New Nissan Ariya Nismo e-4ORCE 2025 review: electric SUV looks sportier than it actually is

Verdict

This early drive suggests that the Nissan Ariya Nismo is more show than go. The standard car wasn’t lacking in performance, but the subtle mechanical upgrades aren’t transformative and can’t hold a candle to competitors such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, or even a Tesla Model Y Performance. Our full verdict will come following a more extensive test in a European car in the not too distant future.

We'll admit it, the Nissan Ariya – despite being named Auto Express Car of the Year in 2022 – has never really been on our radar as one of the sportier EVs on sale. It certainly isn’t the most obvious candidate to reintroduce the hallowed Nismo name to Europe – a badge previously associated with the very hottest Skylines and GT-Rs. 

The Ariya shows off its new-found sporty status with an under-the-radar bodykit, subtle boot spoiler and neat details such as the Formula E-style foglight in the rear diffuser. Inside, there’s a big red starter button, open-pore wood and Nismo-branded seats.

Under the skin, two motors combine to produce 429bhp, good for a 0-62mph time of five seconds flat. However, Nissan places much more emphasis on the intermediate sprint from 50-75mph, and this was what the focus was on during development. The engineers are noticeably proud of how quick it is ‘in gear’ – when pulling out for an overtake, for example. 

What else has been done? In terms of performance, at first glance: not much. But then the previous top model, the e-4ORCE Performance, was no shrinking violet with 389bhp. The Nismo manages the standard 0-62mph sprint just one-tenth of a second faster; hardware and torque (600Nm) are identical – although the latter is available for longer.

The charging tech hasn’t been touched either. There are two battery packs, although in the UK we’ll only get the bigger 87kWh option. Maximum charging capacity stands at just 130kW; rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT can do much more. The Nissan’s official 261-mile range is nothing to write home about either.

There are real changes to the Ariya’s chassis, where the spring-damper setting has been adjusted and the whole structure has been made significantly stiffer. The e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system has also been re-tuned and is now a bit more rear-biased. The two electric motors are distributed 50:50 between the front and rear axles, with more power moving to one or the other as needed. Nismo has also made the stability control less restrictive.

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The new 20-inch Enkei rims ensure better ventilation and thus brake cooling. This, in combination with the Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, means braking distances are cut by up to eight per cent – despite the discs and pads being unchanged from the standard car. Nissan, apparently, was keen not to use larger brakes in an effort to keep weight down. 

Given the Ariya Nismo tips the scales at a whopping 2,665kg, we’d argue the few kilograms needed for a better braking system would not have dramatically affected that final figure. The car could definitely benefit from greater braking power; thankfully our test route, the legendary serpentine road near Hakone, west of Tokyo, was entirely uphill.

On first contact, the precise steering set-up and surprisingly responsive chassis show the car in a strong light. But our sense is that the Nismo’s mass and EV tyres define the limits of the car’s lateral dynamics.

It’s visually where the Ariya Nismo actually makes its biggest leap, then. The combination of grey and black, plus a red dividing line, is pure Nismo. The new aero front apron directs the air laterally in a vortex flow around the front wheels and the side skirts and roof edge spoiler also improve the aerodynamics, while Nissan has even added a front splitter and a two-part diffuser. All in, Nissan says these parts reduce lift by 40 per cent. 

Inside, the seats with the Nismo logo are a nice touch, even if they are a bit too plush and not quite supportive enough for a sports model. The cabin is trimmed with high-end materials, while a flat-bottomed steering wheel with a 12 o’clock marker and red accents complete the look.

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