2023 Nissan Ariya: Compact Electric SUV with 300-Mile Range

Nissan’s second electric vehicle (EV) in the U.S. will be a handsome crossover SUV with a 300-mile driving range and a starting price of nearly $46,000.

Nissan will add less-expensive versions of the 2023 Nissan Ariya to the lineup later, the company says. But at launch, it sets up quite a contrast with the other EV on Nissan sales lots – the Leaf, with its sub-$20,000 price tag once incentives are factored in.

The Ariya will start at $45,490, plus a $1,175 destination charge. Prices climb over $60,000 for the top trim. Shoppers can order the Ariya today, but deliveries will begin next fall. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) Ariyas will deliver first, “followed by all-wheel-drive models [AWD] in late fall.”

Dressy Two-Tone Look

It’s a sharp-looking vehicle with a two-tone color scheme and a shape closer to the Lexus NX than anything in Nissan’s lineup. The Ariya seats five in a cabin with a wide bezel housing a screen for the driver’s instrument display and a central touchscreen mounted together to look like a single unit. Dual-zone climate control is standard, as well as, curiously, wireless Apple Carplay and wired Android Auto.

Adaptive cruise control with lane centering and blind-spot monitoring are standard. Top-of-the-line Premiere models get a self-parking system.

238 Horsepower, or 389

At launch next year, all Ariyas will carry an 87 kWh battery pack. Mated to a single electric 238-horsepower motor driving the front wheels, it’s good for a driving range of 300 miles, Nissan says. AWD models get a second motor driving the rear wheels, which bumps power up to 389 horses. But buyers will pay a range penalty in exchange for the extra grip, with 265 miles of range. The EPA has not yet tested these estimates.

Future versions, Nissan says, will carry a 63 kWh battery and a lower price.

Pricing:

Nissan also requires a $1,175 destination fee on all Ariyas.