2026 Nissan Ariya review

It’s finally here! The Nissan Ariya was first revealed in concept form in Tokyo way back in 2019, before the production version – which admittedly looks a lot like the concept – debuted in 2020.

However, the long-awaited mid-size electric SUV didn’t commence production until 2022 due to component shortages amid the COVID crisis.

While it’s been on sale overseas for nearly four years, Nissan Australia had been pretty coy about when its answer to the Tesla Model Y would finally hit local showrooms. That changed earlier this year, when the Japanese brand’s local division finally confirmed the Ariya for local introduction, then dropped local pricing and specifications in August.

The managing director of Nissan Oceania – which includes Australia – Andrew Humberstone says the Ariya’s delayed introduction Down Under was intentional, allowing the company to respond to a rapidly changing market as well as the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

The Ariya will help the Japanese brand offset the CO2 outputs of high-emitting models like the large Patrol off-road SUV and Navara dual-cab ute, and also puts Nissan into the thick of the family EV market alongside top players like the Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV5.

Unlike many legacy manufacturers, which have struggled to land their EVs at a competitive price relative to emerging competition out of China, the Ariya kicks off under $56,000 – within reach of its aforementioned Chinese-made competitors as well as ICE and hybrid alternatives from within Nissan’s own stable as well as other brands.

So does Nissan’s fashionably late entry into this already saturated segment of the market deserve your consideration? We attended the Ariya’s long-awaited Australian media launch in Victoria to find out….

How much does the Nissan Ariya cost?

Prices for the local Ariya range start from $55,840 for the entry-level Engage variant, climbing to $71,840 for the flagship Evolve e-4ORCE with its 290kW dual-motor drivetrain.

In the scheme of things, the Ariya covers quite a large section of the mid-size electric SUV market and is well-positioned against key rivals like the Sealion 7 (from $54,990 before on-road costs), EV5 (from $56,770 drive-away) and Model Y (from $58,900 plus on-roads).

However, the value king remains the Geely EX5, which kicks off from a ridiculously low $40,990 before on-road costs. If you’re not tied to battery-electric power, Nissan’s own X-Trail is similarly sized and offers both petrol and e-Power series hybrid drivetrain options for much less, while there’s a litany of other medium SUVs like the popular Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5.

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Nissan Ariya like on the inside?

Nissan proudly says the Ariya is its flagship product in Australia, and it certainly feels that way in terms of presentation.

The minimalist design makes for a pretty open cabin, complete with plenty of soft-touch materials as well as wood-effect trim accents across the dashboard and centre console.

We only sampled the premium Advance+ and Evolve grades at the launch, but all variants get the same displays, leather-look door trims and a dashboard with top-stitch elements, as well as flourishes of bronze highlights. Evolve models score blue Nappa leather upholstery, which looks much better than it sounds.

In the higher-spec models it feels suitably modern and plush, and there’s a sense of familiarity given the dual 12.3-inch displays are running the same interface as other Nissan products like the Qashqai and X-Trail.

Unlike the smaller Qashqai, the Ariya doesn’t offer Google Built-in or Nissan Connected Car Services, which no doubt will set the comments section alight down below – yes, we read them!

Still, Nissan’s native interface is pretty flat in structure and straightforward to use, and if you use smartphone mirroring (wireless for Apple, wired for Android) that will be the bulk of your tech experience anyway.

Wireless Apple CarPlay worked seamlessly during our launch drive, and the 10-speaker Bose premium audio system standard from the Advance grade and up provides pretty punchy and deep audio.

Behind the two-spoke steering wheel, which has clicky but fingerprint-prone gloss black switchgear, the 12.3-inch driver’s instrument cluster is clear and offers plenty of configurability – if not quite Audi virtual cockpit levels.

There’s a physical volume knob beneath the display, nicely integrated into the dashboard air vent, while haptic shortcuts for the infotainment system, climate controls and drive modes are ‘hidden’ into the wood trims on the dash and centre console – so when the car is off, there’s the impression of a seamless panel.

Storage is decent if not standout, with cupholders hidden under a sliding lid, a cubby under the adjustable centre console island, and door bins that aren’t quite as big as I’d like. At least the wireless phone charger us nicely placed under the front-centre armrest.

Speaking of, the sliding centre console is an interesting bit of kit. Basically you can electrically slide the console forward and back to either open up the floor of the front cabin, or give rear occupants more space.

There are USB-C and 12V power outlets at the base of the front end, as well as a further two USB-C outlets and vents at the rear. Advance+ and Evolve grades also get controls for the heated rear seats too.

