Nissan Note Reviews

The next-generation Nissan Kicks crossover SUV is headed for Japan exclusively in hybrid guise next year, according to BestCar Japan, with the door potentially ajar for an Australian release.

As we patiently await Nissan's successor to the trailblazing Leaf — the world’s first-ever mainstream electric car — Japanese publication BestCar is keeping us occupied with fresh digital renders.

Nissan is fighting for its survival, according to reports.

Nissan is about to launch its new N7 electric car in China, which it hopes will attract some of the attention away from the country's local brands. Australia appears to be off the cards for the new EV, despite there being plenty of enthusiasm here for electric cars. Nissan and joint-venture partner Dongfeng revealed the sleek-looking N7 at the Guangzhou motor show over the weekend, showcasing the first model to be built on the JV’s new modular architecture.  The N7 is a large sedan 4930mm long, 1896mm wide and 1487mm tall, with smooth lines and a fastback profile. The N7 will have interactive exterior LED lights. At the front are 710 LEDs, while at the rear are 882 OLED units. Inside, the cabin will feature a next-gen media system, which promises to offer outstanding connectivity thanks to the higher-powered Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P processor. The N7 will also have an advanced form of autonomous technology with Nissan teaming up with self-driving company Momenta. Nissan hasn’t revealed any further details regarding motor outputs, battery capacity or driving ranges. We expect to know more soon due to Chinese government regulations which require all car manufacturers to submit specifications that are published ahead of the vehicle going on sale. In Australia the only electric car sold by Nissan is the Leaf, but this second-generation model arrived in 2017 and production ceased in March this year, leaving Australia to rely on the dwindling stock remaining in the country. We’ve seen spy images of the third-generation Leaf, but the new EV won’t enter production until 2025 and even then it might not be available to buy in Australia for up to two years. Australia is also still waiting on Nissan’s all electric Ariya SUV, which according to the Japanese brand was due here this year but was held up from going on sale due to it not meeting Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for a child seat anchor point. Nissan told us the ADR issue has now been resolved and the Ariya will be available to buy in the second half of 2025.  China is far and away the biggest market for electric cars and business for EVs is booming with year to date sales for electrified vehicles up by 35 per cent. Australia is also experiencing its own EV boom with 69,962 fully electric vehicles sold this year, compared to 65,743 this time last year. That’s a 6.5 per cent increase. The sales are fuelled by the arrival of affordable electric Chinese cars from BYD and MG. BYD’s year-to-date result has increased by 74.4 per cent with the brands Seal proving particularly popular with 5308 sold so far in first full year on sale in Australia.

New car launches don’t get much bigger than the Y63 Nissan Patrol. The rugged four-wheel drive has been the darling of Aussie off-road enthusiasts and suburban families for years and the new Y63 version is due to land on Australian roads at the end of 2026. Americans don’t have to wait that long with the Patrol — called Armada in the US — due to go on sale this year. The Japanese brand has just revealed prices for the Armada in the US, which is sure to shock potential buyers. The Armada line-up kicks off at US$58,530 ($90,000), which is the exact same price as the outgoing version.  Car companies keeping the price the same for an all new model is almost unheard of. It only applies to the base SV variant, though, and Australia doesn’t sell an equivalent version, instead offering better equipped variants. All other variants rise by less than US$2000 ($3000), which is still a bargain when you look at the extra gear and engineering that has gone into the Y63 Patrol. If this strategy carries across to Australia it could point to a $100,000 starting price, which would put the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series on serious notice. The LandCruiser 300 Series was between $7000 and $10,000 more expensive than the 200 Series it replaced. The Y63 Patrol is built on a new platform and is bigger in almost every way. It is now 5205mm in length (+35mm), 2030mm in width (+35mm), though the 1955m height remains unchanged.  It’s also bigger in the third row, thanks to the rear section and boot being 30 per cent wider than in the Y62. Under the bonnet is a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 replacing the outgoing model’s 5.6-litre V8. This new engine muscles up compared to the outgoing model with outputs of 317kW and 700Nm, or 19kW and 140Nm more than before. It’s got some hi-tech suspension too, with the new Intelligent Dynamic Suspension system complete with air suspension that can give you another 7cm of lift. This also helps improve approach and departure angles when tackling properly tough terrain. It is expected to be able to tow the benchmark 3500kg, too. There is also a raft of tech upgrades including twin 14.3-inch screens, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver display. It’ll have a head-up display and be capable of over-the-air software updates. Not to mention the upgraded styling, with a muscular boxy physique that gives it plenty of presence on the road. We won’t know the official Australian prices of the Y63 Patrol until just before it launches at the end of 2026, but here’s hoping they follow the US’s lead.

Vehicle to grid tech is finally set to be approved for use nation-wide in Australia - but why is it and why should you care?

Back in 2018, Nissan cobbled together a Leaf silhouette racecar with twin electric motors producing 240kW and a weight of just 1220kg thanks to a carbon fibre body. 

Nissan is going on an electric SUV bonanza.

A refreshed Nissan Juke range has arrived at Nissan dealers with a new N-Sport flagship variant, along with style and tech upgrades across the range yet no increase in cost.

For those among us who hate depreciation, now might be the perfect time to start looking at second hand electric cars.