This morning I took delivery of a new 2023 Nissan Ariya Evolve+ AWD and immediately embarked on a 360-mile trip from PA to NJ to VT.
What I like about the Ariya.
Super smooth, comfortable ride.
Good power at highway speeds and good grip in wet conditions.
A very functional and modern interior. Looks sharp.
A real sunroof that opens and closes.
ProAssist (basic) is fantastic. No eye monitoring.
The hidden middle console (snack draw) is alot of fun.
Teenager had no complaints with second row.
Fit all our gear, but just barely.
Very east to drive w/o jerkyness. Can glide intuitively.
Good regenerative braking / one-pedal performance with e-stop plus and B mode
Lots of places to store and charge phones.
Virtual analog gauge dashboard meter view is pretty cool looking.
Walk away lock and open with proximity work well.
What I didn’t like about the Ariya:
Battery melting range loss when driven aggressively.
aka The only way to get the range is to drive 60mph.
aka Range is BS. My efficiency average was 2.7 miles/kw
aka I only got 174 miles from 15% to 85%
Disappointing DCFC speed. Got 90K at Albany EA, 40 mins to get from 15% to 83%
Not the best software and UI. Very hard to plan routes w/ Nissan system.
Narrow seats, not enough lumbar or thigh support
OEM Dunlop tires are loud. Cabin needs more sound dampening.
Behavior of brake pedal is odd. Close pedals.
No phone as key, app is pretty basic overall.
Overall, it’s a serious contender against the Model Y. It gets right many of the things that bother first time EV drivers and would be great where range under 200 miles is sufficient. I also looked at VW ID.4 Pro AWD, and the fit and finish of the Nissan was much better. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6 are both probably better EVs, but the style of the Hyundai’s is difficult for some. It has no business being compared to a BMW IX, the experience is worlds apart, and even an I4 is a punching class above it. In the end, I think it’s a good value in the $300/mo range, or less, especially on a short-term lease, a price point which the Model Y cannot compete.
Also, the free wallbox connector is for real. Here is my pricing for the Pulsar Plus 48A.
