Nissan Ariya vs Tesla Model Y

What's the difference?

The Nissan Ariya made an excellent first impression on us in the short time we had to get to know it. The test vehicle's overseas spec meant we weren't able to experience it on public roads, so a 'real world' drive will have to wait until the car officially launches here in 2024.

At that point we'll also know the model line-up, final technical specification and pricing.

For now, we can say the Ariya appears to be easy and comfortable to drive, while offering excellent room for a car that's not at all large.

Completely putting aside the Elon Musk factor, there’s no question the Model Y was in need of an update to keep it fresh and attractive to buyers. On a purely automotive level, the changes they’ve made have been almost universally positive.

Tesla has had to adopt the traditional car company plan, which is out of character, but the new look and tweaks to the ride and specifications make it feel fresh, new and better - which is exactly what the brand needs to continue to grow its market and win back those who have started to look elsewhere.

Whether that’s enough in the face of both the Musk element, slowing EV market and increased rivals - especially those from China - remains to be seen. But if Tesla sales remain in decline, at least it won’t be for a lack of trying to make the Model Y better.

The Ariya is a mid-sized SUV, about 4.6m long, which is close to the same length as a Toyota RAV4 but its styling is very different to the SUV norm.

The Ariya looks like a hatchback that's eaten another car with that big, bloated face and puffed-out wheel arches. But somehow, this SUV looks stunning, in an intriguing way.

The cabin is also beautifully odd in places such as the climate controls which illuminate out of the wood-like dashboard. But then there are more familiar elements such as the screens for media and driver's instruments.

Yep, the Ariya’s design treads the line between avant garde and everyday that makes it interesting without scaring people off.

Tesla’s Model Y is a direct rival to the Ariya, only about 10mm longer and has its own quirky, but very-Tesla interior that’s far more futuristic than the Nissan’s relatively traditional layout. 

Tesla’s original game plan was to focus on software updates to keep its cars fresh and appealing, rather than the traditional facelifts and specification tweaks that other car companies use. But, in what should probably not be a surprise, it turns out the rest of the car industry hasn’t been doing mid-cycle facelifts and updates for every other car for no reason - it did them because they worked.

To that end, this ‘new’ Model Y isn’t all-new, but rather the existing platform with refreshed styling. It takes Tesla’s latest design cues taken from the Cybertruck and Cybercab concept, with a new-look front end that is dominated by this LED lighting that runs across the entire width and wraps around the corners into the headlights.

There’s a new, flatter bumper, which takes styling inspiration from the Cybertruck but the company claims it’s also more aerodynamic. While at the rear there’s been an equally extensive redesign, with new lighting and tailgate. Tesla claims the new rear light bar that runs the width of the car is one of the longest of its kind in the industry.

I’ll leave it to each individual reader to decide whether they like the look of the 2025 Model Y, but objectively speaking it certainly looks different enough from its predecessor that it could entice existing owners to upgrade or attract new buyers.

Inside the changes are less noticeable, with some subtle but significant tweaks. Visually the biggest change is a new wrap-around ambient light strip that runs from door to door across the front of the dashboard.

But the rest of the layout is largely what was there before, with one notable exception. Tesla has taken its ‘minimalist’ design to the next level and removed the gear selector stalk on the right-hand side of the steering column. Instead you need to use the central touchscreen to get the Model Y moving.

To be candid, I don’t like this, it makes for a less convenient, less tactile and less initiative way to change gears, while also making the central screen even busier. Aesthetically, with the left-hand indicator stalk still there, it makes an asymmetrical design element in an otherwise symmetrical cabin. Which is where it starts to feel less like a design choice and more like a cost saving decision.

In fact, despite the good quality materials used throughout the cabin and good build quality, personally I find this almost-buttonless, so-called minimalist cabin just looks and feels cheap with so little in the way of details and design flourishes. Especially against the wave of incoming similar-sized and sometimes cheaper Chinese electric SUV rivals, that either look very similar (Deepal S07) or have similar technology and add some more design flair (BYD Sealion 7).

