Nissan Ariya Review: Soothing Calmness

What we like:

Truly well-executed exterior and interior design

Satisfying to drive and ride in

Spacious and comfortable

What we dislike:

Range is a tad low

Price is close to what luxury brands can offer

I remember sitting in the Ariya at the Singapore Motorshow at the start of 2023 and thinking, “this feels more like a luxury car than a Nissan”. It’s been almost 2 years since that day as the Ariya has been delayed due to supply chain issues. But it is now here and I feel exactly the same as I did back then.

Almost untouched from concept car to reality, the Ariya cuts a striking look with its clean sheet metal design and minimalist approach. It really works and doesn’t resort to gaping grilles or shock-and-awe tactics to get your attention. Here, it is all class and subtlety.

In fact, if you look hard enough, you can even see ‘Kumiko’ patterns within the blackened front fascia. How shy is Nissan to include that feature? It won’t ever be visible to 99% of people when they look at the car, but for those in the know it is a trinket of knowledge that drives fans crazy.

The Kumiko patterns extend to the interior, most obviously from the ‘Andon’ ambient lighting that mimics a Japanese paper lantern. This is again a surprising level of detail that you don’t even see in most luxury cars. It is a different approach, but one that is very pleasing and on-point.

The cabin is immediately relaxing with its logical and easy-to-use interface. Whoever said futuristic vehicles have to be all digital and techy? The Ariya proves otherwise with thoughtful haptic feedback buttons that are inlaid within the wood trim. It just works so well and so elegantly executed.

The flat floor extends not just in the back seat but also in the front, giving a sense of space and openness. The back seat space is truly generous and the sloping roofline doesn’t encroach into headroom, surprisingly. 

On the move, the first thing that strikes me is how the Ariya surprises with its well-weighted steering. The Ariya is obviously developed by a team that loves driving.

Ride leans onto the soft side which suits the demeanour of the car, eliminating most of the imperfections of the road better than the average electric vehicle. Only when the undulations are larger where the suspension starts to unravel a little bit. But the Ariya definitely is one of the more comfy EVs in its class.

With 214 bhp and 300 Nm powering the front wheels, the Ariya has more than enough go. In fact, I would trade some of that power for more range, as on the test I achieved around 350 or so kilometres, which is some way off the 502 km WLTP city figure.

The other thing about the Ariya is its price. At close to $250k it is knocking on the doors of some luxury brands, while being pricier than its Chinese rivals. It’s a tough market to be in right now with plenty of competition, but the Ariya deserves a look with its carefully curated character that aims to soothe and relax.

Photos by James Wong

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