The sight of Nissan’s hallowed Nismo badge on the back of an electric SUV might irk a few traditional enthusiasts, but the Ariya Nismo spearheads a new era for the motorsport-inspired performance brand, and you better get used to it.
Not that the hottest Ariya is designed to actually go on track. This is very much a go-faster version of the mid-size electric SUV that finally arrives in Australia next month, and it brings exterior and interior upgrades to set it apart (a little) from the rest of the range, but don’t go expecting Hyundai Ioniq 5 N levels of ability or giggles.
Nissan first floated the idea of the Ariya Nismo back in January 2024 and only now has it arrived in most markets, with Australia still to come. Our first chance to drive it was on a closed test track in France.
How much does the Nissan Ariya cost?
Australian pricing – and indeed availability – for the Ariya Nismo has yet to be confirmed. But if it’s released Down Under it would sit atop a model lineup that ranges between $55,840 and $71,840 before on-road costs.
That would make it considerably pricier than the similarly positioned Volkswagen ID.5 GTX ($72,990 plus on-roads), but much cheaper than the more special Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($110,383 plus on-roads).
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?
The architecture and layout of the Ariya’s cabin are unchanged, though there are plenty of Nismo touches applied to make it feel a little more special – as incongruous as that might be in a family-sized electric SUV.
A red-and-black colour palette (okay, there’s grey as well) denotes the sporting pretensions here and we do like the suede-like material on the sports seats and door panels.
There are Nismo badges and red stitching, too, and the seats are really comfortable – if not figure-hugging.
The steering wheel has a chunky leather wrap with a red 12 o’clock marker. It feels good to hold, even if we would prefer a fully round design.
The anodised red start button is a nice touch, complemented by unique graphics for the digital instruments.
It’s a shame Nissan didn’t replace the low-rent drive selector of the standard Ariya with a Nismo-branded alternative, and the haptic-touch controls – some love ‘em, but many do not – are also unchanged.
Nonetheless, there’s plenty of space front and rear, with the design of the (movable) centre console making the front in particular feel spacious and open, despite the moody colour scheme.
As with all versions of the Ariya using two electric motors, the boot space is reduced a little (in comparison to front-wheel-drive variants).
Cargo volume of just over 400 litres is adequate, but many similarly sized electric SUVs can accommodate over 500L of luggage so it’s not outstanding.
| Dimensions | Nissan Ariya Nismo |
|---|---|
| Length | 4655mm |
| Width | 1850mm |
| Height | 1660mm |
| Wheelbase | 2775mm |
| Cargo capacity | 408L-1690L |
To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
The Ariya Nismo uses the same ‘CMF-EV’ platform as a range of other Nissan, Renault Dacia and Dongfeng EVs, with modest tweaks to the suspension, steering, brakes and powertrain.
| Specifications | Nissan Ariya Nismo |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Dual-motor electric |
| Battery | 87kWh lithium-ion |
| Power | 320kW |
| Torque | 600Nm |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 5.0 seconds |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 24.5kWh/100km |
| Claimed range– WLTP | 417km |
| Max AC charge rate | 22kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 130kW |
It also uses the same ‘e-4ORCE’ dual-motor setup as found elsewhere in the Ariya range, and the largest battery available in the model, with an 87kWh usable capacity.
For the Nismo variant, peak power has been upped to a pretty serious 320kW, while total maximum torque is 600Nm. This enables a claimed 5.0 seconds for the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint.
To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Nissan Ariya drive?
For our test, there were no speed limits to adhere to, but the closed course was more like a twisting public road than an actual racetrack. This allowed us to push the Ariya to its limits in safety to ascertain its ability.
Which might explain why we ended the drive with smoking brakes… Nissan dismissed this – and the lack of an upgrade to the Ariya’s brakes – as not relevant to the “vast majority” of buyers of such cars.
However, the other chassis changes have been a little more successful, certainly in the context of driving quickly. The spring rates have been increased and the dampers upgraded, while the electric power steering has also been recalibrated. Just as interestingly, the AWD system now offers more rear bias more of the time.
The result is a commendably tied-down SUV, despite its considerable weight and size. It’s certainly fast, accelerating with alacrity every time you put your foot all the way down. And the body control isn’t bad at all.
Stability at high speed is exceptional, too. Nissan claims to have reduced lift for the Nismo model thanks to a new body kit, while also reducing drag, so perhaps there has been some motorsport engineering applied.
There’s no adaptive damping or air suspension, though, so while the firmer components are great on a smooth road, this car won’t be as comfortable elsewhere.
Nissan fits special 20-inch Enkei alloy wheels to the Nismo, too, reducing unspring weight while (attempting to) aid brake cooling. They’re shod in Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, which stood up well to our abuse on the track, though they come with a rolling resistance penalty that will affect the car’s efficiency.
A Nismo driving mode replaces the Sport setting found in other Ariyas, ramping up the car’s responsiveness, but also – unfortunately – adding a synthetic soundtrack. We’d prefer to do without the fake noises, but the car does respond keenly and can certainly raise a smile.
Sadly, it can’t hold a candle to any previous Nismo-badged car in terms of driver interactivity and excitement.
Sure, the rear motor might be used more of the time than the one up front, but even if you try to illicit a little oversteer – on the exit of a tight hairpin, for example – neutrality is the most you can hope for, regardless of whether the traction control is turned on or off.
And that’s the crux of the matter. Few buyers are ever going to push this car so hard, or even consider messing with the active safety systems. Left well alone, it is rapid, safe and easy to drive quickly.
To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
Taking the top-ranking Ariya Evolve AWD as a starting point, there’s no doubt the Nismo will be well-equipped. And there are plenty of Nismo goodies to help it stand out.
2025 Nissan Ariya Nismo equipment highlights:
- 20-inch Enkei wheels
- Unique Nismo driving mode
- Nismo-branded sports seats
- Dual-zone climate control
- Power-sliding centre console
- Two 12.3-inch screens
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
- Head-up display
- Bose sound system
- Heat pump
To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Nissan Ariya safe?
The Ariya comes with a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, with particularly strong scores in the Safety Assist department and strong and protection for adults and kids.
| Category | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 86 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 89 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 74 per cent |
| Safety assist | 93 per cent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear automatic braking
- Driver alertness monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alerting
- Traffic sign recognition
- Around-view monitor with moving object detection
- Emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, cyclist 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?
The Nissan Ariya Nismo should be covered by the Japanese brand’s standard five-year vehicle, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with up to 10 years or 300,000km possible if you service the car at an authorised Nissan dealer.
| Servicing and Warranty | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| Warranty | Up to 10 years or 300,000km |
| Roadside assistance | 10 years |
| Service intervals | TBC |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years |
| Total capped-price service cost | TBC |
A separate eight-year/160,000km warranty should cover the battery pack.
Nissan quotes a WLTP range of 417km for the 87kWh battery pack, but good luck achieving that while making any use if the Nismo’s considerable performance…
To see how the Nissan Ariya lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Nissan Ariya Nismo
Car enthusiasts that know where the Nismo name comes from won’t be impressed with the Ariya Nismo, despite its undoubted performance and moderately enhanced ability.
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Those that just want a sporty looking version of an otherwise sensible electric family SUV might be tempted, but the engineering that has gone into this car means it’s likely to be prohibitively expensive for all but a few buyers.
If Nissan could apply some of the Nismo magic, without necessarily adding the performance and chassis upgrades, while keeping pricing sensible, we reckon the formula would be more successful.
As it is, we’re not entirely convinced.
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