Other interesting elements include Japanese kumiko patterning on various surfaces mimicking the same look etched into the front ‘grille’ insert.

Some of this stuff might seem naff to some, but Nissan is really keen to highlight the distinctly Japanese touches that have gone into the Ariya’s design, and they provide a point of difference to rivals from China, Korea and elsewhere.

The sloping roofline and sportback-style tailgate appear impractical, but even at 6’1″ I can sit behind my own driving position with enough head, knee, and leg room. That said, I’d need to lean back into the scalloped area of the roof liner behind the panoramic sunroof of the two higher grades.

Kids and teenagers will be find back here as long as they aren’t much taller than me – teens are huge these days! – and if you have the centre console all the way forward the flat floor allows three to sit across the back at a squeeze.

The glass roof and decent-sized side glasshouse let in plenty of light, and unlike a lot of similarly sized vehicles the rear doors retain the same soft-touch materials as the front ones. Nicely done, Nissan.

You also get all the ISOFIX and top-tether points you’d expect for attaching child seats – it’s worth calling out that Nissan would have spent plenty of cash getting the centre rear seat re-engineered with a top-tether anchor for Australia, as this is not part of the Areiya’s global specification.

Further back, there’s 408-466 litres of cargo capacity (variants with the bigger battery offer less space), which opens up to 1280-1350L by folding down the rear seats to create a pretty much flat load floor.

You have some modular floor panels, though the 87kWh grades don’t have any underfloor storage, so they really just give you access to the tyre repair kit, which is standard across the range.

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Two battery and two powertrain variants will be available in Australia, depending on the variant.

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Nissan Ariya drive?

The launch drive program started in the northern Melbourne suburb of Tullamarine, then headed through the city’s eastern hills and down to Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula. Quite comprehensive, really.

We started in the Advance+, which rides on smaller 19-inch alloys and chubbier 235/55-profile tyres.

Right away on some of the rougher patches of road leaving Tullamarine and sections of the Melbourne M80 Ring Rd, it was very noticeable just how relaxed and quiet the Ariya’s cabin is on the move. It drives like a luxury car.

Smooth, effortless acceleration and minimal intrusion from external noise makes for a very serene on-road experience, and the ride is generally well sorted at urban speeds and on the freeway – if erring on the firmer side.

The early freeway stint showcased the user-friendliness of Nissan’s ProPILOT semi-autonomous assist, combining adaptive cruise and lane centring features to take the load off longer stints on the open road.

I quickly commented to my passenger journalist that the Ariya feels quite ‘Japanese’ in feel, noting the fluid and accurate steering with well-balanced weighting, which combines with a chuckable dynamic feel. It doesn’t sit super flat in corners, but it also doesn’t get too loose unde high lateral G-forces.

This was particularly evident once we were off the freeway and tootling through roundabouts and suburban streets, mixed in with some B-roads through Melbourne’s north east.

I wouldn’t call the front-driven Ariya ‘fast’, though it feels punchier than the claimed 8.1-second 0-100km/h time suggests, thanks to the immediacy and linearity of the torque response. Nissan has also calibrated the throttle to gradually roll on torque delivery so as not to light up the front tyres easily – truthfully, it makes it more driveable and more refined.

Real-world efficiency is excellent, too. With a combination of freeway, suburban and higher-speed back roads, we were seeing an indicated 14.2kWh/100km, well under Nissan’s 19.1kWh/100km claim. It meant that after 67.4km, the Ariya was still showing 481km of range – for a projected total of 548km, which is healthily more than Nissan’s 504km claim.

Nissan’s ‘e-Pedal’ is the Japanese brand’s take on one-pedal driving. It doesn’t completely remove the need to use the brakes like you can realistically do in a Tesla, nor is it as harsh in deceleration as Hyundai-Kia’s i-Pedal – it’s all down to personal preference, but I tend to leave EVs in normal braking modes to avoid sudden, unwanted G-forces.

Moving into the Evolve e-4ORCE, the bigger wheels made for a slightly firmer feel while the added grunt from the second drive motor makes it quite brisk when you stomp on it. Again, it’s very progressive in power delivery. It won’t snap your neck, and Nissan says this was done intentionally to make the Ariya more relaxed and comfortable to drive.

As we got closer to Cape Schanck, the ribbon-like B-roads quickly deteriorated in quality, and the Ariya started to lose some shine in some areas. With just two people on board, the rear suspension in particular was very unsettled, transmitting any and every ripple and wave through the cabin, though it never crashed over harder hits.

