Ariya Finalist For Green Car Report Award

Rather than having “of the Year” in its name, the Green Car Report is a bit more straightforward in the name of its annual vehicle award. It is the Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2024. “The Best Car to Buy”; It doesn’t get any more direct than that. Nissan of Rochester is pleased to tell you that the Ariya EV is one of four finalists for the award. The other finalists are the Hyundai IONIQ 6, the Kia EV9, and the only non-EV finalist, the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid.

As implied by their name, Green Car Reports places a vehicle’s environmental impact, or lack thereof, front and center. This includes the car’s manufacture as well as its operation. While they acknowledge that assembling an electric vehicle has a larger environmental footprint than that of a conventional internal combustion vehicle, they are quick to add that the greater manufacturing impact is offset in just a few years of the EV’s operation. “A series of amassed peer-reviewed papers and respected scientific sources agree that in the vast majority of typical use cases, electric vehicles are better for the environment.“ 

They don’t just consider EVs, however, as they recognize the value of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles as well, stating: “…an all-or-nothing approach isn’t always the best way to electrify the fleet, and for the greater good the next-best option is often better than not opting for a greener pick at all.” While range has been the metric most quickly associated with EVs, they state that this may have less importance as the charging infrastructure builds. “Efficiency is key”, which is to say that being an EV is not enough, it should be an efficient EV. 

When discussing their choice of the Nissan Ariya as a finalist, they paid particular attention to the all-wheel drive model. While stating that the FWD Ariya is “smooth and refined”, they had this to say about the Ariya’s e-4orce AWD system: “With chassis smarts derived from Nissan’s GT-R supercar, adapted to the reaction times of electric motors, e-4orce has a way of using its dual-motor system not just for traction but to neutralize choppy backroad ride quality and help the SUV through corners.” They also extended praise to the Ariya interior: “…a super-quiet cabin, a warm ambiance, and an upscale look and feel that extends from the interface to what elbows rub up against.”

The winner of the Green Car Report award will be announced on January 3rd, 2024, and of course, everyone at Nissan of Rochester hopes the Ariya wins. But the Ariya is a winner already as the only two-row SUV among the finalists. If you are wondering if an EV could be right for you, start with the Nissan of Rochester EV Center where you can be informed about EV charging, maintenance, and all things EV.