The Melbourne Daily Sparkz Office has secured another long-term test car, and this time it’s a Nissan electric vehicle (EV)…that’s not the Leaf. In other words, it is this That’s it!
I put it that way because if I asked you to name a Nissan EV, you’d probably say the Leaf hatchback, and for good reason. After all, the Leaf made headlines as the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle when it broke cover in 2009, and has remained a staple in the lineup ever since.
Meanwhile, Nissan Australia hasn’t launched any additional electric models to complement it… until now. Three years after its global launch, the Ariya midsize electric SUV finally arrived Down Under late last year to a mixed response. Our initial impressions praised the packaging, but criticized the choppy ride quality on uneven roads.
But how does Nissan’s rival Tesla Model Y live with it every day? It’s time to find out. I’ll be driving a mid-range Advance+ over the next three months to see how the Ariya performs over the long haul and especially how it copes with my busy city life.
How much does the Nissan Ariya cost?
As the most expensive single-engine variant in the Ariya range, the Advance+ is capable of competing with the Tesla Model Y RWD as well as equivalent versions of the Skoda Elroq, BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV5.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| Nissan Ariya Engage | $55,840 |
| Nissan Ariya Advance | $59,840 |
| Nissan Ariya Advance+ | $63,840 |
| Nissan Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE | $71,840 |
Our test car costs $70,729 drive-away, with the two-tone paint adding $1,562 to the standard price.
To see how the Nissan Ariya stacks up against the competition, check out our Comparison tool
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What’s under the hood?
The Advance+ combines Nissan’s larger 87 kWh battery pack with a single, front-mounted electric motor. This gives it the longest range of any Ariya variant, but also the least impressive performance characteristics.
| Specifications | Nissan Ariya Advance+ |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single engine electric |
| battery | 87 kWh lithium-ion |
| Performance | 178kW |
| Torque | 300 Nm |
| Drive type | Front wheel drive |
| Weight | 2078kg |
| 0-100 km/h (claimed) | 8.1 seconds |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 19.1 kWh/100 km |
| Claimed area(WLTP) | 504km |
| Max. AC charging rate | 22kW |
| Max. DC charging rate | 130kW |
When I first look at the spec sheet, I’m not particularly looking forward to charging the Ariya. Not only do I have to contend with Melbourne’s public charging network, but Nissan also claims a peak DC fast charging output of just 130kW for the Ariya, which is lower than the claims for the Model Y, Sealion 7 and Elroq.
To see how the Nissan Ariya stacks up against the competition, check out our Comparison tool
What do you get?
There are four trim levels in the Ariya range, of which the Advance+ is second.
Features of the 2025 Nissan Ariya Engage:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Tire repair kit
- Automatic LED headlights
- Automatic high beam
- Windshield wipers with rain sensors
- Proximity entry
- Heated, electrically folding exterior mirrors
- Electric parking brake with automatic holding function
- Driving modes Eco, Standard, Sport
- 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 ports (Type A and C)
- 2 x rear USB ports (Type A and C)
- Leather accented steering wheel
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
- Dual zone climate control
- 60:40 split/folding rear seats
- Electric windows with one-touch automatic up/down
Ariya Advance adds:
- LED fog lights
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Rear privacy glass
- Fabric/synthetic leather upholstery
- Heated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Bose sound system with 10 speakers
- 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar support
- 6-way electrically adjustable passenger seat
Ariya Advance+ adds:
- Panoramic glass roof
- Sequential LED displays
- Faux leather/Ultrasuede padding
- 8-way electrically adjustable front seats with memory
- 4-way lumbar support for the driver
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated rear seats
- Head-up display
- Electrically sliding center console
Ariya Evolve adds:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- 3-phase AC on-board charger
- Automatic LED headlights including adaptive high beam
- Matt chrome-plated window surround
- Snow driving mode
- Reverse tilt function, exterior mirror memory
- Digital rearview mirror
- Blue nappa leather upholstery
- Electric tilt, telescopic steering wheel adjustment including reminder
To see how the Nissan Ariya stacks up against the competition, check out our Comparison tool
Is that Is the Nissan Ariya safe?
