Driver awareness monitor
  • Traffic sign recognition

Nissan Ariya: Pricing

The Nissan Ariya is available in six trim levels: Engage, Venture+, Evolve e-4ORCE, Evolve+, Platinum+ e-4ORCE, and Premier e-4ORCE. The 2023 Ariya’s MSRPs before national or provincial incentives are as follows:

  • Ariya Engage: $52,998
  • Ariya Venture+: $59,498
  • Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE: $60,598
  • Ariya Evolve+: $64,998
  • Ariya Platinum+ e-4ORCE: $69,198
  • Ariya Premier e-4ORCE: $69,998

The Ariya is still a brand-new vehicle, so the used marketplace is still building. Soon, though, you will be able to save big on a used Nissan Ariya. Until then, you can also check out Clutch’s range of used electric crossovers to enjoy those savings now.

Nissan Ariya: The Competition

The electric crossover segment has exploded recently, leaving the Ariya with plenty of competitors to fend off. Let’s look at some of its closest competitors.

Chevrolet Bolt EUV

The Chevy Bolt EUV is a direct Ariya competitor with its relatively funky shape and long-range battery. The Bolt EUV comes standard with a 200-horsepower electric motor that delivers a seven-second 0-100 km/h time. It also features an 11.5-kW onboard charger that gives it 62 km of range per hour of charging on a 240-volt, 48-amp charger. On a DC fast charger, the Bolt EV gets up to 160 km of range in just 30 minutes.

Range checks in at 397 km.

This electric car comes with tons of great technology, too, including a six-speaker audio system, eight-way power driver’s seat, automatic climate control, 8-inch digital gauge cluster, heated front seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and more. On the safety side, the Bolt EV comes standard with automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and more.

The Bolt EUV has slightly more rear legroom than the Ariya at 993 mm, but it loses in cargo space at just 462 litres with the rear seats upright.

All this for a starting price of $43,147 before incentives when new. The Bolt EUV has been around for two model years, so the used market is growing, and you can expect used 2022 models to start at around $39,000.

Hyundai IONIQ 5

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a revolutionary electric crossover that has shaken up the industry with its strong pricing and great driving range. The IONIQ 5 comes standard with a 168-hp electric motor and a 58-kWh battery that delivers up to 354 km of range and an 8.5-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint time. However, it also has 225-hp and 320-hp models that deliver 488- and 414-km driving ranges and 7.3- and 5.1-second sprint times, respectively.

Charging to 80% on a 350-kW DC fast charger takes about 17 minutes, while a Level 2 240-volt charger takes 5 to about 7 hours, depending on the battery size. The Ariya cannot match the IONIQ 5 DC fast charging times because it can’t accept a 350-kW fast charging station.

The IONIQ 5 has many standard features, including its 12.3-inch gauge cluster and infotainment screen, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, and more.

Safety tech includes adaptive cruise control, hill-start assist, head-up display, lane-change assist, reverse parking distance warning, blind-spot warning with collision mitigation, rear-cross-traffic alert with collision mitigation, automatic emergency braking, and more.

New, the IONIQ 5 ranges from $51,650 to $57,650 before incentives. Given it’s a year into its life, the used market is picking up and you can expect used 2022 models to start around $43,000.

Get Your Nissan Ariya at Clutch

Want to save big on a Nissan Ariya or another electric crossover, like a Tesla Model Y? Pick up a quality used electric crossover at Clutch, Canada’s premier online automotive retailer. We’ll help you save money, and you’ll drive away knowing you got a high-quality car.

Are you uneasy about buying a used electric crossover 100% online? Clutch puts your mind at ease with the 210-point inspection and reconditioning process our trained technicians put every vehicle through. On top of that, we also include a 90-Day Protection Plan and roadside assistance for additional security.

Need more protection? You can also opt for an Extended Warranty for even more peace of mind.

If that’s not enough, you’re also covered by Clutch’s 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee, which means that if you don’t love your new electric crossover, you can exchange it for a new one or return it for a no-questions-asked refund.

Check out our inventory of quality used electric vehicles today and choose a model that’s right for you. You can even set up the financing and get your trade-in vehicle appraised entirely online. No need to set foot in a dealership.