Nissan Ariya 2026 review: Evolve e-4orce long-term | Part 2

I drive a lot of electric cars, but I’ve had somewhat of an epiphany in my time with the Nissan Ariya Evolve e-4orce these past few months.

Dual-motor EVs are mostly unnecessary.

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There are a few reasons.

One, is it adds extra weight to an already heavy car, which then affects how the suspension performs. Most dual-motor EVs have a bouncy rode and struggle to keep their hefty weight in check

Two, is that extra weight, combined with the extra energy consumed by the second motor, means driving range is reduced considerably.

The Ariya’s claimed driving range is is only 17km less than the single motor version at 487km. It has been verified via the Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which is the benchmark measurement for EV ranges.

During our time behind the wheel we have seen the Ariya Evolve e-4orce deliver less than 400km per charge. 

CarsGuide’s previous experience with the Ariya single motor variant has seen it deliver more than 500km per charge.

Another reason to not go the dual motor route for your EV is your wallet. Ditching the second motor will save you big time, or about $8000 if you are shopping for an Ariya. This does include a few specification differences, but nothing life changing.

The extra motor also requires more space, and as nearly every automotive engineer has told me over the past few decades, saving weight and space are the two biggest challenges they face.

In the Ariya's case the extra motor eats into the boot space, dropping it from 466 litres in single-motor guise to 406 litres in the dual-motor version. There is no spare tyre either, with owners making do with a fiddly tyre repair kit that doesn't pass the pub test.

This packaging issue affects all dual motor EVs, and all-wheel drive petrol and diesel cars, so it is not an isolated issue.

Having all-wheel drive does add some benefits.

The Ariya Evolve e-4orce is exceptionally composed and poised in the wet, with it handling Sydney summer storm downpours with ease, where front- or rear-wheel drive vehicles can slip and struggle to put the power down in greasy wet conditions.

Lets not forget the second motor brings plenty of extra grunt, too.

The Ariya Evolve e-4orce pumps up the outputs to a beefy 320kW and 600Nm, which is good enough to drop the zero to 100km sprint time to 5.6 seconds.

You might not want your family electric SUV to go that fast, but there are plenty out there who do.

I think the sweet spot for most electric car ranges, including the Ariya, is the single-motor version that delivers a real-world driving range of more than 500km.

That 500km range appears to be the marker that removes most of the range anxiety.

Moving along from the all-wheel drive/dual-motor conundrum I’ve been dealing with the past six weeks, the Ariya has shown off some of its quality.

Without a doubt the Ariya’s cabin is its standout feature. It is a warm, comfortable and inviting space for my family of four.

Child seats — front and rear facing — fit in the back pew with ease, and the supple Nappa leather-trimmed seat upholstery is easy to wipe down if needed.

The Ariya’s egg-shape gives it a lofty feeling inside, with the high roof — along with the full length panoramic sunroof — giving it an airy feel that few can match.

A head-up display — which projects vital information such as your travelling speed, prevailing speed limit and safety warnings onto the windscreen in front of the driver — should be standard on every car.

It reduces distraction and means you are unlikely to ever creep over the speed limit. Speed bracket creep is a real thing in EVs, where there are often no audible cues to you accelerating as there is with petrol or diesel vehicles.

The cabin materials are excellent, with plush and high-end elements throughout.

Many passengers were impressed by the haptic button integrated in the faux wood dash trim and centre console. You can control some climate functions and switch the drive modes and engage the single pedal driving functions with these buttons.

There are still some functions, such as more advanced climate and comfort controls, buried in the touchscreen.

Nissan’s multimedia software falls behind tech-leading alternatives from newer brands.

The centre console is bulky but lacks any proper storage options.

As mentioned earlier, the boot is on the small side. It isn’t horrendously small, but squeezing everything in for a family of four is a struggle I often lose. 

A slow leak in the tyre meant a running repair needed to be done by the dealer, but the lack of a space saver or full size spare meant negotiating with the tyre repair kit. And I don’t negotiate with terrorists. It was easier and quicker to drive to the nearest petrol station to top up then it was to charge the inflator via the car’s 12-volt plug and then hook it up to the tyre.

Next instalment we’ll give our final verdict on the Ariya Evolve e-4orce.

2026 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD 

Acquired: December 2025

Distance travelled this month: 528km

Odometer: 6742km

Average energy consumption this month: 20.7kWh/100km