The Nissan Ariya carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating across all variants in Australia and New Zealand.
| category | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| Protection for adults | 86 percent |
| Passenger protection for children | 89 percent |
| Protection of vulnerable road users | 74 percent |
| Security assistant | 93 percent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Blind Spot Assist
- Driver attention warning
- Lane keeping assistant
- Rear cross traffic warning
- Traffic sign recognition
- Tire pressure monitoring
- Parking sensors front and rear
- Rear view camera
- Front, side and head airbags
Ariya Advance adds:
- Intelligent surround view monitor – 360 cameras
- including detection of moving objects
To see how the Nissan Ariya stacks up against the competition, check out our Comparison tool
How much does it cost? Cost of running the Nissan Ariya?
Nissan Australia covers its range with a 10-year, 300,000km warranty as long as you service your vehicle through the company’s dealer network – otherwise it’s five years and unlimited kilometers.
| Maintenance and warranty | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|
| guarantee | Up to 10 years or 300,000 km |
| Roadside assistance | Up to 10 years or 300,000 km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 20,000 kilometers |
| Service at top prices | 5 years |
| Annual service costs | $299 |
| Total service costs at the maximum price | $1495 |
Five years of maintenance at the top price will set you back $1,495 – more than what you’d pay to service an Elroq over the same period, but less than the amounts advertised for the Sealion 7 and Geely EX5.
Tesla, on the other hand, takes a condition-based approach to maintenance. So instead of requiring adherence to a fixed schedule, the brand alerts owners via the infotainment touchscreen when their vehicle needs service.
To see how the Nissan Ariya stacks up against the competition, check out our Comparison tool
Daily Sparkz’s view of the Nissan Ariya
First impressions count, and the Ariya made a strong impression.
Because unlike many new electric vehicles coming onto the market, you can just hop in and drive the device without needing an IT degree.
It has a start/stop button, a physical gear selector, and a general sense of familiarity that screen-focused rivals lack. Therefore, I would describe the Ariya as the electric vehicle for people who are afraid of buying an electric vehicle.
Nissan Australia has been accused of being late to the party with the Ariya, which has been on sale elsewhere for several years, but I would argue that it is fashionably late in the sense that it avoids the trappings of newer vehicles and will be less intimidating to latecomers.
That’s not to say the Ariya is devoid of modern conveniences. All Ariyas have two 12.3-inch screens and a slick haptic control panel, while the Advance+ offers a panoramic glass roof and heating and ventilation for the front seats. However, the blurry rear camera is a bit of a disappointment.
But importantly, there are very few gimmicks. Most of the features you need are there and they all work, enough said. There’s also enough space in the trunk for my extra-large cricket bag and the accompanying sports equipment – two summer essentials.
And while the 178kW/300Nm single-motor powertrain won’t force you into the seat, its smooth steerability adds to the approachable nature of the package.
The drivetrain in the Advance+ also makes sense from an efficiency perspective – I’ve achieved an average of 14.5 kWh/100 km so far, which in the long term equates to a real-world range of 540 km and low charging costs.
There is a lot of traffic on the highway during rush hour on my daily commute, so I appreciate the expertise of Nissan’s semi-autonomous driving technology. The system feels natural in its operation, although the fact that it beeps every time lane centering comes online is a little distracting.
Nevertheless, I get into the Ariya at every opportunity because I know that it is easy to drive. Well, at least until I have to take it to one of Melbourne’s public charging stations – a waiting, unavoidable task.
Until then, stay tuned for the next part of this series to find out if the day-to-day reality of driving an electric vehicle threatens my growing admiration for the not-so-new Nissan Ariya.
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MORE: Explore the Nissan Ariya showroom
