Towing and cargo with the Nissan ARIYA electric crossover SUV

With 59.7 cubic feet of trunk cargo space, and options to tow, the Nissan Ariya is a flexible and versatile electric crossover SUV.
Image: Nissan USA

If you’re intrigued by the sleek aesthetics, capabilities, and versatility of the Nissan Ariya electric crossover SUV, cargo capacity may have come across as a consideration during your evaluation.

Many crossover owners value the all-around versatility of having a vehicle that is compact and efficient like a sedan, but also a vehicle that has utility capabilities to haul larger loads than a sedan. The Ariya certainly fits the bill, with its large interior cargo space (59.7 cubic feet capacity) as well as the ability to mount an optional roof rack accessory.

However, if you occasionally need to haul around large objects that don’t fit in or on top of the Ariya, you might be wondering – can the Nissan Ariya tow a trailer behind it, and if so, what is the Ariya’s towing capacity?

Can the Nissan Ariya tow a trailer?

The Nissan Ariya has some capabilities for trailer towing, which gives versatility to owners who may occasionally tow a trailer for recreation and utility purposes.
Image: Nissan USA

The good news is that the Nissan Ariya is capable of towing trailers. However, the bad news is that only some of Nissan Ariya models/trims (more on that later) are capable of towing with the right accessories and equipment installed.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that Ariya’s design and positioning in the EV world is a crossover SUV. That means that the vehicle is designed for light towing, not heavy-duty everyday towing.

If you’re a landscaper or contractor looking to regularly haul heavy construction materials or large boulders, Ariya may not be the solution for you. But if you occasionally need to attach a small trailer to move some furniture and appliances for yourself or a friend, or looking to haul some recreational equipment like bikes, ATVs, and small boats, etc. the towing capabilities of the Nissan Ariya could be perfect for you.

The limited towing capabilities of the crossover SUV segment probably aren’t earth-shattering news if you’re used to towing regularly. But if you’re only an occasional tower and know that you’ll need to haul super-heavy loads, you may want to look at the full-size electric SUV or electric pickup truck segment instead. Or you could still go with the Ariya for your everyday needs, but rent a truck when higher towing capabilities are needed.

What is the Nissan Ariya’s rated towing capacity?

Nissan’s official rating for the 2023 Nissan Ariya towing capacity is 1,500 lbs. This is pretty comparable to many other small SUVs and crossovers SUVs on the market, both in the EV and the conventional ICE segments. Ariya’s 1,500-lb towing capacity is also equivalent to the towing capacities of the brand’s other crossover SUVs, Nissan Murano and Nissan Rogue. https://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/towing-capacity-and-payload.html

How much hauling does 1,500 lbs. of towing capacity on the Nissan Ariya give you?

This should be ample capacity for light duty hauls. Most small utility, jet ski, motor cycle, and boat trailers weigh between 500 and 1,000 lbs., which leaves room for a few hundred pounds of load to be hauled in the trailer itself. For example, depending on the actual weights of the objects, you could potentially tow a refrigerator or new washer & dryer set with a small utility trailer and still be within the Nissan Ariya’s 1,500-lb towing capacity.

As always, given the variety of things that can be towed and loaded onto trailers, refer to official manuals and documentation from your vehicle, trailer, and payload manufacturers for guidance on towing configurations and limits.

Only all-wheel drive AWD versions of the Nissan Ariya can tow

Towing capabilities on the Nissan ARIYA are limited to all-wheel drive (AWD) trims such as the Engage, Evolve, and Platinum trims, which come in an AWD e-4ORCE version.
Image: Nissan USA

If you’ll be needing to tow, there is one notable distinction to be aware of before purchasing a Nissan Ariya.

Per Nissan’s website, only all-wheel drive (AWD) versions of the Ariya, which Nissan brands as e-4ORCE, are officially listed as being capable of towing.

This distinction make sense, as e-4ORCE-equipped AWD Ariya’s have higher torque and horsepower ratings than their front-wheel drive (FWD) counterparts.

Nissan Ariya FWD models only have about 200-240 horsepower and about 220 ft-lb of torque, whereas in its AWD models, this increases to over 300 horsepower and over 400 ft-lb of torque.

Additionally, it is also possible that physics and inherent vehicle handling characteristics may be another limiting reason in why only AWD versions of the Ariya are capable of towing.

Vehicle handling is largely influenced by friction forces between the tires and the road. If you remember from your high school physics class, friction force equals to coefficient of friction (in this case the frictional capability between the tires and the driving surface below) multiplied by the normal force exerted on the body (the weight of the car pushing against the road).

When towing a trailer, front-wheel drive vehicles may face reduced handling because the heavy load on the back of the vehicle shifts the balance of the vehicle, reducing load on the front wheels. So if you reduce the load on the front tires, the friction force between those tires and the driving surface drops, which may reduce the vehicle’s handling.

Bottom Line

The Nissan Ariya is a very capable and versatile electric crossover vehicle with plenty of cargo capacity on the inside as well as on its roof with optional roof rack accessories.

If you are an owner who occasionally needs even more cargo capacity than what will fit within and on top of the vehicle, the Ariya is capable of doing some light-duty towing with the proper hitch accessories.

As a crossover, towing capacities will be limited to 1,500 lbs, but this should be plenty for towing a small utility trailer with lighter pieces of equipment on it.

Due to horsepower and torque capabilities, towing is only officially available on Ariya’s AWD models. If you need additional towing capacity you could consider an electric SUV or electric pickup truck instead, or simply go with the Nissan Ariya for everyday needs and borrow a truck when needed.