2025 Nissan Ariya Nismo Review: Yikes

Nismo has made some truly unbelievable cars over the years. Think the R33 400R, the R34 Z-Tune, the 350 S-Tune, the self-titled iterations of the R35… we can go on. What it means is that, often, if Nismo is placed on a car, it means business.

Seemingly just as often, though, Nismo has a habit of being applied to some slightly more befuddling creations. Think the JDM Note and Leaf Nismos, while here we were treated to (if you can call it that) the Juke.

So, which side of the coin has the newest and currently only Nismo available in Europe and the UK fallen on after spending some time with it? In the case of the Nissan Ariya Nismo, you guessed it, befuddling.

We’ll start on a positive note, at least, as it does get more power rather than being a simple exercise in badging. Starting with the 87kWh Ariya e-4ORCE, the Nismo sees a bit of extra power extracted from its dual-motor setup for a peak of 429bhp (well up from 302bhp), although peak torque curiously remains at 443lb ft.

The result is a car that certainly is quicker. Groundbreaking news, we know. Nissan quotes a 0-62mph time of five seconds (not bad), and you do no doubt feel that extra performance when you’re planting your foot. Praise pretty much ends there.

Work has been done to the suspension in a bid to make it feel a little more racey, though it continues to ride on passive dampers rather than opt for a set that can be adjusted across drive modes. That includes stiffer spring rates front and rear, as well as stiffer anti-roll bars. It also rides 10mm lower.

While that has been made along with a remapping of the motors’ software for a more rear-biased feel, changes are otherwise minimal. No meaningful reworking of its electronic steering, no concerted efforts to shed some of the 2.2-tonne kerbweight, nor any Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-style gear shift trickery. European cars don’t even get the JDM-spec piped-in Formula E sound, which could’ve given it at least some semblance of personality.

The result is a pretty predictable one. The Nissan Ariya Nismo simply isn’t very good.

There’s the ride for a start. Those changes to its suspension while sticking to passive dampers mean that it’s very stiff, all of the time. At low speeds, it thuds and judders in a horrible manner, as if someone is jackhammering the underside of your seat whenever you’re in the mere presence of an uneven road.

That never relents either, which becomes a real nuisance when you try to treat the Nismo like, well, a Nismo. It unsettles easily under heavy cornering, which, paired with numb steering and body roll, does almost nothing to inspire any sort of confidence in exploiting the available power.

Grip levels are decent from the Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, but that feels more in credit to the French tyre manufacturer than to Nissan, and it’s a small branch to cling to among an otherwise deeply unpleasant experience. There’s no meaningful improvement to engagement by having a more rear-biased torque split in this case, either.

Which means there’s frankly no point in having the extra power. Which of course brings with it compromises to range, quoted as offering 261 miles on a full charge – a massive drop from the E-4ORCE’s 317-mile official figure. In the real world, it’s even worse, managing 2.3mi/kWh over a week of testing, which would translate to bang on 200 miles of range.

It can’t claw any favour back with its extra Nismo-branded goodies inside either. There’s a naff-looking badge slapped on the wooden dashboard insert and, save for a red centre marker on the steering wheel and Nismo-branded seating, there’s little else. If anything, its darker tones detract from the otherwise airy and pleasant (if dated-feeling) cabin of the base Ariya.

Outside, there’s a sportier bodykit with the token red lipstick and badges front and rear, plus you can have it any colour you want, as long as it’s Stealth grey. It looks like an afterthought, to be brutally honest.

Pricing can’t save it either. At £56,630, it’s £6000 more than the car it’s based on, while being more compromised in pretty much every aspect other than the occasional chance to plant your foot on a perfectly smooth road. Never mind even comparing it with other cars. Simple, this one: avoid.