Nissan Ariya - concentrated all-wheel drive power in disguise

Nissan Ariya - concentrated all-wheel drive power in disguise

With the Ariya, Nissan is launching an extremely comfortable BEV representative. It also offers a bit of chic and a lot of comfort. ntv.de was on the road with the silent Japanese car. In the version with all-wheel drive and plenty of power.

Have you ever seen a Nissan Ariya? Most readers probably haven't - and that's a shame. Because the model that flourishes in obscurity, which somehow only a few people get wind of, definitely deserves more. The Federal Motor Transport Authority had only registered 841 units by October of this year. Yet the Ariya looks neat. Not overdrawn like some other Japanese cars, but also anything but boring.

Above all, the expressive front with the deep black shield catches the eye. And the technoid-looking headlights, with their optically emphasized LED segments (adaptive matrix light is missing, however). The Ariya even looks a little fancy in the so-called communication color "Akatsuki Copper" together with the roof in contrasting black paint. And extremely solid with its emphatically high beltline.

Commodious and homely

But the real surprise comes after boarding the crossover: the seats with a kind of microfiber upholstery surface are so comfortable that you don't want to get out of the car. There is also a homely atmosphere in the young Nissan. Elegant black wood applications harmonize with Japanese Kumiko patterns, which run like a red thread through the entire car and are not only found in the door panels. Even the covers of the loudspeaker boxes feature this special pattern.

Copper-colored strips in the air vents as well as elements throughout the vehicle (for example as a handle for the small blind of the compartment in the middle) exude a touch of exclusivity. This also applies to the upper section of the inside of the doors and the entire dashboard, which is covered in a type of Alcantara. And thanks to the free-standing center console, the Ariya leaves an airy impression without any constriction. As a little gag, the console with leather armrest can be adjusted electrically.

In general, the interior is full of gimmicks, even if they are not always entirely practical. For example, the controls for the automatic air conditioning are embedded as buttons in the wood trim. Touching them provides haptic feedback and the symbols become brighter. This looks cool, but is not as functional as the conventional physical button. And because Nissan knows this very well, the company at least provides a classic rotary knob for volume control. A successful compromise! Less successful is the fact that the electric tailgate does not conceal a very large trunk (1280 liters).

In many variants

Slowly, the desire to take the Japanese car out for a spin arises. Here today, ntv.de is on the road with the all-wheel drive version - not exactly a cheap pleasure given the basic price of 57,490 euros. Of course, a lot is offered for the equivalent value, but such a chunk of money reduces the customer price. To be fair, however, it has to be said that the mid-range has generally become expensive. So this is not something specific to Ariya.

After all, the base model is available from 43,490 euros, which is not exactly a popular price. And in this case, the power output is not only lower at 218 instead of 306 hp (although it is still quite high), but the battery is also much smaller at 63 instead of 87 kWh. On the other hand, less battery capacity is also more environmentally friendly. But more on the battery issue later.

The dual-motor drive is undoubtedly a pleasure. It's not that the 306 horses encourage you to speed, but they make the 4.60-meter-long mid-size car incredibly confident. One press of the accelerator pedal sends the 2.3-tonner charging forward from any situation. No wonder, when 600 Newton meters of torque are on tap. What's more, there are never any interruptions in tractive force - after all, there is no gearbox and therefore no clutches that need to be opened and closed again. This contributes to the agility account.

Please don't be alarmed when looking at the data sheet - according to the factory, the Nissan reaches 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The passengers feel this value under full load in the back in the form of massive thrust. Of course, there are no traction problems thanks to two driven axles. And when it comes to top speed, the Japanese don't let themselves get carried away, allowing 200 km/h - a respectable figure for a mid-size class that is not designed for performance.

Nissan doesn't shine when it comes to charging

This Japanese car clearly plays the comfort card. Its suspension is well-balanced and smoothes out bumps reasonably effectively. Nissan does not have a variable damper control, nor does it need one - a harmonious set-up is ultimately sufficient. As a result, the Ariya is a relaxed tourer - predestined for long journeys. Provided you are prepared to deal with the charging issue. Nissan promises a combined WLTP range of up to 513 kilometers (at 19.8 kWh/100 km).

That's fine, but the charging speed is of course also a decisive factor. The Ariya has a nominal peak charging capacity of 130 kilowatts. Honestly, more must be possible today, also in view of the pricing. If things go well, i.e. the battery is at the right temperature and the charging station is optimally selected, you can add almost 200 kilometers within 20 minutes. Travel planning needs to be adjusted accordingly. Those who are aware of this fact can live with it. However, many customers will soon no longer be satisfied with this.

And if you have to wait at the charging station, you should at least take the opportunity to interact with the smart display landscape. A certain learning phase is required to figure out all the tricks here. After all, there are many menus to explore. For anxious drivers, the (standard) navigation system offers integrated load planning when entering a distant destination. However, it has to be said that the fast-charging network in this country is now so dense that dedicated charging planning is almost no longer necessary.

Finally, let's take a look at the driver assistance, of which the designer vehicle has plenty. All variants can actively accelerate, brake and steer - sometimes even overly so. The most annoying functions, such as the controlled lane guidance, can of course be switched off, albeit not via a shortcut - the NCAP crash commission does not approve of this. Let's see how long customers will continue to appreciate the NCAP organization.

Data sheet Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE all-wheel drive

Conclusion: The Nissan Ariya is a thoroughly successful vehicle with an all-electric drive. With its mix of neat looks and a decidedly comfortable feel, it should have the potential to attract many customers. However, it is currently only moderately successful. But why is that? Is it because the name is difficult to write? Or the somewhat weak charging performance by today's standards? Actually, there is no reason to deny the attractive overall package its chance. This should be understood as an appeal. So please book a test drive!

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Source: www.ntv.de