Well, so much for the Nissan Ariya.
While it arrived late to the party, the Nissan Ariya was supposed to herald a new electric-forward strategy as automakers raced to gain a foothold in the market. The world’s changed, however, and with it Nissan has decided to drop its SUV offering from the lineup, as first reported by Automotive News.
Technically, production for the Ariya is paused and not necessarily scrapped entirely — though there’s no word on when Nissan may restart production, if it ever does. For the United States market, then, the Ariya is out of the picture come the 2026 model year, save the cars that are leftover on dealer lots.
Why is Nissan scrapping (or “pausing”) the Ariya? Even though it has been gaining some ground in recent days and months, a “dynamic U.S. market” is to blame. Read between the lines, and economic conditions seem to be the main factor. The Japan-built Ariya is, after all, still subject to 15% import duties, and the federal electric vehicle tax credit is set to disappear at the end of this month. Both elements coming together result in a higher price tag, and the Nissan Ariya is already a big ask at up to $55,865 for a fully loaded version.
Now, if you are in the market for an electric SUV, there are still plenty of new Ariyas left in inventory. Beyond that, used examples are available for about half-price…because resale values on EVs aren’t exactly what you’d call “strong”.
With the Ariya being a much tougher sell, Nissan is reportedly shifting effort and resources toward the new Leaf instead, focusing on that car’s position as a value leader. At under $30,000 to start, the new Leaf is substantially cheaper than even the base Ariya ($41,265). We’ll have to see if the adjustment in marketing strategy works when Nissan’s third-generation Leaf makes it to dealers en masse.
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