One design element of note is the lack of any Tesla badging on the front. There’s no ‘Tesla’ or even a ‘T’ badge, which is in keeping with the Cybertruck design but is another meaningful change from the previous Model Y.

Leading up to the Australian preview of the Ariya I’d heard it was outstanding for space given its not-so-large exterior dimensions.

For the most part I found this to be true. Legroom in the second row is excellent, even for me at 188cm tall. Headroom back there isn’t as good as I expected with almost no room to place a hand between my noggin and the ceiling.

The flat floor in the second row creates more space and makes sliding from one side of the car to the other across the rear bench seat easy.

Up front there’s a large storage container Nissan calls the ‘Magic Box’ probably because it retracts neatly into the dashboard, although not due to any actual magic.

The sliding centre console is great for making more legroom for the unlucky middle seat passenger in the second row and offers superb covered storage. But it’s electric and as slow as a turtle, or a tortoise, I forget which one has legs.

Hyundai, Peugeot and other brands have these, too, but are manually operated.

The rear doors open wide making this an easy car to get in and out of, too.

The boot isn’t enormous. Nissan says it has a cargo capacity of 466 litres but those aren’t the VDA litres other brands such as Toyota uses, rather ‘liquid’ litres which is handy if you absolutely need to know exactly how much milk you’re able to pour into there. The load lip on the boot is also high, and will mean you’ll have to hoist items up and into it. 

The Ariya is still very practical, but the hype was overstated I think.

From a space perspective, the Model Y offers good room front and rear for an SUV of this size. The addition of the rear heated seats and small touchscreen that can support two Bluetooth headphones is very nice. 

There’s plenty of small item storage thanks to a large centre console between the front seats, with space for two wireless smartphone charging pads, two cups or bottles and a pair of large lidded storage spaces (albeit with only a single USB-C input).

In terms of luggage space, the Model Y does a nice job, thanks to its 117L front boot (or frunk), while at the rear the boot has a claimed 854L of cargo space with underfloor storage. However, that big boot comes at the expense of any sort of spare tyre or even a puncture repair kit. Instead, Tesla offers roadside assistance and brings you a spare wheel and tyre or takes you to a tyre store. Which is fine if you have a flat in an urban area and a Tesla service vehicle can drop off a spare in short order, but if you’re in a regional spot you may be waiting a while for a job that some people can do in 15 minutes or less.

As for the in-car technology, there’s no question that Tesla has created a good infotainment system and it runs quickly on the big, hi-resolution screen. However, once again Tesla’s desire to be different and not conform to the industry norms rears its head.

There’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility, because Tesla wants to only run its system and not deal with third parties. And, yes, you can still pair your phone and get very similar functionality, but it is not the same functionality and seems like a compromise for customers.

The Model Y still has plenty of the ‘Easter eggs’ that are a much-talked about part of Tesla lore. And honestly, they’re fine, a nice little bonus, but the truth is, like so many other car ‘surprise and delight’ features, they don’t add any meaningful long-term value to the ownership or user experience. I used to get excited by them when I first drove Teslas, but within a few days you tend to forget about them.

On a positive note, the Tesla App is a great feature, allowing you to keep in contact with your car, and access cameras and other features remotely, while also using your phone as a key. Which is good, because otherwise you have to use a key card, which allows keyless entry but the card has to be pulled out of your pocket and placed on the wireless phone charging pads in order for the car to start, which just seems unnecessarily complex.

Of course, one of the most important elements for any car’s sales success is its price and the value it offers customers. That’s why this is one of the (non-political) automotive reasons behind Tesla’s sales decline. Put simply, the American brand has more rivals now, particularly those from China that are undercutting it.

The list of cheaper electric SUVs now includes the BYD Atto 3 and Sealion 7, Deepal S07, Kia EV3 and EV5, Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10, XPeng X6 and Zeekr X. With customers having more choice and overall demand for EVs starting to plateau, Tesla will need to fight harder for each and every sale.

Tesla repeatedly cut the cost of the old Model Y, reaching as low as $55,900, but this new version starts at $58,900 for the RWD variant and $68,900 for the Long Range AWD we drove.

