Nissan’s much-awaited Ariya electric coupé crossover is to open for orders next week, priced from £43,845 and delivering a range of up to 329 miles.

The Ariya is Nissan’s new flagship electric vehicle and its answer to the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4

Said to mark a new chapter for the brand, the Ariya was first revealed two years ago as the brand’s new flagship electric vehicle. It brings a rival to the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4.

It’s built on the new CMF-EV platform that’s being used by Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi as the benchmark platform for a new generation of EVs from the Alliance partners – including the Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric and the forthcoming Nissan Leaf and Renault Scenic replacements.

The platform is said to combine excellent power delivery, charging capabilities and range, with a carefully tuned balance between ride, comfort and handling agility.

The Ariya will be available in two grades – Advance and Evolve – and three different battery and powertrain combinations in the 2WD 63kWh, 2WD 87kWh, and e-4orce AWD 87kWh.

The entry-level 63kWh two-wheel drive model is aimed at families primarily using their vehicle in urban or suburban areas. It brings a 218hp output and 300Nm of torque, giving a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 100mph. Official WLTP combined range is 250 miles. This model is priced at £43,845 for the Advance and £47,840 for the Evolve.

It’s followed by the 87kWh two-wheel drive model, 242hp of power and 300Nm of torque and a 0-62mph time of 7.6 seconds along with the same 100mph top speed. Extended range from the larger battery stands at 329 miles – the highest among the line-up. The Advance is priced at £49,595 with Evolve at £53,590.

The top model is the e-4orce AWD 87kWh, which uses twin electric motors and all-wheel drive with Nissan’s e-4orce all-wheel control technology. It delivers the highest power of 306hp with 600Nm of torque and a 5.7-second 0-62mph time and 124mph top speed. Electric range stands at 310 miles, pending final verification. It’s priced from £52,295 for the Advance grade or £56,290 for the Evolve.

The entry-level 63kWh 2WD comes with 7.4kW AC charging as standard and the option of 22kW while both 87kWh take 22kW. All can be charged at 130kW DC.

The battery pack sits at the base of the chassis to ensure 50/50 weight distribution on the e-4orce version and near-equal weight distribution on the 2WD versions. Nissan’s technical team in Cranfield UK also looked to meet customer demands for responsive steering, high manoeuvrability and the need for additional stability at higher speed. As a result, damping forces have been increased to improve body control, while adjusted spring rates and retuned steering feedback enhance performance at higher speeds.

Nissan has also made use of the new EV platform and the compact nature of the electric powertrain to fit the climate-control system under the hood. This enables a flat, open floor in the cabin, said to bring a “lounge-like space inspired by premium futurism” and the most cabin volume in its segment, including “exemplary” legroom. The focus on onboard comfort continues with Zero Gravity ventilated seats, a panoramic openable sunroof and power-adjustable centre console.

Other onboard tech includes a ‘monolith’ display combining two 12.3-inch screens to provide important vehicle information at-a-glance. A head-up display is also available to help reduce driver distraction while the dashboard features haptic controls and physical buttons for main controls.

The Ariya is also equipped with intelligent personal assistance technology, employing a hybrid voice recognition system with advanced natural-language comprehension.

Connected systems include the Intelligent Route Planner, NissanConnect Services App and Alexa integration while Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto are also available.

Latest safety and driver-assist technologies are featured as standard. The ‘Advance’ grade includes ProPilot with Navi-Link, intelligent driver alertness and lane keep assist, traffic jam pilot, blind spot intervention, intelligent cruise control, full auto park, Apple Car Play and 360-degree around view monitor.

The higher-spec ‘Evolve’ trim adds in Pro-Pilot Park, heads-up display, a Bose 10-speaker system, electric panoramic sunroof, the electronic centre console, and black upholstery with synthetic leather seats and Ultrasuede inserts.