The sight of Nissan’s hallowed Nismo badge on the again of an electrical SUV would possibly irk a couple of conventional lovers, however the Ariya Nismo spearheads a brand new period for the motorsport-inspired efficiency model, and also you higher get used to it.
Not that the most well liked Ariya is designed to truly go on monitor. That is very a lot a go-faster model of the mid-size electrical SUV that lastly arrives in Australia subsequent month, and it brings exterior and inside upgrades to set it aside (a little bit) from the remainder of the vary, however don’t go anticipating Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ranges of skill or giggles.
Nissan first floated the concept of the Ariya Nismo again in January 2024 and solely now has it arrived in most markets, with Australia nonetheless to come back. Our first likelihood to drive it was on a closed check monitor in France.
How a lot does the Nissan Ariya price?
Australian pricing – and certainly availability – for the Ariya Nismo has but to be confirmed. But when it’s launched Down Underneath it could sit atop a mannequin lineup that ranges between $55,840 and $71,840 earlier than on-road prices.
That might make it significantly pricier than the equally positioned Volkswagen ID.5 GTX ($72,990 plus on-roads), however less expensive than the extra particular Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($110,383 plus on-roads).
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
What’s the Nissan Ariya like on the within?
The structure and format of the Ariya’s cabin are unchanged, although there are many Nismo touches utilized to make it really feel a little bit extra particular – as incongruous as that is perhaps in a family-sized electrical SUV.
A red-and-black color palette (okay, there’s gray as properly) denotes the sporting pretensions right here and we do just like the suede-like materials on the sports activities seats and door panels.
There are Nismo badges and purple stitching, too, and the seats are actually comfy – if not figure-hugging.
The steering wheel has a chunky leather-based wrap with a purple 12 o’clock marker. It feels good to carry, even when we would like a totally spherical design.
The anodised purple begin button is a pleasant contact, complemented by distinctive graphics for the digital devices.
It’s a disgrace Nissan didn’t change the low-rent drive selector of the usual Ariya with a Nismo-branded various, and the haptic-touch controls – some love ‘em, however many don’t – are additionally unchanged.
Nonetheless, there’s loads of house entrance and rear, with the design of the (movable) centre console making the entrance particularly really feel spacious and open, regardless of the moody color scheme.
As with all variations of the Ariya utilizing two electrical motors, the boot house is lowered a little bit (compared to front-wheel-drive variants).
Cargo quantity of simply over 400 litres is satisfactory, however many equally sized electrical SUVs can accommodate over 500L of bags so it’s not excellent.
| Dimensions | Nissan Ariya Nismo |
|---|---|
| Size | 4655mm |
| Width | 1850mm |
| Top | 1660mm |
| Wheelbase | 2775mm |
| Cargo capability | 408L-1690L |
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
What’s below the bonnet?
The Ariya Nismo makes use of the identical ‘CMF-EV’ platform as a spread of different Nissan, Renault Dacia and Dongfeng EVs, with modest tweaks to the suspension, steering, brakes and powertrain.
| Specs | Nissan Ariya Nismo |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Twin-motor electrical |
| Battery | 87kWh lithium-ion |
| Energy | 320kW |
| Torque | 600Nm |
| Drive sort | All-wheel drive |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 5.0 seconds |
| Vitality consumption (claimed) | 24.5kWh/100km |
| Claimed vary– WLTP | 417km |
| Max AC cost charge | 22kW |
| Max DC cost charge | 130kW |
It additionally makes use of the identical ‘e-4ORCE’ dual-motor setup as discovered elsewhere within the Ariya vary, and the biggest battery obtainable within the mannequin, with an 87kWh usable capability.
For the Nismo variant, peak energy has been upped to a fairly critical 320kW, whereas complete most torque is 600Nm. This permits a claimed 5.0 seconds for the benchmark 0-100km/h dash.
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
How does the Nissan Ariya drive?
For our check, there have been no velocity limits to stick to, however the closed course was extra like a twisting public street than an precise racetrack. This allowed us to push the Ariya to its limits in security to establish its skill.
Which could clarify why we ended the drive with smoking brakes… Nissan dismissed this – and the shortage of an improve to the Ariya’s brakes – as not related to the “overwhelming majority” of consumers of such automobiles.
