Nissan Ariya vs Nissan Sukura

What's the difference?

Nissan was one of the first to launch a mainstream electric vehicle (EV) in Australia with the cute Leaf hatchback back in 2010.

While two generations of the Leaf have come and gone, Nissan still hasn’t launched another EV offering in Australia. That’s now finally changed.

The Japanese carmaker has just launched the Ariya mid-size electric SUV in Australia roughly five years after it was first revealed. It’s been available in other markets since 2022.

The EV market has gained momentum in Australia and there are a growing number of heavy-hitting rivals out there now for the Ariya to go up against.

Is it too little, too late for Nissan? Read along to find out.

It is no secret that the Chinese brands have taken Australia’s affordable EV market by storm. The three most affordable electric models in Australia are all Chinese, and all start under $40k.

But this is the Nissan Sakura, a Japanese-market EV that has global potential, with the brand’s most senior executives saying they want to bring cheaper electric vehicles to the masses.

How cheap? Well this one starts at around 2.5m yen, which is less than $27,000.

So, does Nissan have something here that can upset the cheap EV apple cart? Let’s go find out.