Nissan Ariya EV Boasts 389HP, 300-Mile Range And Futuristic Styling To Zap Tesla
Right off the bat, we have to talk about the styling. No one will fault the Ariya for being a bland box on wheels; the vehicle has concept car-esque lines with nice surfacing along the sides and rear. The front is dominated by a huge faux grille, thin LED headlights, and LED DRLs. As is the trend with many new Nissans (and competitors), a black contrasting roof is available to make the design "pop".
Moving inside, there's a simple interior design made possible dual 12.3-inch LCD displays which are used for the infotainment system and instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. A few touch-sensitive controls under a dashboard-length air vent complete the control scheme for the interior. Another interesting touch is ambient lighting that starts at the top of the front doors and that arches over to the top of the dashboard (near the base of the windshield). Overall, it looks like an inviting place to be and a step up from the rather spartan Tesla Model Y crossover.
As you might expect, you’ll find support for both Android Auto and CarPlay, along with Amazon Alexa integration. The Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of active safety and driver assistance technologies are also included along with the ProPILOT Assist 2.0 autonomous driving feature (for driving on highways).
When it comes to the competition, Nissan appears to have the popular Model Y in its crosshairs. The Ariya will be available with either a 63 kWh or 87 kWh battery pack. With the larger battery pack in front-wheel drive guise (215 horsepower), Nissan is targeting a 300-mile EPA range. All-wheel-drive (389 horsepower) will also be available, but it is expected to reduce that 300-mile range figure.
According to Nissan, the Ariya will be available for sale in Spring 2021 with a starting price of around $40,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit (and any applicable state credits/rebates).
