Nissan Cancels Ariya Electric SUV from 2026 Model Year Onward
The automaker is shifting resources previously allocated to the Ariya to the upcoming Leaf EV.
Nissan is canceling the Ariya electric SUV, even though its sales figures have been growing slightly year over year.
Production of the Ariya for the United States is being paused, with no official plans to resume.
Nissan will reallocate resources away from the Ariya to focus on the upcoming Leaf EV.
Nissan is dropping the Ariya electric SUV from its lineup in the United States, according to a new report from Automotive News. While there will still be Ariya models for sale on dealer lots, the automaker is officially pausing production ahead of the 2026 model year. There are no public plans for Nissan to resume the Ariya’s production for the United States.
Nissan
A representative for Nissan confirmed the lineup change to Car and Driver, citing a dynamic U.S. EV market. With the Ariya out of the picture, Nissan is planning to reallocate those previously tied-up resources to the upcoming Leaf EV, which it hopes will sway buyers thanks to a low starting price. The 2025 Ariya holds a starting price of $41,265, while the Leaf is expected to start well under $30,000.
While the decision to cancel the Ariya isn’t totally out of the blue—other automakers have canceled or delayed EV projects amid recent economic tensions, and Nissan itself canceled plans for a U.S.-made EV sedan in April—the move is a bit of a shock as Ariya sales are up slightly year-over-year. With Nissan building the Ariya in Japan, the Trump administration’s 15 percent import tariffs, combined with the imminent loss of EV tax credits, make the Ariya a much harder sell.
Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Shop New Cars Shop Used Cars
The lineup shift comes on the heels of the resignation of Nissan’s U.S. sales and marketing chief, Vinay Shahani, according to a separate report from Automotive News. Shahani spent less than two years in the role and will be replaced by Michael Soutter, who previously held senior roles at Nissan.
More on the Ariya
2025 Nissan Ariya: Review, Pricing, and Specs
Tested: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE Is a Mixed Bag
2023 Nissan Ariya FWD Tested: Comfortably Numb
Headshot of Jack Fitzgerald
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
