Nissan Ariya review

An electric crossover. It's a bit sportier to drive than some of them, but really you'll be drawn to it, or repelled by it, because of its looks. Nissan has gone big on the idea of a clear and simple Japanese design identity. Inside as well as out.

Nissan made a bold early start with electric cars. The Leaf has been around for well over a decade, got the world used to the idea of an affordable realistic EV, and has sold well over half a million. And then… a whole lot of not much.

Still, the Ariya is a big step ahead from the Leaf. It has an all-new EV platform. Unlike the Leaf it has liquid cooling of the batteries, meaning much faster charging without toasting itself. To take advantage, it has a CCS connector so it has access to higher power chargers. It switches to all-coil motors, for better high speed efficiency and freedom from rare-earth metals.

The same entrails also (on a shorter wheelbase) carry the Renault Megane. The Ariya is about the size of the Tesla Model Y or VW Group's ID.4, Enyaq and Q4 e-Tron mob, or the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Volvo EC40. But not as wide as some of those, which helps on narrow roads. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is bigger but barely more expensive. Oh.

What is this Japanese design of which you speak?

On the outside, it's simple, with few folds, creases or slashes. Just one really, a 'horizon line', a subtle crease that circumnavigates the car, beginning below the ultra shallow LED headlights, back along the sides and around above the single strip rear lights. The sides themselves are hollow, which perhaps makes it look a little gawky. Proportions are good though: wheels at the corners.

At the front a plastic panel houses the sensors, with an ancient Japanese kumiko woodworking pattern, which allows the beams to pass through.

Inside, it's wonderfully reduced. The main novelty is that switchgear symbols shine through the wood veneer. Well, it would be a novelty but the Ariya came on sale late and the BMW iX beat it.

What’s the range?

Range means two things so we'll answer both. The range as in 'line-up of versions' starts with a front-drive 214bhp job with a 63kWh battery. Next, the same with an 87kWh battery, which passes higher current so allows a 239bhp motor output. But because it has a heavier battery it's actually a tenth slower to 62mph: 7.6 seconds for the bigger battery and 7.5s for the smaller one.

You can also have the bigger battery with AWD, a torque vectoring system called e-4ORCE which none of us will ever remember how to spell. That has 302bhp and does 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds. Those battery capacities are usable, net, figures.

Nice. Obviously the Nismo badge has no business here...

Er... wrong. As of 2025 there's a top-of-the-tree Ariya Nismo with a hefty 429bhp and sportier styling, a new front splitter, ducktail spoiler, twin diffuser, 20in Enkei alloy wheels, and a Formula E inspired rear fog lamp. No, we are not having you on. Oh, and it's available exclusively in a Stealth Grey paintjob, as previously seen on the Skyline GT-R. See the gallery below.

It’s not the first ‘sporty’ electric crossover we’ve seen of course, though Nissan says this is not a direct rival to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT, targeting a finer balance between comfort and sport instead. So think Ioniq 5 N-Line and EV6 GT-Line – plus the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 GTX – as its main opposition.

Prices for the Ariya have dropped noticeably since it was launched and now kick off at £39,645. For the bigger battery you'll pay a minimum of £44,645, while for the Nismo you’re looking at £56,620 and up.

We got sidetracked, what about the 'other' meaning of range?

Oh yeah. In the FWD models Nissan claims up to 251 miles WLTP for the smaller battery, and up to 330 miles for the bigger. Adding 4WD cuts that to 319 miles (we saw around 300 in warm weather in the real world), or 261 miles in the Nismo.

Any good to drive?

Nissan says the high power one (in both standard and Nismo guise), with its torque vectoring, has genes of a GT-R. Like a macaque has genes of a Top Gear car reviewer, we suspect.

But anyway, this is a coupe-crossover so it's supposed to drive sportily. And it certainly has more pep than some of its lumbering rivals, changing direction with moderate enthusiasm. The e-4ORCE version feels even more confident, and you do get a sense of the torque vectoring working on your behalf.

You pay for it with a slightly firmer ride, but it's bearable. Except for in the Nismo, where it isn't. The Ariya has a tendency to clang noisily into sharp ridges and potholes, but at least the suspension and tyres are quiet at a cruise.

The Ariya's misfortune is to have arrived nearly a year later than planned, on account of the global microchip shortage. So it doesn't really bring much in the way of new tech.

But at least it's well equipped. Especially with the stuff EV buyers don't know they need until they don't have it; a heat pump as standard on all models, plus heated seats and steering wheel on Advance upwards.

Likely there will be people who have been waiting for the Ariya because they trust Nissan as an EV maker, and want a piece of the Leaf's unimpeachable reliability. For them, range anxiety won't be an issue and a small battery Ariya's price jump from their Leaf won't be huge. The higher spec Ariyas are playing at a price above Nissan's usual turf, but the qualities of the car itself are well up to an Audi Q4 e-tron or Mercedes EQA.

We're now at the point where there's plenty of choice in electric crossovers, and it becomes a design and styling play. If you like the look of the Nissan, and especially its interior, go right ahead. And if you're drawn to the Nismo, seek help.