My Thoughts Exactly: 2024 Nissan Ariya

This is a reality check. 

No matter what side of the debate you are on, we cannot ignore the fact that battery-electric vehicles are not going away. Sales may have slowed, but that does not mean they are irrelevant. 

The use of the word “relevant” has been popping up a lot on here lately. It is because there is a shadow looming over the industry. To stay afloat, you must remain relevant. Your lineup must be relevant to a customer base that have been challenged with everything that is too long to list on here.

There are some vehicles that are more relevant than others. Case in point is the 2024 Nissan Ariya I just worked with. 

Nissan were early adopters among legacy manufacturers in selling EVs. They had the resources to create the Leaf hatchback. Their approach might not have been adopted by other manufacturers, but points were earned for effort and promotion of EVs.

The Ariya is a bit more contemporary. Perhaps in line with the marketplace. It is a vehicle that fits in the more popular compact-to-mid-size SUV space that is already represented by most of the major brands in this market.

Contemporary is the overall design. Nissan calls it “Timeless Japanese Futurism.” They explain that it means the Ariya is designed through “a distinctive Japanese approach conveyed in a simple yet powerfully modern way.” 

Although, I always thought that the Murano inspired the overall design of the Ariya, albeit to the size of a Rogue. 

The bottom line is that it works beautifully. The Deep Ocean Blue Pearl two-tone paint job – with a Black Diamond Pearl roof – gives it a trendy and distinctive look that is deep and dark. 

The angular design starts with a solid “grille” panel flanked by thin headlamp units. The roofline has a fastback-like style, angling towards the rear. One detail that I missed when I first saw the Ariya well over a year ago was the absence of a glass panel on the C pillar. All four doors open very wide – a huge plus for occupants of all body types. The rear end sports a horizontal taillight bar below the window line. The Nissan script has a dominant presence on the liftgate, instead of its distinctive logo. 

My Platinum+ Dual Motor e-4ORCE tester finishes off its overall look with a set of 19-inch wheels with aerodynamic wheel covers. The emphasis on the “Timeless Japanese Futurism” design approach is to set the shape of the Ariya through advanced aerodynamics. At the same time ensuring that Nissan has a distinctive SUV in the lineup that is indeed timeless. 

Once you step inside, the driver is greeted by a thin screen stretching two-third across the dashboard. Except it is not completely flat, as a “kink” separates the instrument meter and the infotainment touchscreen – both at 12.3-inches diagonal in size. The instrument meter is fully customizable with the readouts you need. It is augmented by a head-up display keeping your eyes on the road. Although, Nissan does a beautiful job on its instrument cluster screens that are hard to ignore.

You will also appreciate the square-bottom two-spoke steering wheel that makes the Ariya more compelling. The mix of tactile and haptic-touch controls work just fine. The infotainment touchscreen is a hub for connectivity options through a clean interface. Bose offers ten speakers of solid sound throughout the cabin., 

The Platinum+ interior surprised me. I was thinking it would be some environmentally friendly material that would be as luxurious as it looks. The seating was upholstered in a blue Nappa leather surface. You can feel some suede-like material in places. This was a delightful treat! 

Both rows of seats offer solid comfort with some bolstering to lock you in. The center console is power adjustable back-and-forth. That console incudes some key controls, including the sliding shifter. Yet, it opens up a huge stowage area underneath the dashboard. 

Rear seat space is extremely good – a lot of leg and head room available back there. For cargo space, you start with 22.8 cubic feet space behind the rear seats. It will expand to a generous 59.7 cubic feet with those seats down. There is no front cargo space due to the electric drive system taking up the area below the hood. 

The drive system is similar to the one George drove back at the 2023 Midwest Automotive Media Association Rally. There is an electric motor on each axle fed by an 87-kilowatt-hour battery. All told, there is a combined 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. 

Nissan estimated that this specification will earn a range of 267 miles on a full battery. Based on my charging sessions, this is about on target. When you recharge at a DC Fast Charging station, Nissan states that it would take 40 minutes to go from 10-80% state of charge. That is also on target, as well. 

When you step on the accelerator pedal, you will feel how quick the Ariya goes. A slight whirl could be heard, but you will also find how this power comes on quietly in this Ariya has to offer. Cruising is very good, as it holds its speed very nicely. 

There should be no surprises here when it comes to the driving experience. The solid ride quality may seem firm, but it actually not harsh enough to make driving quite enjoyable. I’ll even say that the Ariya is very confident. 

That is also observed during handling maneuvers. It can take curves almost flat, but were a tad bit of roll when going through the curves. Steering is solid with a good on-center feel. Turning radius is actually quite good, but you can maneuver quite well if you need to. It is also exhibited a solid on-center feel. So far, the Ariya is truly a very controlled vehicle overall.

That solidity and confidence is found on the Ariya’s braking system. It turned in good stops in normal and panic situations. Pedal feel is really good when you are in a normal braking mode. However, if you turn on the e-Step mode, you will experience a more aggressive brake regeneration that sends more energy back to the battery pack. E-Step also enables one pedal driving.

By the way, did you know that ProPILOT Assist 2.0 and ProPILOT Park are available on this Nissan Ariya. If you want a good driver assistance suite that will help you relax on the roughest days, make sure they are enabled.

There are eight trim levels available for the 2024 Nissan Ariya – four of which feature the e-4ORCE dual motor drive system. Pricing starts at $39,590. My Platinum+ dual-motor e-4ORCE all-wheel drive tester came with a sticker price of $56,940. 

The Nissan Ariya is a relevant vehicle in a market that is primed for growth. The driving experience is fantastic. It’s quiet, smooth, and will comfortably accommodate four-to-five humans and their luggage.

Yet, no one knows how the EV market will shake out. That is what’s frustrating about shopping for a vehicle, such as the Nissan Ariya. Will there be incentives and tax breaks next year? That’s probably the key question to ask. I will reserve other questions later…

If you are ready to buy or lease an electric SUV, put this on the list without hesitation. It is very relevant for today’s marketplace. 

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Nissan North America

All photos by Randy Stern