Nissan Ariya FE0

The Nissan Ariya (FE0, from 2022) is Nissan's modern electric SUV in the mid-size segment and a clear step away from the Leaf generation: a dedicated EV platform, a higher-quality interior, much more power and — unlike the Leaf — an actively liquid-cooled high-voltage battery. It is offered with various battery sizes, as a front-wheel-drive model or with the all-wheel-drive e-4ORCE system; the power range spans roughly 218 to nearly 400 hp.

Compared with the Leaf, the active battery cooling is the most important advance: it reduces the Rapidgate problem and makes the Ariya more usable for longer trips with fast-charging stops. The main concern thus shifts away from pure battery degradation toward electronics and recalls, as are not unusual on a young model line.

At the centre are the 12V system and the central charging control (ICCU/onboard-charger area), which on modern EVs can lead to starting problems or charging and communication faults — a known pattern on current EVs worth keeping in mind. Added to this are recalls around the inverter and traction motor (listed under the US NHTSA identifiers 24V560 and 24V391, among others), which in the worst case can involve power loss or a breakdown. On a used purchase it is therefore central: have all relevant recalls and software updates been carried out? A look into the service records and a check for open campaigns are a must.

Because the Ariya is still young, there is no long breakdown history to go by — the assessment rests on the known recalls and the typical EV topics. That does not speak against the car in principle, but it does demand close attention to software and recall status.

Buying advice: check whether all recalls (especially those concerning the inverter and traction motor) have been completed and the software is up to date. Have the battery condition (SOH) read out — despite active cooling, this belongs to any used EV. Test charging at AC and DC stations, check the 12V system and starting behaviour, and verify the charging communication. On the e-4ORCE all-wheel drive, watch for smooth, even power delivery.

Verdict: the Ariya is a well-thought-out, comfortable and powerful electric SUV that sheds a genuine weak point of the Leaf line with its active battery cooling. The biggest question marks are the electronics and recall topics typical of young EVs around the ICCU/12V, inverter and traction motor. Anyone buying an Ariya with all recalls completed, up-to-date software and a checked battery condition gets a modern, more long-distance-capable electric SUV.