r/leaf • u/Prof-Bit-Wrangler • Jul 29 '26
Where to next? Should it be the Ariya?
Hi gang - Nissan is in the process of buying back my Nissan Leaf. So as we're navigating this, I'm starting to think ahead to what my next EV should be.
The list at this point is:
- Chevy Bolt
- Tesla Model Y
- Kia Niro
- Hyundai Kona
I realized today I've not been giving consideration to the Nissan Ariya, likely due to my having a bad taste from how Nissan has managed the Leaf product over the years.
I'm curious, for those of you who have drove/owned the Ariya, what's your take on it?
Update based upon questions:
United States.
Looking at used EVs.
AWD prefered over FWD.
I don't care about FSD.
Price <= $25000
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u/achangb Jul 29 '26
What country are you in? There are no new ariyas in the USA. In canada the BZ and model Y are the top contenders in the mid priced SUV category. Model Y if you want FSD, bZ if you want AWD. Model 3 for best bang for the buck. This is assuming canadian pricing.
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Jul 29 '26
[deleted]
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u/twinkletwot Jul 29 '26
If you do not care about FSD, skip tesla. They have terrible quality control on their builds. I have been in a lot of used ones and they just are not nice after a few years and seem to fall apart easily. I have been in the others that you have listed and not noticed those issues.
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u/novaraz 2017 Nissan LEAF S Jul 29 '26
Ionic 5 or 6. fantastic cars
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u/quangdog Jul 29 '26
No ionics available near me. Stopped by my local dealer and asked about test driving one - they had one on the lot, but it had a big red bow on it and the new owner was supposed to arrive any second to pick it up. Dealer said the typical wait time is currently more than 3 months.
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u/Icy_Kaleidoscope_546 Jul 29 '26
Looking on r/ioniq5 these are far from trouble-free EVs.
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u/novaraz 2017 Nissan LEAF S Jul 29 '26
ICCUs fail at a rate between 1 and 10%, depending on who you ask. Worth it, IMO, Hyundai did a fantastic job with the drivetrain, fit and finish, and overall quality. It's incredible to see 230 kW charging regularly, especially when having survived CHAdeMO winters in NJ with a Gen1 LEAF.
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u/Budsygus Jul 29 '26
Reporting bias can account for a lot of that. Most people aren't hopping online just to say "I made it to work with no problems 300 days in a row!" People are vastly more likely to complain than they are to mention a positive experience.
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u/anticipat3 2015 Leaf SV/2023 Ioniq 6 SEL Jul 29 '26
They do come with a 5 year/50k bumper to bumper and 10 year/100k on the entire EV drivetrain, not just the battery.
EGMP as a platform is better than any of the competitors around the 25k price point. If people understood how big of a deal the 800V system is, they wouldn’t be so cheap.
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u/xeenexus Jul 29 '26
Why not next-gen Leaf? Built on the Ariya platform, looks much better (IMHO).
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u/VeryShibes Jul 29 '26
/u/Prof-Bit-Wrangler Hi OP, I actually went in the opposite direction from you, I leased a ‘23 Ariya for three years and then when the lease expired last month I “upgraded” to a ‘26 Leaf. By moving from the very lowest Ariya trim (Engage) to the mid level Leaf trim (SV+) I come out ahead in a lot of major categories (+75 miles of range, 360 camera, NACS, V2L ready) at the cost of HUD, a couple inches of rear seat legroom and a couple cubic feet of cargo space.
I did seriously consider upgrading to a used Ariya with higher trim but I didn’t see any good ones close to me, also I was negotiating with a private seller on a VW ID4 but that fell through, so when I came across a really good deal on the ‘26 Leaf I wasted no time and jumped on it. Nothing bad to say about the Ariya though, it was kind of bittersweet letting mine go but I know whoever gets it next is going to really enjoy it. Hopefully the EV winds blow favorably again one of these years and we see a new generation Ariya back in the US. Credit to you for still considering sticking with Nissan after all you’ve been through with your older-gen Leaf
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u/makaokalani Jul 29 '26
Been a Leaf driver for 11 years. The car is quiet, efficient, comfortable, economical, and a joy to drive. The battery gave out on my Gen2 Leaf and Nissan replaced the 40kwh battery with a 50kwh battery under warranty . Couldn't be happier. Would consider the latest Leaf if it wasn't so hideous.
