Nissan Ariya vs. Nissan Leaf

Dec 16, 2021

Nissan breaks ahead in the electric car race with the 2022 Leaf and the 2023 Nissan Ariya. Both of these excellent electric cars are extremely efficient and well-equipped. We’ll describe the core features of each below, so you’ll know which one suits you best.

Engine Cores and Performance

The Nissan Leaf for the 2022 model year is available in the S, SV, S Plus, SV Plus, and SL Plus trim levels, while the Nissan Ariya is available in the Premiere, Venture+, Evolve+, and Platinum+. The Leaf’s core is a combination of a 40kWh lithium-ion battery and a 110 kW electric motor generating 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.

The Leaf makes the run from zero to 60 in seven seconds and tops out at a maximum speed of 98mph. Its transmission is a single-speed continuously variable version tied to a front-wheel-drive system. This Nissan Leaf has torsion beam strut suspension in front and rear.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya’s core is made up of an 87kWh battery and two AC synchronous electric motors granting 238 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque. This high-tech electric vehicle comes with e-4ORCE all-wheel drive, making it quick enough on the shift to respond like a sports car. This system is capable of transferring 100% of the engine power to the front or rear wheels as needed, making this an ultra-stable EV.

Each wheel is monitored individually by the onboard computer to maximize traction through all-weather control programming. The Ariya and Leaf both run for 300 miles per charge. The suspension system on the Ariya is multi-link in the front and rear.

Exterior Comparison

The 2022 Nissan Leaf EV has a body profile that seems to lean towards the front of the car, with large spear-tip headlights, understated flank body lines, and a hood with a futuristic-looking air intake. It’s available in Brilliant Aluminum Metallic, Sunset Drift Chromaflair, Scarlet Ember, Iridium Blue, Pearl White, Black Obsidian, Two-Tone White and Black, and Gun Metallic paint colors. Its standard exterior features include LED brake lights, 17-inch wheels, a lip spoiler, and variable intermittent windshield wipers. Exterior options on this Leaf include heated side-view mirrors with turn signals, machined wheels with painted accents, and front fog lamps.

The 2023 Ariya ESUV looks like it just drove through a portal from the future. It features incredibly smooth body lines that make the EV look carved rather than assembled. The shape of its front is unique and interesting, with quad-lamp headlights, a dark-tinted engine core panel in place of the grille, and engine venting on either side of a bumper that curves inwards and upwards toward the smooth hood. Exterior paint colors on the Ariya include Aurora Green, Tinted Red, Pearl Blue, and Akatsuki Copper so far, but others will be announced.

Safety Technology Cluster Comparison

The 2022 Nissan Leaf comes with a broad range of safety features standards, including a forward collision mitigation system, rear child safety locks, an intelligent frontal camera system, parking sensors, driveline traction control, Intelligent Lane Intervention lane-keeping assistance tech, electronic stability controls, and a rear collision mitigation system.

Safety options include a full-surround view camera system, cruise control with steering assistance, and a driver monitoring and alert system. The front airbags are occupant-sensing and dual-stage. The Leaf also comes with a hands-free text messaging assistant. This assistant allows you to speak into your infotainment system to compose and send texts without having to take your hands off of the wheel.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya’s safety technologies include the ProPilot 2.0 features cluster. This system includes driver assistance technology capable of navigating hands-off down single lanes. This system is guided by GPS technology, so it will not operate in areas without satellite reception. The Ariya keeps its distance through a 360-degree sensor system. It’s capable of shifting lanes with driver approval through these sensors. Keep in mind that this is a driver-assisting technology cluster, not a driver replacement. Your driving choices will always take precedence over computer-generated ones.

The 2023 Ariya can park itself through the ProPilot Parking System. The Computer will use the onboard sensors to find the proper path, then use the steering, gas, brakes, and gear shifter to move the car into a parking spot. Other safety features include an intelligent rear-view mirror, intelligent forward collision warning, automatic rear braking, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and intelligent blind spot intervention.

Interior and Entertainment Comparison

The 2022 Nissan Leaf comes with standard interior features like an air filtration system, automatic air conditioning, distance-pacing stop-and-go cruise control, one-touch up-and-down power windows, a 12-volt DC power outlet, push-button start, a metal-look gear shifter, steering wheel controls for the cruise control system, and fade-to-off interior lighting. Interior options include a rigid cargo concealment cover, eight-way power-adjustable heated bucket seats, NissanConnect services, SiriusXM satellite radio, heated leather and metal-look steering wheel, an HVAC system with under-seat ducts, and a day-night auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya features a massive curved multi-monitor infotainment system set into the dashboard. The left side shows all of the system information for the car, while the right side has displays for weather reports, phone calls, user customization and memory settings, music players, and more. The central console slides to grant you extra room when needed. The glove box doubles as a small laptop desk for the front passenger, the sound system is a premium Bose version, and the heating and air controls are laid out on a smooth button-free touch surface.

Other interior features in the Ariya include built-in Alexa access with available home device interface, an intelligent route planning system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto app mirroring and device integration, dual 12.3-inch touch screens for the front row, and multiple USB ports in the front.

Both the 2022 Leaf and the 2023 Ariya are amazing electric vehicles worthy of serious consideration and available at Rydell Nissan of Grand Forks. Contact us for more information on this electric car and electric sport utility vehicle. Our seasoned and professional staff will gladly guide you through our excellent inventory of the vehicle you feel suits you best.