Nissan debuted the fully electric Ariya plug-in for 2023, and this year’s 2024 model continues mostly unchanged — except for Nissan lowering the price for the entry point Ariya by about $3,500. With the Nissan Leaf set to be retired, the Ariya is well-positioned to take the lead compact vehicle spot in Nissan’s EV lineup offering buyers better room inside, style, power and range.
There are two Ariya motor choices: a single-motor FWD and dual-motor “e-4orce” AWD configuration. The basic Engage trim comes standard with the smaller battery and 214 hp. If you opt for the Engage AWD, the powertrain ponies out 335 hp.
Models with the bigger battery come with a “+” in their name (I had the Empower+ FWD model, and these have stronger motors. The big-battery Ariya FWD pushes out 238 hp, while the AWD is rated at whopping 389 hp.
Batteries come with 63-kWh and 87-kWh capacities. On a fast DC charger, power tops out at 130 kilowatts (which is slower than competing vehicles) and the Ariya Engage can charge the battery up to 80 percent in about 35 minutes. Ariya FWD models with the bigger battery return the greatest range on a full charge — EPA-rated between 289 and 304 miles — while the Engage AWD with the small battery has the shortest range, 205 miles.
My Aryia Empower+ version did not come close to achieving the 289 miles estimated as its range for my week of test driving. The number of miles you can achieve on a full charge will depend on your driving habits as well as what accessories you are using in the vehicle. I will choose air-conditioning on 101-degree days every day of the week. Hence, the longest driving range I achieved on a full charge was about 219 miles.
I really like the interior of the Ariya. It’s minimalistic, elegant and modern. Seating was wonderfully comfortable, and the AC was strong and on-point for volleyball players getting picked up from practice at the outside sand pits.
On the road, the Ariya drives like a typical gas engine. It did fine merging into fast highway traffic and offers a smooth drive in town or going 70+ mph. I did notice the regenerative brakes start as soon as you stop pushing on the gas pedal. This took time to get used to. While I was always keeping an eye on how quickly my driving range was dwindling, I liked the responsiveness of the Ariya and found it enjoyable to drive.
For those interested in buying an Ariya, it would be worth it to go to a dealership and get knowledgeable assistance discerning the differences between the seven different trims: Engage, Venture+, Engage+, Envolve+, Empower+, Premier and Platinum+. The Engage is the only model offered with the standard 63kWh battery back. Starting price for an Engage model is $38,300. My test vehicle had a starting price of $47,690, and the purchase price after a few add-ons like premium paint and exterior logo lights was $50,440.
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