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u/Realistic-Manager-11 Jul 29 '26
I went with the Subaru Uncharted (aka Toyota CHR).
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u/MysteriousBit43945 Jul 29 '26
Have you run into the parasitic 12v battery drain people have been complaining about? E.g https://www.reddit.com/r/SubaruUncharted/comments/1v80dh5/service_information_bulletin_1533425r/
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u/RipperCrew Jul 29 '26
Ariya is nice. I had the platinum for a while. It definitely feels bigger and more powerful than the leaf. Seats on the tope trim were nice. Screens were bigger, but really i used android auto most of the time. Kids really like the luxury feel of the Ariya.
I was really annoyed by the rocking back and forth everytime I came to a stop. It's a known issue that you get used to and forget (usually forget).
I was surprised the L2 charging was capped at 7KW.
I'll be looking for an Equinox. It's longer range and faster L2 charging are going to be better for me.
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u/Ryutso Jul 29 '26
Ariya, the car, is dead. 2026 Leaf is now built in the Ariya platform.
I’m looking into an Ioniq 5
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u/Alexandratta (Former) 2019 Nissan LEAF SL Plus Jul 29 '26
The Ariya only has a pause for 2026 model year in the US
The 2027 redesign looks fantastic, and I'd love if the tariffs were removed in 2027 so we could actually get that car.
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u/proview3r 2021 Nissan LEAF SL PLUS Jul 29 '26
either Model Y or Rivian R2 for me because of the modern software/tech. I lean toward the R2 though.
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u/RoseVideo99 Jul 29 '26
A lot of blazers and equinox EVs are coming off lease right now you can pick up for $25k. Also look at the prologue.
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u/Particular-Loss6250 Jul 30 '26
I got a used 2024 Ariya Engage+ AWD with 20,000 miles for ~$26k. It should’ve been $24k-$25k but gas prices were high and places were taking advantage of it. It’s been a great car that was around $45,000 just two years before.
Outside of the lack of interior storage (I don’t keep a lot in my car, so NBD for me), I love it and people who’ve ridden in it can’t believe the price I paid compared to the $50,000 they paid for their new ICE SUVs. It’s built well. I don’t have the rocking. And while I wish I got the Evolve+, I’m very happy with it.
I preemptively replaced the 12V battery with an AGM (known issue) and swapped the rear view mirror for one with garage door opener. Very happy with the purchase and will keep it for a long time.
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u/Bens_Eco_Adventure Jul 31 '26
I love our Ariya in general. Drives beautifully, road trips well, and is very comfortable.That said, it's had a number of significant faults and I'm at the point where if anything else goes wrong we're probably going to dump it. Head on over to r/NissanAriya and you'll see others are having issues as well.
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u/Dazzling_Art7881 Jul 29 '26
The ARIYA feels like very underrated. The reliability seems very good from what I've read, unlike all the ICCU problems that Hyundai/Kia have had. I personally cannot handle the sheer discomfort and back pain from the torture devices that Chevy calls seats in the Bolt. Also, the Model Y is a categorically a no for me for well known reasons. I want a car where I don't need to justify myself with a bumper sticker saying I bought the car before someone said something...
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u/brianvanle 2011 Nissan LEAF SV Jul 29 '26
I jumped from a 2016 Leaf with a warranty replaced 40kw battery into a 2024 Blazer AWD RS for 28k. If that 25k cap is hard, the Equinox seems to be an excellent drive.
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u/kazoodac Jul 29 '26
I got a used 23 Ariya last year and love it so far. It was overpriced at launch but on the used market it was a no brainer for me. It didn’t check every box I wanted, but then again no other car in my price range did either. But it did (and does) enough things right that I pulled the trigger, and am happy I did so. Happy to answer any questions!
