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Confident traction and all-weather all-wheel drive capability is something many families now consider a must-have in any utility vehicle.
Likewise, we expect that AWD electric vehicles like the 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce also accelerate faster, with dual motors rather than single motors.
With its auxiliary motor unit at the rear wheel, the e-4orce’s dual motor effectively doubles the Ariya’s single-motor propulsion arrangement—amounting to 389 hp and 442 lb-ft, which is a 63% increase in power over the e-4orce and exactly twice the torque of the older version. single motor. That means 0-60 mph acceleration drops to just 4.8 seconds, compared to 7.2 seconds on the FWD Ariya.
On my first ride last week on the storm-ravaged highways and backroads that connect Northern California wine country to the coast, it didn’t take long for me to feel the extra punch of dual-motor muscle. At all except the initial standing, it is not smooth. While the front-wheel drive Ariya feels fairly fast from about 10 mph to well past 50 mph, the Ariya e-4orce packs an almost silent punch, making it quicker through those speeds to the speed limit. And it can be very fast in the 40-70 mph zone where you’ll probably step your right foot down to pass.
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
But wait, there’s more. If the stylish e-4orce badge wasn’t enough of a hint, Nissan wants us to see its view of AWD as something transcendent than all the other entries in this buzzing field right now including the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4 .
Ariya e-4orce travel and handling
In the interest of ride, handling and overall dynamics, the e-4orce can actuate each of the four-wheel brakes separately while running each of the two bikes separately in its propulsion or regenerative braking modes.
As Nissan pointed out, the e-4orce is a direct derivative of the GT-R supercar’s ATTESA all-wheel drive system, as well as its earlier traction-oriented AWD system. But if Nissan GT-R-style four-wheel drift is on the menu—or even balancing angular attitude on the throttle, or throwing your passengers g-strokes—you’ll be sorely disappointed. Then again, why would you expect to spit out the tail in a rather tall crossover?
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
Nissan instead threw into the system a personality that made sense for the Ariya, essentially making it feel like a very well-coordinated front-wheel drive vehicle. And here, the way Nissan has harnessed all that vehicle dynamics intelligence goes into something better: It makes you feel like a better driver, and it makes everyone in the vehicle happier.
It also means that Nissan has been able to tune the Ariya e-4orce more gently than its rival two-motor electric SUVs. That’s a big selling point. This is one of the lowest buttoned crossovers that can accelerate to 60 mph in less than five seconds, and does so without any tricky air suspension or adjustable dampers. It only engages the motor and brakes from time to time to prevent unnatural body movements.
On a dynamic basis, Nissan has complicated the e-4orce system. Try to trip him up by tucking the front wheel even tighter and the rear tire’s inside pulling as hard as it can for traction while slowing down a bit. Again, it makes you look like a better driver.
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
In practice at Sonoma Raceway, replicating fast lane changes and increasingly narrower radius corners (as above, but dry), I could feel the e-4orce at work from the driver’s seat. But when I backed up and watched other drivers do the same, I saw a lot of sleek bodies from the outside. As system proof, it’s not something you feel from inside the vehicle.
Ariya e-4orce range and charging
The Ariya e-4orce has Normal, Eco, Sport and Snow modes, and the Sport setting adds additional driving sound and makes the accelerator a little more sensitive and the steering a little firmer, while Eco softens your input into the accelerator. But unlike some other AWD EVs, the distribution of torque between the front and rear motors doesn’t change. Most of the time, the e-4orce’s system revolves around a 50/50 distribution, according to Nissan, making small adjustments to vary the torque between the front and rear wheels.
That doesn’t appear to be detrimental to range or real-world efficiency. During nearly 170 miles of vigorous backroad and freeway driving, switching between modes and styles, the Ariya e-4orce averaged 3.3 mi/kwh according to the trip computer—enough to easily beat the included 267 mile range rating. with this top-of-the-line Ariya e-4orce Platinum+, equipped with a larger 91-kwh battery pack (87 kwh usable).
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
The Platinum+ models—including the one I tested—offer available 20-inch wheels, which count towards the lower rating range. But that and the lack of a iffy ride are further evidence of the effectiveness of its drive and tuning systems.
The temperatures were mild, ranging from the mid-50s to the low 60s Fahrenheit, but I had the climate control on most of the day. Ariya includes a battery warmer and heat pump to help minimize losses in cold weather and speed up fast charging.
Going with the bigger package, Nissan says the Ariya can quickly charge DC from 20-80% in 40 minutes. On a 240 volt AC connection, the Ariya 7.2 kw onboard charger boosts the battery from 0-100% in 14 hours.
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
convenience Ariya e-4orce
The overall silence of the Ariya cabin blew me away. On a sunny but still fairly windy day after a series of turbulent storms that flooded California wine country and is still recovering, dry mud and dusty sand covered much of the road surface, and I could feel the occasional strong wind through the steering wheel. But with acoustic windshields and acoustic glass not only on the front but also rear windows, the Ariya dampens wind noise as well as almost all road noise. It’s an impressive level of poise — perhaps helped by all the softly-textured surfaces inside. If luxury brand Infiniti Nissan ever gets its hands on an Ariya version, it’s hard to see where it could even elevate comfort and quietness.
In seating and materials, the Ariya feels luxurious and well equipped. The front seats are long and well cushioned, and the back seats are cushioned and adult-sized in a class that can be frugal at times. The finest details form certain textures and patterns for everything from the dashboard to the lighting; it’s all coordinated to stay satisfying on the finer points, but at first glance it’s very simple.
The center console has a power slide adjustment on most models, with a tray table built in as well. Second row passengers get full climate control ventilation.
Ariya e-4orce price and technology
Ariya’s top trim includes a head-up display, panoramic roof, power tailgate, powered front seats, heated front and rear (outboard) seats, and a wireless charging pad.
Nissan Ariya e-4orce 2023
The Ariya e-4orce costs $4,000 more than the front-wheel drive version. The version I’m driving is the top e-4orce only Platinum+ model priced at $61,485, including $1,295 destination fee.
With a smaller 66-kwh battery pack (63 kwh usable), the Ariya e-4orce starts at $44,485 in its basic front-wheel-drive Engage+ form and $48,485 with the e-4orce. If you want the e-4orce in combination with a larger package, the entry point is the $52,485 Engage+ model.
Among the e-4orce models, the Platinum+ I’ve driven is the only one that includes ProPilot auto parking and ProPilot Assist 2.0, which now allows hands-free lane changes and allows you to cruise on limited-access highways while touching the steering wheel only occasionally. From my initial testing, it kept your attention, and hesitated with those lane changes. We will bring more about this system when we have spent more time doing it.
Overall, the Ariya is a very different entry in the crowded electric crossover market — capable and fast, yet quiet and comfortable and seemingly without compromise. This requires a closer look, especially in e-4orce form. While the price and exterior may not entice you, driving is all it takes to be blown away by what’s inside.
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Nissan provides travel and accommodation and routes that lead us to very eco-friendly wines.
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