Summary
The Nissan Ariya Nismo is a mid-sized five-door SUV, and a higher-performance version of the regular Ariya.
Rivalling larger performance EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Skoda Enyaq vRS and Kia EV6 GT, the Ariya Nismo is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive 87kWh powertrain that delivers an output of 435hp and a 0-62mph sprint time of five seconds flat, but reviewers report that this added performance doesn’t make the Ariya more fun to drive.
“It’s certainly faster”, says Car’s Alan Taylor-Jones “but there’s little to no joy to the handling, even with a ride that’s firmer than a regular Ariya.”
Tom Jarvis of Auto Express agrees, commenting that the Nismo feels more like a top-tier Ariya trim level instead of a full-fat performance model. “Many positives from the standard model remain such as its plush and palatial interior, but ultimately the Nismo falls short both in terms of driving range and fun.”
As of November 2025, the Nissan Ariya Nismo holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 67%. It earns top marks for its excellent safety rating and zero tailpipe emissions, while its running costs are generally low. However, Nissan’s new car warranty cover is only average and the media review scores to date have been poor.
- Nissan Ariya (2022 onwards) – Expert Rating
- More Nissan Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features
Ariya Nismo highlights
- Interior is still lovely
- Plenty of performance
- Comfortable seats
Ariya Nismo lowlights
- Some add-on parts look tacky
- Extra performance doesn’t make it more fun
- Ride is very firm, not helped by large wheels
Key specifications
Body style: Mid-size SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £56,620 on-road
Launched: Summer 2025
Last updated: N/A
Next update due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“The Nissan Ariya Nismo feels a little bit like a missed opportunity; Nissan could’ve gone all-in when reviving its beloved sporting brand, however, the hot Ariya feels like little more than a new range-topping trim level, rather than a full-fat performance car. Many positives from the standard model remain such as its plush and palatial interior, but ultimately the Nismo falls short both in terms of driving range and fun.”
Score: 6 / 10
Read full review
Auto Express
Tom Jervis
More reviews
Auto Trader
Score: 7 / 10
“While the faster acceleration and the splashes of red detailing are nice touches, there’s no escaping that the Nissan Ariya Nismo is still a big, heavy, family car. As a result, the performance-focused Nismo edition loses the refinement and range of the Skoda Enyaq vRS that strike a better balance of sportiness without practical compromise.”
Author: Catherine King
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Car
Score: 4 / 10
“Even with memories of the disappointing Juke Nismo still in the back of my mind, I had expected a Nissan Ariya Nismo to be far more entertaining than the regular model. It’s certainly faster, but there’s little to no joy to the handling, even with a ride that’s firmer than a regular Ariya, and that rearward bias to the four-wheel drive. Factor in the shorter than ideal range, and it’s hard to make a case for this Ariya over the regular four-wheel drive model.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
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Carwow
“The Nissan Ariya Nismo has plenty of power and looks great, but performance is well behind the Tesla Model Y.”
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Green Car Guide
Score: 9 / 10
“The Nissan Ariya Nismo is the sporty variant of the Ariya; it’s better to drive than the standard model, but don’t expect the same sort of high-performance rally car transformation as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.”
Author: Paul Clarke
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Parkers
Score: 6.2 / 10
“If you’re sold on the Nissan Ariya, a far cheaper front-wheel drive model with the big battery makes an awful lot more sense. No Ariya is fun to drive, so you might as well save a few quid and maximise your range. If you must have four-wheel drive, an E-4orce Evolve still has a better range than the Ariya Nismo, and we’d take its extra equipment over the additional power.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
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Regit
Score: 7 / 10
“The performance of the Nissan Ariya Nismo is really good, but it doesn’t quite live up to our high expectations. I say that because we drove a non-Nismo Ariya through an iced forest in Finland and it was one of our best driving experiences to date. And that rather leaves us to conclude that you don’t need all the flashy aesthetics when the ‘normal’ car is actually anything but normal.”
Author: Maxine Ashford
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Top Gear
Score: 7 / 10
“The Nissan Ariya Nismo is a different proposition to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. While its engineers have clearly had a play with Hyundai’s wonder EV, they also decided to walk a different, less track-focused path with their competitor. The Ariya is supple, smooth and – unless you really up your commitment – not a big leap on from its base car.”
Author: Stephen Dobie
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 86%
Child protection: 89%
Vulnerable road users: 74%
Safety assist: 93%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of November 2025, the Nissan Ariya Nismo has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Ariya Nismo is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 261 miles | B |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3 m/KWh | E |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 41 | D |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £209 | B |
| Year 2 | £446 | A |
| Year 3 | £778 | B |
| Year 4 | £878 | A |
| Year 5 | £1,169 | A |
| Overall | £3,480 | A |
According to numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data, the Nissan Ariya Nismo is generally a cheap car to run.
While its electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is poor, it should still be cheaper to run than a petrol or diesel SUV if you can charge it from home or work on a cheap tariff. If you have to do all your charging from public charging stations, however, it will be more expensive. Battery range should be more than enough for most day-to-day needs, although some customers will prefer to have an EV with an official range of more than 300 miles.
Insurance premiums are not outrageous given the price and performance, although other EVs may be cheaper.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of November 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Nissan Ariya Nismo to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Ariya, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Nissan Ariya Nismo
| Overall rating | C | 50% |
| New car warranty duration | 3 years |
| New car warranty mileage | 60,000 miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 8 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 100,000 miles |
Nissan’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).
In addition to the standard new car warranty, there is an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Nissan Ariya Nismo
- As of September 2025, all Nissan Ariya Nismos should still be covered by their new car warranty. The first Ariyas hit UK roads in the summer of 2025, meaning those cars won’t reach the end of their new car warranty until mid-2028 (unless they have already hit the 60,000-mile limit).
If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Nissan Ariya Nismo
As of November 2024, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Nissan Ariya Nismo. However, recall information is updated very regularly, so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Nissan dealer.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Nissan Ariya, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Hyundai Ioniq 5 N | Kia EV6 GT | Skoda Enyaq vRS | Tesla Model 3 Performance | Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Nissan Ariya range at The Car Expert
Buy a Nissan Ariya Nismo
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Nissan Ariya Nismo, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car
Find your next used car with Motors.co.uk. Find out more
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Lease a Nissan Ariya Nismo
If you’re looking to lease a new Nissan Ariya Nismo, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal
Personal contract hire deals from Carwow. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Select Car Leasing. Find out more
Subscribe to a Nissan Ariya Nismo
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Car subscriptions from SelfDrive.
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