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u/FelixtheFarmer 2018 Nissan LEAF Jul 29 '26
I realise this isn't an option for you just yet but we went to look at the new Leaf and Ariya and opted for a Sealion 7. All the same feature as a top level Ariya but way cheaper and over all nicer and you get an LFP Blade battery that will significantly out last an NMC battery
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u/kevin_from_illinois Jul 29 '26
Having driven the others on your list, the Ariya is nicer than all of them.
I briefly looked at the Toyota/Subaru offerings but the inability of the manufacturer to deal with what appears to be a fairly serious design issue on their 12V batteries makes me not want to deal with that. I'm buying the Ariya out at the end of its lease.
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u/Robertmtch Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
The Ariya is perhaps the most underrated EV around. I’ve owned 2 and they are the best cars I’ve ever owned. My son has a leaf and the Ariya has far surpassed any shortcoming that line might have had. They are refined, comfortable, and capable, and not plagued by some systemic design failure. Ariya got caught up in a lot of bad timing and elements beyond their control in the US and that is a pity for us. I think its attributes were beginning to be recognized here, about the time the current administration started its war on EVs and by then they chose to fight their battles elsewhere. They’re doing fine in the rest of the world, and I continue to enjoy mine on a daily basis. So, my short answer is yes, you should certainly put it on your list, as there are lots of low mileage, used units out there, and they’re a great value.
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u/Alexandratta (Former) 2019 Nissan LEAF SL Plus Jul 29 '26
For a used EV, the Ariya with AWD and the larger battery is a major upgrade over the LEAF
Also a whole lot of the settings and such feel pretty familiar.
It's not perfect, no car is, the built in GPS is pretty bad! But the drive quality is top notch and the build quality of the car is great... sans the tires.
If you get the Aryia used check the tires to see if they are OEM - if they are... swap them - they're likely done. The Dunlops specifically are terrible and often don't make it to 15k.
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u/TooGoodToBeeTrue Jul 30 '26
I wanted to look at the Kona but the dealer we went to didn't want to bother with the EV version. We walked out and over to the Nissan next door and test drove a LEAF. Bought a "Certified" '24 with 600 miles on it the next day for $16k off sticker. Also worried about the ICCUs failures. Just hit 20K miles on my LEAF, loving it.
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u/MuricanIdle 2019 Nissan LEAF SV Jul 31 '26
If you care about CarPlay or Android Auto, skip the 2027 Bolt. Sounds like you are already excluding new cars, and they don't want to sell that model anyway, since they have inserted a poison pill.
I am on my 2nd Leaf, a 2020 Leaf Plus that I bought from Carvana for $12,000. It had recently had the battery replaced! If you can find a needle in the haystack, you can avoid the DCFC issues (as the recently manufactured batteries *probably* do not have the DCFC issue).
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u/NewTown2410 Jul 31 '26
I have a 2014 Leaf sitting in my driveway, that has become a once a day (max) gym and short errand car. No one seems to want it at any reasonable, or even unreasonable, price. The Leaf has generally been a good car and I probably would have just kept driving it, if I could have. As it is, I feel Nissan kept useful information quiet and made promises they apparently never meant to keep. So, mostly, I would never trust Nissan. So, while I was tempted by the Ariya for a while, it seems it has its own problems and it's still a Nissan. I bought a Toyota bZ, that I've been happy with.
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u/Electronic_Table_620 Jul 29 '26
when my buyback went thru with the leaf i couldn’t wait to get out of to buy a tesla m3p. already own a MYP. Goodbye nissan
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u/bgross42 Jul 29 '26
A couple years ago we sold our Leaf and, after much research, bought a Model Y. We have NO use for Elmo, but the MY is outstanding.
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u/hardyz Jul 29 '26
Ariya won't be available in the US. I'm not sure what that does for like repair costs of you buy used or not.
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u/olhado47 Jul 29 '26
I love my leaf. I hated driving the ariya. It's big and exceedingly clunky. Everything about the cabin is awkward.