Nissan Ariya here early September

THE arrival Down Under of Nissan’s fully electric medium segment Ariya SUV is scheduled for the beginning of September after a boatload recently departed the manufacturer’s advanced Tochigi plant in Japan.

Orders for the stylish new SUV can be placed via the Nissan Australia website or directly through Nissan's Australian Dealer Network.

First revealed as a concept back in 2019 impediments to its local availability including: production issues, parts availability, international demand and Australian ADR provisions, have been overcome clearing the way for its shipment.

“The wait is almost over for one of our most exciting vehicles, and I look forward to seeing the Ariya on Australian roads,” said Nissan Australia deputy director marketing and mobility Warwick Daly.

“Nissan wrote the mass-market EV blueprint with Leaf, and Ariya represents the next chapter of our electric vision, with incredible design and technology and, most importantly, an exhilarating and engaging drive experience.”

Nissan says the Ariya was conceived, designed, and is built in Japan, and is considered a showcase of its “electrified brand identity that encapsulates its exterior design, interior layout, and seamless vehicle intelligence”.

The Nissan design team is said to have worked from the beginning to give the Ariya a “Japanese identity that transcends its striking style and performance”.

To do so, they tapped into Japanese philosophies and applied them in a uniquely Nissan way.

“We wanted to ensure that the soul of the vehicle reflects our distinctive Japanese DNA, conveyed in a simple, yet powerfully modern manner,” said Nissan senior vice president of global design Alfonso Albaisa.

“We dubbed this Timeless Japanese Futurism and tapped into key Japanese words to inspire our global design team to produce the Ariya’s ultra-sleek, seamless, sharp and powerful form.”

To recap, the Ariya is priced from $55,840 plus on-road costs and will face strong competition from the likes of similarly priced Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Deepal S07, Kia EV5 and the Volkswagen ID.4 among a truckload of hybrids of various denominations.

Dimensionally, the angular Ariya is 4595mm in length, 1850mm in width (excluding mirrors), and rides on a 2775mm wheelbase, stats that compare closely with segment competitors like the Sealion 7 and Model Y.

Electrons come from either a 63kWh or 87kWh battery providing a driving range of up to a claimed 504km while AC charging is possible at up to 22kW. Faster DC charging is possible at up to 130kW allowing a 10-30 per cent recharge in 35 minutes.

Entry level Engage and Advance (from $59,840 + ORC) run a single electric motor outputting 160kW/300Nm in combination with a 63kWh battery, while the Advance+ (from $63,840 + ORC) offers a 178kW/300Nm traction motor with larger 87kWh battery pack providing greater range.

Topping out the Ariya line-up is the Evolve e-4orce variant (from $71,840 + ORC) with dual 160kW motors and a total of 600Nm of torque, all-wheel drive. It is said to be capable of clocking a 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds, or 2.4 seconds faster than the entry-grade model.

The two-wheel drive variants have a braked towing capacity of 750kg while all-wheel drive models allow 1500kg. All ride on a Macpherson strut front/multi-link rear suspension, have electrically assisted power steering, and four-wheel disc brakes.

2025 Nissan Ariya pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.