This was made even worse when we drove four-up on the same roads, where the movement in the rear was just far too much. Sadly, I didn’t get a back-to-back drive in the Advance+ to gauge whether this issue is exclusive to the Evolve with its larger wheels, or more broadly a rear suspension tuning issue.

Otherwise the Ariya really impressed me with its all-round refinement and premium-leaning personality.

To be fair, most EVs in this class – and indeed much more upmarket ones – struggle to strike a good ride/handling balance given manufacturers are juggling the weight of the battery packs with the right suspension travel and damping.

I’ve likewise found an issue with the firmness and inconsistency of the Kia EV5’s ride, and even the latest Model Y still isn’t perfect either. Conversely, a lot of Chinese-branded EVs are way too loose and often feel wallowy.

So I suggest it pays to know where you intend to spend your time driving the Ariya. Around town and on the freeway it almost always feels lovely, but if you’re loading it up and punting down pockmarked backroads it may not be the car for you.

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

At launch, the Ariya will be available in four distinct trim levels.

2025 Nissan Ariya Engage equipment highlights:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit
• Automatic LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Proximity entry
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
• Electric park brake with auto-hold
• Eco, Standard, Sport drive modes
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 6-speaker sound system
• 2 x front USB outlets (Type A and C)
• 2 x rear USB outlets (Type A and C)
• Leather-accented steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• Dual-zone climate control
• 60:40 split/fold rear seats
• One-touch auto up/down power windows

Ariya Advance adds:

• LED front fog lights
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Rear privacy glass
• Cloth/leatherette upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• 10-speaker Bose sound system
• 6-way power driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar
• 6-way power passenger seat

Ariya Advance+ adds:

• Panoramic glass roof
• Sequential LED indicators
• Leatherette/Ultrasuede upholstery
• 8-way power-adjustable front seats with memory
• 4-way power lumbar for driver
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated rear seats
• Head-up display
• Power sliding centre console

Ariya Evolve adds:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• 3-phase AC onboard charger
• Automatic LED headlights incl. Adaptive Driving Beam
• Matte chrome window surround
• Snow drive mode
• Reverse tilt function, memory for exterior mirrors
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Blue Nappa leather upholstery
• Power tilt, telescopic steering wheel adjustment incl. memory

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Nissan Ariya safe?

The Nissan Ariya wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating across all variants in Australia and New Zealand.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Blind-spot assist
• Driver attention alert
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags

Ariya Advance adds:

• Intelligent Around View Monitor – 360 cameras
  • incl. Moving Object Detection

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Nissan Ariya cost to run?

Nissan Australia covers its range with a 10 year, 300,000km warranty provided you maintain your vehicle within the company’s dealer network – otherwise it’s five years and unlimited kilometres.

Roadside assistance is subject to the same conditions, though the lithium-ion battery pack is warranted against early degradation (~75 per cent capacity) for eight years or 160,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.

To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Nissan Ariya

Some might say the Ariya’s long-awaited Australian release is a case of “better late than never”, but Nissan’s fashionably late entry finally puts another legacy player into a burgeoning and competitive mid-size electric SUV market.

Strong warranty and aftersales support, widespread brand recognition, solid on-road refinement (mostly), a plush interior and sharp design are all strong points here, and despite already being three years old the Ariya still feels quite modern, slick and user-friendly.

The firm and unsettled ride on choppier roads is a bit of a sticking point though, and tech-heads will lament the lack of connected services at launch. A range of 385km in base grades and 130kW DC fast-charging don’t really move the game forward, either.

What Nissan hopes to offer you, compared to Tesla or a Chinese upstart, is a conventional buying and ownership experience supported by a clear warranty program and a nationwide dealer network. A whole decade of conditional warranty and relatively cheap servicing is pretty strong peace of mind for long-term ownership.

Then there’s the distinctly Japanese flavour, and the fact the first 400 or so buyers get a free 22kW AC on-board charger upgrade, and until 30 September you can get a free 22kW home charger (not including installation), which sweetens the deal somewhat.

I’d be keen to try the 63kWh models to see if the smaller battery helps the ride issue in the higher grades, because really the two lower trims might be the best value buys. It’s a shame there are no 87kWh Engage or Advance variants with 500km of range for around $60,000, either.

As it is though, the Ariya is well worth considering if you’re in the market for a family EV – just keep the B-road behaviour in mind if you plan on heading out of town often.

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