2023 Nissan Ariya vs 2022 Volvo XC90

Volvo had come a long way from its boxy cars and wagons of the past decades. The brand maintained its family-friendly, safety-oriented image while moving upscale, nearing the luxury class. After Ford sold Volvo to China's Zhejiang Geely Holding in 2010, the company developed new vehicle platforms from scratch, leading to today's lineup of sedans and crossover SUVs. The 2022 XC90, launched as a 2016 model, was the company's flagship SUV, riding on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform.

The 2022 XC90 had a great stance and a sleek profile, with a body that seemed poised to launch forward. Its long roofline contained a big greenhouse without telegraphing bulk and height. Pronounced wheel arches emphasized athleticism, and a snub nose recalled the classic 245 wagon's upright grille. The interior, described as "Scandinavian Modern" and "Swedish Luxury," featured natural wood and metal trim, with exquisite details like a sliding wood tambor cover and a clear crystal gear selector handle. Volvo committed to going leather-free by 2030, but the XC90 still offered Nappa leather and a tailored wool blend upholstery option.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya flaunted a modern and striking design, with an oval shape dominating its side profile. The crossover's front and rear ends sloped smoothly but quickly away from the roof’s high point, with minimal horizontal lines. Thin LED headlights, diagonal arrays of LED running lights, and turn signals supported the front grille, which mimicked Nissan’s “V-Motion” design language. The rear featured a thin taillight spanning the width and “NISSAN” lettering above the license plate bracket.

Inside, the Ariya revealed beautiful craftsmanship with minimal cheap, hard plastic. The dashboard looked simplistic, with dual 12-inch monitors displaying necessary information. Illuminated haptic buttons below the infotainment touchscreen added a modern touch. The interior felt open and airy due to the lack of a transmission tunnel. The Ariya offered a range of trim levels, with both front-wheel drive (FWD) and "e-4ORCE" all-wheel drive (AWD) options. Our test vehicles, a Premier trim with FWD and a Platinum+ trim with e-4ORCE AWD, provided comfortable seating and ample adjustment options.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains. The T5 models used a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 models featured a supercharged and turbocharged version of that engine, delivering 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. The T8 models had a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque from gasoline and electric sources. T5 models were front-wheel drive (FWD) with available all-wheel drive (AWD), while T6 and T8 models were AWD only. All XC90 models used a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.

The XC90 engines required Premium (91-octane) gasoline. The EPA estimated T5 FWD models to achieve 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/25 mpg combined, while T5 AWD models came in at 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway/23 mpg combined. T6 AWD models were rated at 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. The T8 had a 27 mpg combined rating on gas and 55 MPGe with an 18-mile EV range. The extended range variant had a 26 mpg combined gasoline rating, a 66 MPGe rating, and an EV range of up to 36 miles. Charging the battery from empty to fully charged took about five hours at 240 volts (Level 2).

The 2023 Nissan Ariya had a confusing trim lineup. The base Engage FWD model featured a 63-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack and a 160-kilowatt (kW) AC synchronous single motor, producing 214 horsepower. The Engage AWD trim added an additional motor for AWD. The Engage+ AWD and other trims with the “+” designation received an 87-kWh extended range battery. The Venture+ FWD had a more powerful 178-kW motor making 238 horsepower. Higher trims included the Evolve+ (available with FWD or AWD), Empower+ FWD, Premiere FWD, and the top-tier Platinum+ AWD.

With an 87-kWh battery, Nissan expected the Ariya to charge from 20% to 80% in 40 minutes on a 130-kW DC fast charger. The smaller battery took only 35 minutes. The FWD Ariya provided quick and spritely performance, with well-managed body roll and a comfortable suspension. The AWD Ariya, with 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, accelerated from 0-60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Nissan’s e-4ORCE AWD system offered phenomenal grip and mitigated pitch and nose-dive under hard braking. The Ariya had three drive modes: Eco, Standard, and Sport, with Sport mode providing a temporary performance boost. The auto-parking function could autonomously park the Ariya in perpendicular and parallel spots.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 came in six-passenger and seven-passenger configurations, with easy access to the third row via a one-handed slide and fold of the second row. The third row was suitable for kids but lacked legroom and thigh support for adults. The XC90 could carry up to 15.9 cubic feet of luggage behind its third row, 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 85.7 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. It could tow between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds, depending on configuration and powertrain. The XC90's interior featured ample storage space, comfortable seating, and a standard laminated panoramic moonroof. The air-conditioning system performed well during a heat wave, providing a sanctuary from the weather.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya benefited from its ground-up EV architecture, offering an airy and open interior. Both front and rear passengers had plenty of legroom, although headroom felt tight in the back due to the big sunroof. The lack of a transmission tunnel made the interior feel like a mobile living room. Total cargo space measured 59 cubic feet, comparable to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-e but behind the Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson, and Ford Escape. The Ariya featured a powered bin under the center stack, controlled via a haptic button on the center console, which also had power adjustability. The console buttons controlled drive modes, auto-parking function, and e-Step regenerative braking mode.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, with a nine-inch diagonal, portrait-oriented touchscreen interface. The system supported familiar smartphone gestures but was occasionally glitchy and slow to respond. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel offering easy configuration and customization. The $1,650 Advanced package included a head-up display, a 360-degree surround view camera system, and an advanced air cleaner. The XC90 came with standard Harman Kardon Premium Sound, with a $3,200 Bowers & Wilkins upgrade available. The vehicle included two front USB-A ports, two rear USB-C ports, a WiFi hotspot, and the Volvo Care smartphone app.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya employed dual 12-inch displays for driver information and general infotainment. The screens were crisp and bright, with a seamless physical connection. Wireless Apple CarPlay was standard on all trims, while Android Auto required a wired connection. Most trims included a head-up display. The Ariya featured Alexa compatibility, allowing users to control smart home devices and start the car via voice commands. The infotainment software was full-featured, easy to use, and modern.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 had a long list of safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking assist, rain-sensing wipers, slippery road alert, lane-keeping aid, adaptive cruise control, oncoming lane mitigation, and road-sign recognition. The Pilot Assist system combined several safety features for highway driving with minimal driver intervention. The XC90 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya featured ProPilot Assist 2.0 on the Empower+ and Platinum+ trims, offering hands-free driving capabilities and lane-change assist. All Ariya models included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, a driver-attention monitor, and traffic-sign recognition. The Ariya had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS.