Should you buy one?

After an EV that will also fit the family? The Ariya is likely to be on your list, but its appeal is too uneven to shine in a crowded market crammed with talented rivals. The interior is a huge step up from other Nissan cars, the tech is spot on, it looks fabulous inside and out, and on paper at least, the charging and range specs look good enough.

This is where it gets difficult. It needs to beat the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Skoda Enyaq iV, Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and although it’s a solid leap over the Leaf, it’s not quite good enough to beat the EV6 and the Enyaq.

Nissan is in a great position as an EV pioneer, which means it’s been doing this a lot longer than the opposition, which could well translate into efficiency and range advantages over all of them, but in the real world, its range and efficiency aren’t quite good enough, while the stiff-legged ride is a disappointment.

What we like

The styling is bold and stand-out, the interior attractive, while four-wheel drive models give plenty of all-weather confidence and impressive acceleration. Space may not be the best in class, but it’s not far off.

What we don’t like

The handling is predictable and safe, but there’s never any sense of fun when you fancy cheering yourself up on the long way home, while the ride quality is disappointing.

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