Electric Ariya's 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?