In December of 2010, the Nissan Leaf became the first electric car to be widely available to Americans since internal-combustion-engine-powered vehicles took off a century earlier.

Compact, cute, and efficient, we dubbed it “remarkably unremarkable, in the best possible way. ” A long 12 years later—and after numerous manufacturers have launched multiple entrants into the EV space—the Leaf finally has an electric stablemate in the Nissan lineup. The question: Is the 2023 Nissan Ariya electric SUV “remarkably unremarkable,” or will it stand out in an increasingly crowded field?

https://vidtube.top/2023-mercedes-maybach-gls900-brabus/

Although the Leaf was always sort of a niche vehicle for American buyers, the Ariya is aimed at the heart of the American SUV market. Sized like the compact Rogue but offering midsize Murano levels of interior space, the Ariya is the first Nissan to run on the company’s new CMF-EV platform. The Ariya’s specs likely won’t raise the eyebrows of EV early adopters, but they’re instead roughly analogous to the four-cylinder-powered compact crossovers Nissan expects most Ariya buyers will be swapping out of.

The Nissan Ariya launches with a 91-kWh battery pack and a front-mounted motor good for 238 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, a healthy power bump over the comparable Rogue. The automaker also plans to offer a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version with 389 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, as well as an entry-level model with a smaller, 66-kWh battery pack.

The front-drive/large-battery Ariya Venture+, which starts at $47,125, will be the range champ of the lineup, with an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles. Our mid-level 2023 Ariya Empower+ test vehicle ($47,125 to start, about $54,000 as equipped) with the same battery and motor setup is rated for 289 miles, while base, small-battery/front-drive models are rated for 216 miles. Dual-motor models aren’t rated yet, but expect about 265 miles of range with the large battery pack.

While the Ariya’s range is respectable, its peak charge rate of just 130 kW isn’t particularly impressive. Rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E reach 150 kW, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 hit 235 kW. The general rule of thumb for shoppers new to EVs: Generally speaking, the higher the peak charge rate, the less time you’ll spend tethered on a road trip. Unlike the Leaf, the Ariya fast-charges using the common CCS1 connector instead of Nissan’s preferred (and increasingly rare stateside) CHAdeMO plug.

First, the acceleration and braking numbers (you can skip the next two paragraphs if you’d like to go straight into the more subjective stuff). Like the Leaf, the Ariya isn’t a numbers car. Our front-wheel-drive test SUV accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 15.8 seconds at 92.9 mph. Although it’s quicker than many of its internal combustion rivals, that’s slower than all of its electric competition.

Of comparably equipped single-motor electric SUVs, the Ariya is closest to the Volkswagen ID4, which hits 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and runs the quarter mile in 15.8 seconds at 88.8 mph. The EV6 GT-Line and Mustang Mach-E California Route 1 Edition are quicker still, hitting 60 mph in 6.5 and 6.3 seconds, respectively, and crossing the quarter mile in 15.0 seconds at 95.0 mph and 14.8 seconds at 96.8 mph. If speed is your thing and you want an Ariya, you’ll likely want to wait for the dual-motor version.

The Ariya is similarly average in our braking and handling courses. It brakes from 60 to 0 mph in 128 feet (the ID4, EV6, and Mach-E all come in at 123 or 124 feet), and it laps the figure eight in 27.6 seconds at an 0.61 g average (far behind the Kia and Ford, but just edging out the Volkswagen).

But the Ariya, clearly, isn’t about outright performance. It’s engineered in many ways to be a comfortable compact crossover that just so happens to be electric. On that front, it succeeds. Acceleration isn’t neck-snapping, but the Ariya pulls away with the sort of confidence-inspiring authority of a torquey V-6, and it has good passing power.

Many EVs feature a full “one-pedal” driving mode that allows the driver to accelerate and brake with just the throttle, but the Ariya unfortunately doesn’t. Its “E-Step” mode ups regenerative braking, but it’s incapable, by design, of actually bringing the Ariya to a stop. More annoying than having to press the Nissan’s mushy brake pedal is the fact that the pedal automatically moves in E-Step mode, making it feel like the brake pedal is trying to escape your right foot when you’re slowing down.

The Ariya rides and steers reasonably well. On the latter front, initial turn-in is surprisingly quick. That makes the Nissan fun when negotiating traffic, but the overall feel is otherwise numb when going down the road. The ride is comfortable, but there is a fair bit of body motion over expansion joints, potholes, and curves. All-wheel-drive Ariyas can vary motor torque front and rear to control the body’s pitch; the front-drive version would benefit from some mitigation strategies, too.

The best part about the Ariya is the latest version of ProPilot Assist. The advanced driver aid punches well above its weight. It confidently holds its line through bends, accelerates and brakes as a human would, and can even change lanes automatically. It’s not quite GM’s Super Cruise, but it’s close.

The Ariya’s driving dynamics may be forgettable, but its interior isn’t. The open and airy cabin is lovely to look at and be in, even if the execution isn’t exactly nailed. The interior incorporates quality-feeling materials, dual screens, a flat floor, and novel features such as a power-operated stash drawer built into the dash, a power-sliding center console, and wood-like trim with integrated touch buttons, similar to BMW’s approach with the iX. The Ariya could use a little polish, though.

The wood buttons, for example, wash out in direct sunlight and don’t always respond the first time you press them. Similarly, the stash drawer in the dash is incredibly useful, but you must press and hold one of the touchpoints on the wood panel to get the delicate-feeling drawer to slowly motor out of the dash. Also, if you drive with it open (a likely possibility since there isn’t a ton of storage up front) the button flashes at you angrily.

The power-operated center console is of limited utility, too. Not only does it sit far higher than the door-mounted armrests, but motoring it backward both takes up rear passenger space and makes it easier for your passenger’s items to slide into the driver’s feet. Both the console and the drawer would likely be more useful if they were manually operated.

Even if some of the tech doesn’t work as well as it could, the Ariya package is practical. The front buckets are cushy and couchlike, perfect for long stints in the saddle, while the back is adult-friendly and a fine place to spend time, even if the floor is a bit high due to the battery underneath. Despite the aggressive fastback roofline, the trunk is also spacious, with Nissan’s handy divide-and-hide panels boosting its versatility. The only thing that could make the Ariya more practical would be if it included a frunk like some of its rivals do.

https://vidtube.top/2023-renault-kangoo-e-tech-electric/

At this stage—and unless the dual-motor variant changes things—we fear the new Ariya will suffer the same fate as the Leaf before it. In its current state, this remarkably unremarkable electric SUV isn’t particularly competitive when it comes to its performance or most of its tech.

Even so, it is a stylish and practical electric alternative to EVs like the ID4 and, perhaps more important, mainstream crossovers such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Ultimately, maybe following in the Leaf’s tire tracks isn’t such a bad thing, after all—after two generations (and counting) it remains among the bestselling EVs in the world. Maybe unremarkable is enough, after all.