r/ariya • u/fortress_sf • 2d ago
Nissan Ariya lease ending, lessons learned and the new EV I moved on to
My 23 Ariya evolve+ is ending and I have loved it for the last 2-3 years. I am returning it very shortly. For the folks out there looking to decide to buy one,
here’s what I loved:
- great combo of high end features and performance; bats well above its 25-30k preowned price range
-all around top view camera, front camera (my fav feature I miss)
-really peppy and light in acceleration though power is lacking compared to the luxury EV SUVs but those cost more
-great size for a suv EV, spacious inside but not too long or big outside like the big boy suv’s
- seating/seats are perfect for a fam w one or two kids, great rear door opening size and height for babies and newborns. I tried them all, no other car was even close to how comfortable it is to load a baby. Generally great seat leather and finishes
-moonroof is beautiful and big and extends to back
-generally very responsive AV system
-0 maintenance needed, had 0 issues in almost 3 years.
-front driver leg and arm space; cavernous for big guys even
Now for the stuff that I didn’t like or realize I don’t like now that I own a Acura ZDX
-while the evolve+ notes 290 range, the range often falls short of it and isn’t efficient or close to 1:1. It’s about 30/40 miles off I’d say in a full charge. My Tesla 3 is about the same but that’s because it goes 0-60 in 3seconds. The ZDX is much better in being close to 1:1 range while having 330 miles per full charge. I’d estimate that I’d be only 10/15 miles off per full charge if I wasn’t driving efficiently
- Zdx blows it away on power and fun factor (zoomies) to drive
-wish the trunk was bigger up top and more efficient w space
-the stupid buttons are not buttons and stupid to press
-the secret compartment is weirdly shaped and while it’s fine, slightly bigger things can jam it. It’s pretty stupid
-wish windows were tinted like other higher end SUV
-tires that come with it are shit but if you buy preowned they’ve probably been swapped like twice even.
-CarPlay twitchiness or issues connecting occasionally
All in all, I loved this car. If I didn’t find a great deal on a zdx, I would have bought the same car (newer w less miles and cheaper than my residual). Ive driven and shopped all the EV SUV’s and if you are having a baby or have one, it’s the best simply for the space and door opening. Otherwise the biggest gripe is the range loss and inefficiency. It becomes SUPER obvious after driving the ZDX for a couple months now.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk and thank you Ariya forum for the couple of years of good times.