Nevertheless, the opposite chassis modifications have been a little bit extra profitable, definitely within the context of driving rapidly. The spring charges have been elevated and the dampers upgraded, whereas the electrical energy steering has additionally been recalibrated. Simply as apparently, the AWD system now provides extra rear bias extra of the time.
The result’s a commendably tied-down SUV, regardless of its appreciable weight and dimension. It’s definitely quick, accelerating with alacrity each time you place your foot all the way in which down. And the physique management isn’t dangerous in any respect.
Stability at excessive velocity is phenomenal, too. Nissan claims to have lowered carry for the Nismo mannequin because of a brand new physique package, whereas additionally decreasing drag, so maybe there was some motorsport engineering utilized.
There’s no adaptive damping or air suspension, although, so whereas the firmer parts are nice on a easy street, this automobile received’t be as comfy elsewhere.
Nissan suits particular 20-inch Enkei alloy wheels to the Nismo, too, decreasing unspring weight whereas (making an attempt to) support brake cooling. They’re shod in Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, which stood up properly to our abuse on the monitor, although they arrive with a rolling resistance penalty that can have an effect on the automobile’s effectivity.
A Nismo driving mode replaces the Sport setting present in different Ariyas, ramping up the automobile’s responsiveness, but additionally – sadly – including an artificial soundtrack. We’d choose to do with out the pretend noises, however the automobile does reply keenly and may definitely elevate a smile.
Sadly, it could actually’t maintain a candle to any earlier Nismo-badged automobile when it comes to driver interactivity and pleasure.
Certain, the rear motor is perhaps used extra of the time than the one up entrance, however even in the event you attempt to illicit a little bit oversteer – on the exit of a good hairpin, for instance – neutrality is essentially the most you possibly can hope for, no matter whether or not the traction management is turned on or off.
And that’s the crux of the matter. Few consumers are ever going to push this automobile so onerous, and even think about messing with the energetic security programs. Left properly alone, it’s speedy, protected and straightforward to drive rapidly.
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
What do you get?
Taking the top-ranking Ariya Evolve AWD as a place to begin, there’s little doubt the Nismo will likely be well-equipped. And there are many Nismo goodies to assist it stand out.
2025 Nissan Ariya Nismo tools highlights:
- 20-inch Enkei wheels
- Distinctive Nismo driving mode
- Nismo-branded sports activities seats
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Energy-sliding centre console
- Two 12.3-inch screens
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
- Head-up show
- Bose sound system
- Warmth pump
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
Is the Nissan Ariya protected?
The Ariya comes with a five-star security ranking from ANCAP, with significantly robust scores within the Security Help division and robust and safety for adults and youngsters.
| Class | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 86 per cent |
| Baby occupant safety | 89 per cent |
| Susceptible street person safety | 74 per cent |
| Security help | 93 per cent |
Customary security tools contains:
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear computerized braking
- Driver alertness monitoring
- Rear cross site visitors alerting
- Site visitors signal recognition
- Round-view monitor with shifting object detection
- Emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, bicycle owner detection
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Nissan Ariya price to run?
The Nissan Ariya Nismo ought to be coated by the Japanese model’s normal five-year automobile, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, with as much as 10 years or 300,000km doable in the event you service the automobile at an authorised Nissan supplier.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | As much as 10 years or 300,000km |
| Roadside help | 10 years |
| Service intervals | TBC |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years |
| Complete capped-price service price | TBC |
A separate eight-year/160,000km guarantee ought to cowl the battery pack.
Nissan quotes a WLTP vary of 417km for the 87kWh battery pack, however good luck reaching that whereas making any use if the Nismo’s appreciable efficiency…
To see how the Nissan Ariya strains up towards the competitors, try our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Nissan Ariya Nismo
Automobile lovers that know the place the Nismo identify comes from received’t be impressed with the Ariya Nismo, regardless of its undoubted efficiency and reasonably enhanced skill.
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People who simply desire a sporty trying model of an in any other case smart electrical household SUV is perhaps tempted, however the engineering that has gone into this automobile means it’s prone to be prohibitively costly for all however a couple of consumers.
If Nissan might apply among the Nismo magic, with out essentially including the efficiency and chassis upgrades, whereas holding pricing smart, we reckon the system could be extra profitable.
As it’s, we’re not fully satisfied.
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