Long time lurker, first time poster!
Took delivery of an Ariya Premiere a few days ago to replace a 2nd generation Leaf (which was a replacement for a 1st gen Leaf). I wanted to write down some notes comparing it to our other EV, a 2022 Mustang Mach-E (California Route 1, extended battery AWD). Hopefully others will find this useful when shopping around for an EV.
Where applicable, I'll denote a winner for a certain feature. If it's a subjective decision, I'll add an asterisk (*).
I'll update this list as I spend more time driving the Ariya (the initial post was after 100 miles of driving the Ariya vs ~8000 for the Mach-E).
Software - winner: Mach-E
The software in the Ariya feels like the next iteration of the software found in the Leaf - where the dashboard and the media displays aren't really connected. Settings in the dashboard mostly revolve around driving and charging, and the settings in the media are for sound, maps, etc. Finding a particular setting can be difficult.
On the Mach-E, the center display controls everything and there's a small dashboard display in front on the steering wheel that displays minimal information
Granted, the Mach-E software has evolved a lot since its release a few years ago. I look forward to Nissan's refinement of its software, as there's so much potential with two large displays.
One-pedal driving - winner: Mach-E
I'm disappointed that Nissan decided to remove true one-pedal driving in the Ariya. It will slow the car down but won't bring it to a complete halt. One-pedal driving worked well in the Leaf, and also works well in the Mach-E.
One-touch camera button - tie
Both the Ariya and the Leaf have a dedicated button to turn on the 360 degree camera. This is helpful for parking in tight spaces. Ford added this as a dedicated screen button in an OTA in late 2022 / early 2023.
AC charge rate - winner: Mach-E
The Ariya charges at 7.2 kw, the Mach-E 9.6 kw.
Frunk - winner: Mach-E
The Mach-E has a (small) frunk, whereas the Ariya does not.
Low speed braking - winner: Ariya (*)
The Mach-E is not as easy to control at very low speeds (such as pulling into a parking space). It's either completely stopped or goes a bit too fast. One-pedal driving helps this a bit, but I feel that the Ariya (and the Leaf) has a more natural braking feel at very low speeds - very similar to an ICE.
Rear-view mirror - winner: Ariya
The Ariya has a screen in the rear-view "mirror" that shows a rear-facing video feed. It feels a bit odd and I haven't quite figured out how much of an angle is being displayed. Perhaps playing around rear-view display settings may help. The Mach-E has a traditional rear-view mirror.
Update (2022-01-06) - the Ariya rear-view mirror can be angled to function as a traditional mirror, so I'm changing the winner from the Mach-E to the Ariya.
Cabin preconditioning - winner: Ariya
Both the Ariya and Mach-E allow you to set a schedule to precondition (cool or heat) the cabin on specific days and times. Only the Ariya gives the option precondition on battery; the Mach-E requires the car to be plugged in. This is a drawback for folks that don't charge at home. The workaround for the Mach-E is to start the car via the app (which will precondition the cabin prior to your departure).
Acceleration
This is an unfair comparison as the Mach-E is AWD vs the Ariya's FWD, so the Mach-E is definitely faster. However, I feel the Ariya's acceleration is sufficient for real world use, including highway passing.
Ride quality
The Ariya has a smoother ride compared to the Mach-E. The Mach-E can be a bit bouncy on uneven roads, but seems to handle better.
Charging perks
Both the Ariya and Mach-E come with free charging perks. The Ariya offers unlimited charging at EVGo (starting the day of purchase or lease). The Mach-E offers 250kwh at Electrify America, which expires in 2 years.
BlueCruise vs ProPilot 2.0 - winner: Ford
Both the Ariya and Mach-E have varying levels of hands-free driving. Overall Ford's BlueCruise is a more refined system. Here's a detailed breakdown:
- Adaptive cruise control - Ford. Both are great at keeping distance between vehicles and adjusting speeds as necessary. Ford has a smoother transition when changing the cruise control target speed; the Ariya feels a bit jerky when changing acceleration.
- Lane-keep steering assist - tie. Both keep the car centered in the lane pretty well, both with and without hands-free steering enabled.
- Hands-free steering maps - Ford. In both cars, true hands-free driving is only available if the road is mapped in each car's respective driving system. In the San Francisco Bay Area based on my driving experience, the Ford seems to have far more roads mapped.
- Auto-lane change - Ariya (for now). The Ariya is able to automatically change lanes on the highway. BlueCruise is adding this feature in an upcoming version.
Features similar in both cars
- Wireless Apple Carplay
- Mobile hotspot
- Locking the car when walking away (and unlock when walking towards the car)
- All four window switches (on the driver's seat) offer one-touch open/close
Features pending further evaluation
- Over-The-Air updates. The Mach-E has been excellent with regular software updates. TBD on Nissan's effort.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if there's anything you'd like to know about either car.
Edits:
Jan 4 - added info on CarPlay and mobile hotspot, and the frunk
Jan 6 - added into on charging perks, cabin preconditioning, auto lock/unlock, window switches; update info on on camera button and rear view mirror
Feb 12 - added BlueCruise vs ProPilot 2.0 notes, updated info about the Mach-E one-touch camera button
