Inside Scoop: The 2023 Nissan Ariya's Interior Is Out Of This World

If it wasn’t obvious before, we’re about to make our stance on the upcoming Nissan ARIYA crystal clear. Nissan’s first fully electric crossover SUV is set to make its Canadian debut at the 78th Montreal International Auto Show in late January next year, and we couldn’t be more excited. 

The 2023 Nissan ARIYA embodies the first stage of Nissan’s transformative initiative, Nissan NEXT, “a four-year plan building on Nissan's reputation for innovation, craftsmanship, customer-focus and quality, alongside an ongoing cultural transformation.” 

The ARIYA combines the latest technology with powerfully smooth driving dynamics beneath its sophisticated, yet simple exterior. It can be hard not to get caught up on the ARIYA’s exterior aesthetic - one look at these early previews and we were instantly hooked. But today, we’re going to get comfy cozy in the ARIYA’s cabin and find out why its interior has been labelled a “game changer” for the EV industry. 

Let’s start with the basics. While full details haven’t been released yet, we know that the ARIYA will sit on the newly engineered Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-EV platform, built specifically for electric vehicles. This means the ARIYA will be more spacious and have more flexibility in terms of its possible interior configurations. 

The ARIYA’s long wheelbase lends itself to increased backseat space, while the flat floor keeps the front passenger footwell completely open from door to door, giving the area an “open-concept” feeling more commonly found in a modern living room than a modern car.

Nissan describes the ARIYA’s interior design as “akin to a sleek café lounge on a starship,” and surprisingly enough, we think they hit the nail on the head. Choosing to forgo traditional push buttons in favour of a sleek dashboard, the ARIYA combines nature-inspired elements with futuristic touches to create a cabin like no other. 

Wood-like trim paired with bronze accents throughout the cabin completely transform the ARIYA into a luxurious, lounge-like environment. Autoblog’s James Riswick notes the ARIYA’s “slick inclusion of illuminated, touch-operated climate controls are modern and just seriously cool.” There’s also a power-sliding center console that moves back and forth to “better accommodate the elbows of different driver heights or just personal preference,” as Riswick puts it. 

To top it off, the ARIYA offers dual 12.3-inch displays encased in a single unit resting on top of the dash. One display can be used by the driver so “information can be quickly digested,” while the other serves as the crossover’s infotainment system. Both displays feature customizable layouts and are controlled via the steering wheel, a feature unique to the ARIYA. 

And Nissan’s electric SUV doesn’t just look nice, it feels nice, too. Engineers have incorporated Zero Gravity seating to allow for “vast amounts of legroom and easy interaction between front and rear-seat passengers.” The ARIYA’s “EV drivetrain and the generous use of sound-absorbing materials result in a quiet cabin, allowing occupants to relax and enjoy the stress-free, lounge-like space.”

Stay tuned as we keep you up to date with the latest information on Nissan’s all-new, all-electric SUV. Reserve your 2023 Nissan ARIYA through the Island’s only EV-certified Nissan dealership, Centennial Nissan of Charlottetown, beginning in January 2022. If you can’t wait until January, click here to take a virtual tour of the Nissan ARIYA today.