Some of the key specification highlights for this updated Model Y include new heated and ventilated front seats, improved heated rear seats, an 8.0-inch infotainment screen in the rear, ambient lighting, acoustic glass, pixel-by-pixel headlights and a new hands-free tailgate that can open on approach.

The elephant in the room is re-sale value, with Tesla's repeated price cuts impacting the used car market and therefore the value it offers you. Tesla Australia has indicated that the multiple price cuts that impacted the previous model in its later years are a thing of the past, but a discount or sale is always a helpful way to drive sales in troubled times.

Nissan hasn’t announced the motor specs for Australian Ariyas. But in the UK the Ariya can be had with a 63kWh battery and a motor sending 160kW/300Nm to the front wheels, or a bigger 87kWh battery version with the motor making 178kW/300Nm.  

There’s an all-wheel drive called the 'e-4orce' with the 87kWh battery and two motors (one on each axle) making a total of 225kW/600Nm. 

We might get all these versions or just some… we’ll probably know towards the end of this year.  

For all the difficulties Tesla has been suffering lately, and amid all the new challengers, one area where the brand remains in a strong position is its powertrains and battery technology. It is still among the best in the business, and should be the reason you buy a Model Y more than its ‘Easter eggs’ or buttonless interior.

Tesla is notoriously cagey when it comes to its power and torque figures, but all indications are the motors haven’t been changed. That means the RWD makes 220kW/420Nm, while the Long Range we’re in has a theoretical 331kW/559Nm.

What Tesla has confirmed is the new Model Y is faster, thanks to a software update, with the RWD a full one second faster from 0-100km/h - now taking 5.9 seconds - and the Long Range is two-tenths quicker at 4.8 seconds.

Nissan was still evaluating the Ariya for Australia at the time this preview was published and had not determined the ranges or energy consumption for the vehicle locally.

What I can tell you is in Europe the 63kWh battery offers a 403 km range, while the 87kWh gives you a more substantial 533km range. The all-wheel drive version offers a 500km range. 

The efficiency figures for the European cars are also indicative of those we could expect. The 63kWh battery version is claimed to consume 17.6kWh/100km and for the FWD Ariya with the 87kWh battery that figure rises to 18.1kWh/100km.

While it may not be more powerful, Tesla has extended the range on both the RWD and Long Range.

The RWD has been stretched to 466km, an improvement of 11km, and the Long Range lives up to its name with a 551km range - an 18km increase over the old model.

In the real-world though, we noticed quite a dramatic decrease in battery percentage on relatively limited urban driving, so much so we’d need a longer evaluation period to confirm whether you could consistently get more than 500km from a single charge. Even working from home, and driving a second car during the week we had the Model Y, I was on course to have to recharge within a seven-day period.

When you do need to recharge, Tesla operates its own Supercharging network, so in addition to being able to use the growing number of public chargers, you can probably find one of Tesla’s 110 Superchargers near you.

Charging is nice and easy too. You can upload your credit card to the car so you only need to plug in and it will automatically start replenishing the batteries.

This was the first time the Ariya had been driven in Australia. Okay, sure, we were only allowed to do so at a test track and not on public roads. And, yes, the car we drove was an overseas version given to us to test by Nissan.

But the opportunity meant we could get a hint of what it might be like to drive in the real world.

Plus, we could drive it at 110km/h, which is about 30km/h faster than the maximum allowed for CarsGuide colleague Stephen Corby when he first drove the Ariya for us in Sweden, thanks to the overly cautious speed limits in that country. 

We drove the FWD Ariya with the larger 87kWh battery.

First impression is the Ariya is an easy car to drive, smooth thanks to the electric powertrain with good (but no ludicrous) acceleration.

Handling and brakes are excellent, while steering has a nice weight to it but remains light and accurate.

At higher speeds there’s wind noise but that’s only noticeable because there’s no engine to drown out the sound of the air rushing past.

The test track we drove the Ariya on was a course bitumen loop that approximated Australian road surfaces and the Ariya felt comfortable and stable at all times no matter what the speed.

