Star Cars of The British Motor Show 2023 – Nissan Ariya
If you are in the market for an electric family car, then you will be pleased to know that Nissan will be exhibiting the Ariya – its new crossover – at The British Motor Show.
Incredibly, the Ariya (which translates from Japanese as ‘noble’), is only Nissan’s second fully electric road car. This follows the trailblazing success of the Leaf – which was first launched over a decade ago.
As a result, there has been a huge weight of expectation surrounding the new model and whether it can pick up where the Leaf left off. After all, there are now a whole host of rivals for the Ariya to compete with – from the Ford Mach-E to the Tesla Model Y.
Thankfully, the new Japanese crossover delivers.
Its striking design includes a low-slung, coupe-esque roof life, neatly integrated LED headlights and a minimalist rear light bar.
Overall, it is a confident statement, and if this hints at Nissan’s future design direction, then it gets a thumbs up from us.
Equipped with a choice of two batteries, as well as both two and four-wheel drive options, there is a specification to suit all requirements within the Ariya lineup.
The four-wheel-drive ‘e-4orce’ variant has gained particular praise from road testers – with its hot-hatch rivalling 0-62 mph time of 5.7 seconds an obvious highlight.
What’s more, with up to 329 miles of range in 87kWh Advance form, there won’t be any range anxiety to worry about on long journeys.
However, while Nissan’s impressive electric powertrain is to be expected (given the Leaf’s extended lifespan), it is the interior which provides the biggest surprise.
Reflecting those crisp exterior lines, the Ariya’s cabin is sharp and minimalist – with the air conditioning vent providing a neat design centre-piece.
Don’t worry, though. Nissan hasn’t completely lost sight of its practical ethos, so you’ll find useful features like a moving arm rest (which opens up legroom considerably), intuitive haptic controls, wireless phone charging and a flat floor for extra legroom in the back. Meanwhile, the Ariya’s boot space is ample, with a 466 litre capacity.
You won’t feel shortchanged by the gadgetry, either.
The Ariya is available with a drive assist system called ProPILOT Assist. It works similarly to most existing systems, keeping you in your motorway lane and using the on-board satellite navigation to anticipate corners and slip roads.
There is also a range of safety features – including Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Recognition, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Pedestrian Rear Emergency Brake and Cross Traffic Alert, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning.
It will therefore come as no surprise to hear that the Ariya scored five stars for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP.
If parking isn’t your strong suit, then you’ll also be pleased to hear that the new Nissan is equipped with ProPILOT Park. At the push of a button, the car will automate the steering, throttle, brakes and gears to park itself neatly in tight spots.
Prices start at £46,145 for the 63kWh ADVANCE, rising to £58,590 for the e-4ORCE 87kWh EVOLVE.
If you want to take a closer look at the Nissan Ariya, find it at The British Motor Show on August 17-20 on the Marshall Nissan stand.
