Nissan’s first electric crossover has arrived in Canada, and now you can see it for yourself
It was a little more than a decade ago when Nissan launched the Leaf and became an early mass producer of EVs.
Now, more than a year and a half after its initial reveal, the Nissan Ariya has finally arrived in Canada. The Ariya is Nissan’s first fully electric crossover and aims to take on rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6.
In Canada, the Ariya will be available in six grades at launch. The entry-level Engage grade comes with a 63-kWh battery, an electric motor making 214-hp and 221 lb-ft of torque that’s mounted on the front axle for front-wheel drive, and an estimated range of 346 kilometres. A heat pump for more efficient heating of the cabin is standard equipment. The Evolve grade adds a second motor to the rear axle to create all-wheel drive and has a total power output of 335 hp and 413 lb-ft with a slightly lower 328 km estimated range.
Step up to the Venture+ and you receive a power bump to the motor for 238 hp in front-wheel drive, while the 87-kWh battery extends the Ariya’s range to an estimated 482 km. The Evolve+ comes in the same configuration but has a slightly lower quoted range at 463 km due to higher power draw from more included features.
The range-topping Platinum+ grade includes the larger 87 kWh battery and all-wheel drive through two motors with a combined power output of 389 hp and 442 lb-ft, with an estimated range of 426 km. Power and range figures are the same on the Premiere grade, which is a special edition for the launch year that comes with unique styling elements. All grades will be equipped with a CCS charging port with a maximum charging rate of 130 kW.
The Ariya that’s currently on the ground in Canada is in right-hand drive Japanese specification that’s roughly equivalent to the Platinum+ grade we’ll see in our market. Its exterior has tall arches that surround wheels with aerodynamically optimized covers, a blacked-out roof with brushed chrome window surrounds, contoured side skirts, and a rear taillight bar (which, to our eye, closely resembles Porsche’s current styling). Nissan says the grille pattern is inspired by Japanese Kumiko wood artistry, and the motif repeats throughout the cabin.
Inside, two standard 12.3-inch screens display the instrument cluster and the infotainment system, which comes with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The flat-bottomed steering wheel and Kumiko-patterned speaker grilles and interior lighting are notable, but the design feature that stands out most is the HVAC controls, which are built directly into the wood-look panel underneath the infotainment screen. Rather than using hard buttons, the controls are activated by tapping directly on the panel and respond with haptic feedback.
Because the Ariya’s EV-dedicated platform doesn’t require a drivetrain channel, the centre console is fully disconnected from the dashboard and is motorized, meaning it can move roughly 15 centimetres forward or backward. The shifter sits on top of it in front of a standard wireless phone charger and more built-in controls to adjust drive modes or activate Nissan’s ePedal mode. Unlike the ePedal mode in the Nissan Leaf, lifting a foot off the accelerator in the Ariya will bring the vehicle nearly but not fully to a stop, a change that Nissan says was requested by Leaf owners. While the console itself has no storage space, two drop-down glove compartments are built into the bottom of the dashboard.
The Nappa leather shown here is included on the Platinum grade, while cloth or leatherette seating is standard on lower grades. Unlike some competitors, Nissan does not offer a fully vegan interior. The available panoramic sunroof has a panel that opens, and a head-up display and digital rear camera mirror are available. Heated front seats are standard, and ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats are available. The leather interior includes zippers to cover the LATCH connectors and straps to keep the second-row seatbelts in place, which are thoughtful and upscale details. Nissan’s Divide ‘n Hide cargo system is also available.
Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of safety features, as well as the ProPilot Assist driver assistance technology, are both standard. A new feature called ProPilot Park is available, which Nissan says will partially automate the parking process.
Reservations are open for the 2023 Ariya, which can be placed at Nissan.ca/ariyareserve with a refundable deposit of $1,000. Pricing will be announced closer to the autumn launch date, which will see FWD models arrive first and AWD follow a few weeks later. When the Ariya does officially go on sale, it will be available at select Nissan dealers across Canada, not solely in provinces with EV rebates. Nissan representatives declined to comment on whether the Ariya might fall below the $45,000 base price threshold required to qualify for the federal iZEV rebate program.
In the meantime, the Ariya can currently be previewed at the Nissan Studio. It can be seen in person at the studio’s live location at Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall or, for those outside the Toronto area, a digital walkaround is being offered at nissan.ca/nissanstudio. Both the Ariya and the 2023 Nissan Z will be in the studio until February 28.
Keyword: FIRST LOOK: 2023 Nissan Ariya