So, an easy car to drive that’s comfortable and handles well, with good acceleration but not outstandingly quick compared to a Tesla Model Y. 

One of the most significant mechanical changes for this new Model Y is retuned suspension. The previous Model Y was criticised for its uncomfortable ride, especially in the rears, and Tesla has acted to change that. 

The ride is more comfortable but still on the firm side as it needs to control the weight of all the batteries. Overall the changes have brought a positive impact and helped improve one of the weak points of the Model Y.

Tesla has also added lower rolling resistance tyres and acoustic glass, both of which help refinement and make for a quieter cabin. That was an early problem with the Model S, the amount of road noise and mechanical groans and squeaks that were audible without an engine to mask them. Tesla has worked hard over the years to make a much more refined and quieter electric vehicle.

From a driving perspective, the Model Y is nice without offering anything class-leading or particularly stand-out. Tesla claims the new tyres help improve handling, but there's no real evidence of that from behind the wheel.

In fact, the Model Y doesn't really have any element of the driving experience that stands out amongst its newer rivals. The motors offer good, effortless performance, but the driving character - the steering, the chassis handling - just lacks any above-average quality.

One area where Tesla has caught up to some of its EV rivals is adding a different level of regenrative braking, with a relaxed setting that allows for a more conventional two-pedal driving experience than the standard regen, which is quite strong.

Still, it's hard to give Tesla any more points for its Driving score because it simply feels very much average for the current class of EV SUVs.

Safety is another area where Tesla has some standout features. As this is an updated, rather than an all-new model, it has the same crash structure as the 2022 Model Y ANCAP tested and awarded five stars.

It gets all the basics you expect, such as seven airbags for full occupant protection, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning and so on. But there’s some extra elements worth mentioning.

And we need to start with Tesla’s much talked about ‘Autopilot’ - which isn’t the Full Self Driving System that’s offered in America. Instead, it’s a very fancy sounding name for the same sort of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist most brands offer. We had some significant issues with this system during our week of testing, with the car repeatedly slowing dramatically when the Autopilot was engaged, despite no obvious reason to do so.

Another issue with the Autopilot is the specific ‘Autosteer’ function, which is clearly listed as in ‘Beta’ form, which means it’s not in its final, production-ready form. I don’t believe customers should be beta testing anything for carmakers, either it’s ready for us to use or it isn’t. Tesla is the only car I’ve ever driven that openly admits it is offering a not-fully-tested system and it simply doesn’t make sense to me that they get away with it.

But, as is a theme here, for every questionable Tesla element there is a counter element that’s positive. In terms of safety it’s the Sentry Mode, which is a great system that allows you to record movement near the car in case of threat of theft or damage by automatically turning on the external cameras if someone approaches the car. You can check in real-time from the Tesla app too, so it adds a layer of functionality and peace-of-mind that few others can match.

Similarly, another handy safety feature is the in-built dashcam, that uses the forward facing safety camera to record video. It can be programmed to activate on a specific command, such as beeping the horn, so you can capture any incident and get evidence to help with an insurance or dangerous driving incident.

We’d expect the Ariya to be covered by the same five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty Nissan Australia applies to all its vehicles.

The battery will likely be covered by a separate eight year/160,000km warranty just like the Nissan Leaf EV.

Service pricing will be available once the car's final specification is settled.

Tesla has a relatively short warranty for the Model Y, at least by modern standard, at just four years and 80,000km. However the battery and drive units are covered for eight years, so you do get more peace of mind that any battery issues will be resolved.

However, there are different mileages for the RWD and Long Range models, and Tesla says the batteries only need to retain 70 per cent of their performance to be within their limits.

Servicing is another non-traditional area for Tesla. The company doesn't offer fixed-service intervals, but rather the car will alert you when it needs a service. BMW and Mini also do this.

Naturally, there are less lubricants and other consumables to maintain as you’d find on a petrol-powered SUV, but there are still parts like brake fluids and air filters that need to be looked at by a technician.