Nissan Ariya - Interior, design and technology

At first glance, the all-electric Nissan Ariya offers plenty of kerb appeal. Buyers will need to recalibrate their expectations about a Nissan family SUV because we think it outclasses anything else the Japanese manufacturer currently has in its line-up.

The Ariya has a distinctive exterior design (shown to great effect in Akatsuki Copper), but it's inside the cabin where buyers will be seriously impressed. The level of perceived quality is excellent, and better than you’ll find in any Volkswagen ID-badged rival. The wood-effect trim combines well with the premium-feeling upholstery, while the ambient lighting — inspired by traditional Japanese lanterns — is a smart touch.

Instead of traditional dials to operate the heating and ventilation functions, Nissan has used a series of haptic controls set into the dash below the 12.3-inch infotainment screen. They work surprisingly well and add to the cool interior design theme.

It’s a straightforward choice in terms of equipment levels; the entry-level Engage model is flush with useful kit and technology, but the mid-range Advance adds luxuries like wireless phone charging, a 360-degree camera system, an electric tailgate, plus heated front seats and steering wheel, along with a heated windscreen. There are also a couple of option packs you can add, such as an openable panoramic sunroof as part of the ‘sky pack’, as well as the ‘Tech Pack’, which includes a 10-speaker Bose sound system, head-up display, and digital rear-view mirror.

If you step up to Evolve trim, you get all these features, along with adaptive high beam head lights, ventilated front and heated rear seats, Nissan's ProPilot Park system, and the sliding centre console, among other luxuries. Upgrading to Evolve spec over Advance costs around £4,000, though, so we’d save some money and stick with the regular Advance trim.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Although the twin 12.3-inch displays are large, the resolution isn’t as high as we’d like, so the data displayed isn’t as sharp as you’ll find with rivals such as the Genesis GV60. Despite this, the software is lightyears ahead of what Nissan offers in its other electric car, the Nissan Leaf. 

We’re impressed by the screen’s speed when responding to touches, while loading times, in general, are competitive with systems from rivals such as Volkswagen. The map display is bright and clear, without any fussy, unnecessary details cluttering it. The system can also select the most energy-efficient route and suggest charging stops along your journey, plus a function to pre-condition the battery before you arrive for the most effective recharging.

Of course, there’s the added benefit of standard wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity if you want to run navigation or audio apps directly from your phone. Entry-level Engage does without wireless phone charging, but this can be added as part of the Technology Pack. Mid-range Advance gets this as standard.

A basic six-speaker sound system is standard, with the option to upgrade to a 10-speaker Bose sound system if you add the Technology pack to a mid-range Advance trim.