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Marcia Griffiths' song about the "electric slide" was written decades ago, but I couldn't keep it out of my head while I had a 2023 Nissan Ariya for a couple of days. She had the slide, and I had the ride.
This is Nissan's' second EV but the first small SUV in their line. It can comfortably sit up to five people with plenty of storage in the back. For comparison, it's about the same size as the Rogue.
It's electric!
In terms of performance, you can expect slight variations based on trim levels. The car I drove was the Platinum+ AWD e-4orce. This trim has an estimated range of 257 miles though some options offer up to a 304 mile range. According to Kelly Blue Book, the Ariya fares better than many comparable makes and models in the same size.
The Platinum+ AWD e-4orce I tested packs a 389 horsepower motor under the hood, giving the vehicle enough power to keep up with your lifestyle. Speeding up to merge on the freeway is a breeze — you don't have to wait for your engine to kick into gear, it just flies.
It's also important to note that the Ariya comes in AWD trims. After the winter Utah had in early 2023, all-wheel drive is more critical than ever! Using Nissan's e-4ORCE all-wheel drive technology, the dual motor can adjust the torque to each wheel making it especially capable of handling your exact situation. It's a great combo when you can get an all-electric car that can also keep you safe in any kind of terrain — especially any feisty weather headed our way this winter.
If you want to recharge your battery as you drive, you can activate the regenerative braking system. When you're slowing down for a stoplight or stop sign, the car will use that energy and return it back to the battery. It's not a replacement for charging the battery, but it can help as you're driving around town.
Self-driving technology
Nissan's signature ProPILOT Assist & Park feature is definitely worth a test drive. Many of Nissan's newer models are equipped with the technology, but the Ariya has the newest version — ProPILOT Assist 2.0.
Whether you're stuck in stop-and-go traffic or on the freeway down to Vegas, the Ariya can drive itself — literally. You put the car in assist mode and let it adjust to the speed limit you'd like to stick to. Once it has a good feel for the speed of traffic around you, it takes the wheel.
The car can prepare for traffic ahead by using the system's navigation system. Using real-time data, the car can anticipate a slow down or speed limit changes.
Nissan's technology for self-driving cars is different than others on the market. You have to keep your eye on the road the entire time for the Pro Pilot Assist to work. For the 2.0 version, you can take your hands off the wheel entirely. It's legal because of the technology used to detect your eye level. There are sensors inside the vehicle that track driver alertness and focus on the road ahead.
This technology also alerts you to focus on the road when you're driving normally. So don't look down!
Interior
The interior of the Ariya is one of the highlights of the mid-size SUV. You can also make room for more space up front (or in the back) by moving the power-sliding center console forward or backward. I found this helpful for keeping my purse or bag on the floor while someone is in the passenger seat.
The 12.3-inch dashboard display is a great size to see what you need to see without being distracted. Both Apple Carplay and Andriod Auto are included, making it easy to take calls, respond to voice texts and change your entertainment.
The cargo area has a maximum area of 74.8 inches with the back seats folded down. With them upright, you can get 38.3 inches of cargo space. I had plenty of room with the seats folded down for canning supplies my mom asked me to pick up. We also fit a large framed painting in the car at the same time.
Ride experience
Both the front and back seats have optional heaters, so both you and your passengers can adjust to individual comfort levels. There's plenty of legroom in both the front and back seats.
Mark Takahashi for Edmunds said, "Both the front and rear seats are comfortable and offer plenty of support. We also like the Ariya's ride quality. It's smooth even on broken pavement, and there's just enough resistance in the suspension to keep the Ariya from feeling too floaty on the road. On the highway, the Ariya is also very quiet."
My personal car is a sedan, so driving the Ariya definitely put me up higher on the road, which is something I don't usually love. But the Ariya keeps you at a comfortable height — I never once felt like I was looking down on other cars or that I couldn't easily see traffic lights.
I'm also picky when it comes to the headroom in a car. I'm a little clumsy and prone to hitting my head on the roof of the car, not to mention I have a fairly long torso. As a result, sitting up high in a car is usually uncomfortable for me. I had no problems at all getting in and out of the Ariya.
With the power seats, I could also adjust the seat height to give me the right amount of headroom. Nissan says with the panoramic moonroof, the Ariya has 37.9 inches of headroom. Without the moonroof the headroom is 39.6 inches. so take a test drive to see if that's a good space for you.
To help new EV owners feel some peace of mind, every new Ariya comes with the Nissan EV Carefree+ program and it includes the following:
- 1 year of unlimited charging for Ariya on the EVGo network.
- A credit to purchase a home charging system.
- Free maintenance for 3 years / 36,000 miles.
- 24/7/365 roadside assistance, including out-of-charge towing assistance to the nearest charging location or home.
- Tire hazard protection.
Test drive a new Ariya today
All of these features mentioned are just some of my favorites. Take an all-electric Nissan Ariya for a spin to see what you love about the car Visit your local Nissan dealer to test drive their newest EV.
