ELECTRIC ARIYA' A SO-SO NISMO

Quick, sporty SUV stands out but falls short when squaring up to rivals

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Nissan’s Nismo division has been responsible for creating some of the most engaging and technically brilliant Japanese performance cars over the past 40 years - and this promises to be the latest. Based on the Ariya, Nissan's electric SUV, on paper it has all the right ingredients.

WHAT’S NEW?

Building a hot electric SUV isn't as silly as it sounds. Hyundai has showed how engaging a pure electric performance car can be with its Ioniq 5 N, while there's a growing trend for fast, sportily-styled but still practical SUVs like the Volkswagen ID-4 GTX and Skoda Enyaq vRS.

Nismo has taken the stylish, but pretty conventional, Ariya and whacked up the power to 430bhp, given it a suitable bodykit and retuned the e4orce four-wheel drive system that it claims offers greater turning and lateral forces than the fearsome GT-R Nismo.

Plus, the system can adjust the power sent to each wheel 10,000 times per second, giving a 12% improvement to grip levels.

UNDER THE BONNET?

Nissan already offers dual-motor, four-wheel drive versions of its Ariya, but here the wick has been turned up. Normal four-wheel drive Ariyas get two 215bhp electric motors, one for each axle, and are restricted to give a maximum of 302bhp.