Nissan Ariya Evolve review finds its pretty, polished and late
Nissan has played the waiting game on its new Ariya EV which raises the bar for a brand facing many challenges.
If punctuality is the politeness of princes, the Nissan Ariya is the automotive equivalent of a teenager who texts “on my way” while they’re still in the shower.
This slick looking EV with a range of more than 380km was unveiled when we were all sanitising our groceries and hoarding toilet paper.
It has finally arrived in Australia three years late, looking fashionably tardy for a party hosted by the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 and BYD Sealion 7 – and now a legion of other Chinese rivals are arriving faster than a seagull on an unguarded hot chip.
Nissan’s accountants are currently sweating through their suits. The company has just posted its fifth straight quarterly net loss, battered by US tariffs that hit the balance sheet harder than a shopping trolley belts a parked car. Things are so tight they’ve literally sold the roof over their heads – flogging their Yokohama headquarters for more than $600m and leasing it back.
The good news? The Ariya actually looks the business. It’s got a futuristic vibe that manages to make the Tesla look a bit like a bar of soap. But in a market where value and a long features list is vital, our family wanted to find out if this latecomer is a fashionably late superstar, or just yesterday’s news wrapped in a pretty skin.
Prices for the base single motor versions with a 385km range are about $59k once on-roads are settled, but for the best version we drove it’s closer to $75,600 with 487km of driving capacity.
What do you get?
The top-shelf Evolve rolls on 20-inch wheels that finally fill the arches so it doesn’t look like it skipped leg day. Inside, it’s a triumph of blue Nappa leather and suede, dominated by twin 12.3-inch screens and haptic buttons.
Other feature highlights include a 10-speaker Bose sound system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, power tailgate with motion sensor, panoramic sunroof, along with the fancy sequential turn signals.
Externally, green is standard, while pearl black and gun metallic add $1037. Exclusive to the Advance+ and Evolve specifications are two-tone versions with a black roof.
We had the hero copper hue which pushed the drive-away price up $1562, other options are blue, white or grey.
You pay $299 per service with Nissan dealers. If you keep coming back, the standard five-year warranty stretches to an industry-leading 10 years or 300,000km. Basically, don’t leave them, and they won’t leave you.
That’s less expensive than the Tesla Model Y or the BYD Sealion 7 Premium, but more than the Kia EV6.
How was the drive?
Refinement is more than skin deep. Quiet and well balanced, the Airya boasts a premium feel. Swift from standstill, the Ariya is feels typically EV quick and is the fastest of its brethren. The 5.6-second sprint to 100km/h is solid, though it lacks the violence of the Model Y’s 3.5-second party trick. But thanks to a healthy dose of mid-range torque, overtaking is effortless.
The e-Pedal harvests energy, but it’s commitment-shy. Unlike rivals that let you drive with one foot, the Ariya refuses to come to a complete stop on its own. You still have to use the actual brake pedal.
Thanks to the battery ballast and all-wheel drive, it corners flat rather than flopping about. The steering actually communicates, too.
Better yet, we beat the brochure energy usage figures with a frugal 16.6kWh/100km. A rare case of a manufacturer being modest.
The ride can be firm on occasions, partly due to the 20-inch rubber, it’s the automotive equivalent of stilettos: you might suffer a bit, but at least you look good.
Charging speeds are more leisurely than some rivals. A 50kW public charger needs 90 minutes to get you from 10 to 80 per cent, while a 130kW unit does the job in 40 minutes. Not terrible, but hardly a pit stop.
At home, you’re better off with three-phase power, which fills the battery in 4.5 hours. With single phase, it’s a 12.5-hour wait … or about 35 hours using the standard power point.
Would you buy one?
Kel: There wasn’t much I didn’t like about the Ariya. Great looks, classy interior and an easy drive with power at the ready when it was required. Absolutely I’d have one in the driveway, it’s cheaper than a Model Y (about $90k) and a Kia EV6 GT (nearly $100k).
Grant: It’s the sharpest Nissan in a generation. It might not rewrite the rule book for the segment, but it’s genuinely hard to fault. Ironically, this futuristic SUV is missing a party trick from its ancestor. The old Leaf could feed power back into your home (V2G), but the Ariya is strictly a one-way street. Nissan says the feature is coming on 2026 models. Then it will be hard to beat.
Originally published as Nissan Ariya Evolve review finds its pretty, polished and late
