Nissan invited the media for a day to the truck with the company’s long-awaited second EV, the Nissan Ariya. After spending time driving and goofing at the crossover, I found this car simply great. I think Aria is exactly what American buyers want and expect from EVs. It’s like a predictable car that can settle down in the fall and plan for the future.
But if you fly around in the summer with Tesla, will anyone take it away?
drive
Aria felt like a lively and smooth ride, especially when compared to a stiff SUV (and some crossovers). The suspension was tight and inaccurate, but a little loose and relaxed. Acceleration is as energetic as any other EV and is what we all expect. However, Nissan needs to use a thick-winding motor because it offers punchy jumps even from jumps of 40 km / h and has expanded its energy to high speeds.
Black / dark green color, very nice.
Nissan will debut the CMF-EV platform at Ariya. Nissan is proud to achieve a 50/50 weight balance with this design, including passenger placement. This feature shines in the already excellent handling that makes the latest EVs much better than previous EVs.
Aria’s braking was a bit scary, but it was entirely due to the regenerative braking settings I wasn’t used to. When I got into the car, the brakes were very responsive and I felt uncomfortable when I stepped on the pedals. After all, regenerative braking is also affected by the drive mode you choose (in this case the sport mode). With a little customization and practice, you can master the brakes.
For the AWD version (not yet tested), it’s useful to know that a hard emergency stop is available with that option, as Nissan uses a replica motor at the rear and adds a fair amount of weight. am. Overall, I think the powertrain was in line with the other EVs in this segment. Nothing stood out to me.
interior
The model we drove was called a prototype, but the marketing team also told us that it was built to European specifications. This is a combination not available in the United States. I drove a high trim level with a small battery pack (63kwh). This means that in the car there was the comfort of all the creatures that make the car unique.
Dual display on curved slate
Riding on the high trim, Aria had some selected points with a great fit and finish. Synthetic leather decorates the touchpoints and door accents from the wheels to the contours of the center console. Sheets were typically made of high quality material with heating and cooling capabilities. Accent lighting, one of the unique features. Nissan recognizes the design of traditional lanterns used during the Edo period in Japan from 1603 to 1867.
Andon lighting
Behind the geometrically shaped “grids” in various parts of the interior, a simple tanned soft light adds to the mood. Knowing the story, it was rather calm. At the same time, the busy shapes of shades also worked to clutter the design. These shapes are cute, but they are made of plastic and can be found in other parts of the interior. Upon examination, I found that there was a very thin and loose plastic sheet underneath the center console compartment. I strongly suspect that someone would go under it and look at the material, but I did. Nissan seems to be trying to balance a relaxed atmosphere while offering cheap ease of use.
With the exception of the touch screen in the center of the dash (which has deeper controls such as connections, radio, user profiles, etc.), Ariya expands the control points to make life easier. We found that all the buttons were in the proper order, with one exception. There is a volume dial in the center of the dash, but most of the audio controls go through the center touch screen and handle buttons. Aria has a nice fake ashwood spunline with a handsome texture in the shallow depths of the dashboard. I suspect that breaking this satisfying aesthetic to add colored temperature control would have insulted the designer. Shining from this texture is a flat panel touchscreen button with tactile feedback. Somewhere in Japan, engineers, designers and accountants are all fighting at the bar.
Why break this beautiful trim for temperature control?
In the seating area, the aria features a front and rear flat floorboard and a movable center console. The center console contains a compartment and wireless and USB charging points (A and C), as well as a gear selector and several other controls. The center console has drive mode selection, automatic parking, electronic pedals, and center glove box controls.
Extending from the center of the dashboard is a small drawer with a retractable lid. This space can store merchandise, but it also acts as a platform for your laptop. Nissan mentioned something like “static entertainment options”. This is interpreted to mean “what to do while the car is charging”.
Life with Aria
Aria’s pricing at the 130kw rate, which the company immediately pointed out, is a near-consistent assessment throughout the pricing cycle. Some companies boast top speeds, but for fine print, they plummet and slow down during the rest of the charge cycle. Nissan sandwiched it in a bud and shared a vague graph showing a slight bend that peaked at 130kw.
Aria charge port (passenger seat side)
Other features were in the car, but I couldn’t see them actually working. I couldn’t set up Nissan’s Level 2 autonomous feature set with “Handoff, Aion” or try lane change assist or automatic parking. I didn’t have time (or patience) to connect the phone for Alexa integration or Nissan personal assistant “Hey Nissan”. In the future, I would like to get it for a longer test.
In another note, Nissan plans to update its OTA software. Instead of making the first update shortly after the release to showcase the OTA feature itself, the company plans to offer a product that will continue to be useful for some time.
The briefing was short. 100 points for the Nissan team for that.
Landscape
It’s hard to imagine reading all the articles about Electrek for years and thinking that my worldview might be distorted. Flatulence is a basic human right, and I’m starting to believe that Toyota is a leader in the EV field. But from time to time, I see the light of day and realize that my world is very small.
For example, consider the EV market. With an EV market share of 4.5% in 2021, the California Government is proud to have 40% of all EVs in the state. In that case, the other 49 states will share the remaining 1.8%, making it a very rare minority who owns two EVs.
The other 98.2% are still driving a noisy, odorous, slow car that costs arms and legs to drive and maintain. What convinces these people to accept the unpleasant changes in their lives (really upgrades)?
Compared to Tesla
Aria doesn’t compare to the Tesla Model Y unless you’re talking about size.
Electrek take
Aria is a great car. Feelings, features and characters attract many buyers to the EV world. The ride is predictable, the features are flattering, the interior is impressive, and the unique EV advantage is 10 pages long. Aria is a stable relationship.
Whether you like it or not, Elon Musk and Tesla are inseparable, and his eccentric genius magnets create fear of brand instability. Many investors don’t see it this way, but my extended family often sees it.
I’m interested in Aria. She thinks she should go out again. She is beginning to think that Aria may be the material for her marriage.
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