Used Nissan Ariya 2022-present reliability review

What should I look for in a used Nissan ARIYA?

As with any used car, it's important to inspect the bodywork and wheels for any signs of damage. Inside, check that all the electrics are functioning properly and look for any damage to the interior trim and upholstery. Don't forget to take the car for a test drive – pay close attention to any unusual noises, such as bangs or knocks from the suspension.

When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.

What are the most common problems with a used Nissan ARIYA?

At the time of writing, the Nissan Ariya has three recalls listed. To check whether it has been carried out on an affected car, you can contact your local Nissan dealer. You will not need to pay for anything involving the recall.

Reason for recall

On affected vehicles a potential software concern may result in the combination metre screen intermittently switching off for five seconds and then switching back on.

How the manufacturer will repair: Over The Air (OTA) software update sent to vehicle updating the combination metre software only.

Number of affected vehicles: 770

Date of recall: 15/05/2023

Reason for recall

On affected vehicles there is a potential for conductive fibrous shavings from the drive motors slip ring assembly to momentarily cause a short circuit between the two slip rings.

How the manufacturer will repair: Update the software of the inverter engine control module (ECM) with software that has been modified to reset instantly in the event of a short circuit detection.

Number of affected vehicles: 3538

Date of recall: 16/10/2023

Reason for recall

On affected vehicles an oil seal within the traction motor may leak causing a malfunction resulting in the traction motor going into failsafe and traction torque reducing to zero.

How the manufacturer will repair: Replace the traction motor.

Number of affected vehicles: 126

Date of recall: 19/08/2024

Is a used Nissan ARIYA reliable?

The Ariya came in 26th out of 27 cars in the electric SUV class in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey. It did so with a poor score of 89.1%.

Nissan as a brand ranked 29th out of 30 manufacturers in the car brand reliability section of the survey, with a score of 89.9%. This places it below most rivals brands, including Hyundai, Kia, Skoda and Tesla. Only MG fared worse.

Used Nissan Ariya reliability: the owners' view

According to our latest Reliability Survey, Nissan Ariya owners have faced some reliability concerns.

Several owners reported issues with warning lights appearing unexpectedly, including battery-related alerts and software faults. One owner experienced a complete system shutdown that required a recovery service and a lengthy dealer visit to reset the software.

Others noted that while faults weren’t always serious, they were frustratingly persistent and often required multiple trips to the dealership. Feedback on Nissan’s dealer network was mixed; while some drivers praised the staff for being polite and helpful, others said repairs were slow, with long waits for parts and limited communication about progress.

Although a few owners described their Ariya as trouble-free, the overall picture suggests that reliability is patchy and after-sales support can vary significantly between dealers. Nissan may need to do more to build trust among early adopters of its electric SUV.

Check out the full list of electric cars here.

Check out the full list of brands here.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.