Nissan Halts Ariya EV Imports to America, Shifts Focus to the New Leaf
It's going all in on making the all-new 2026 Leaf a success in America.
A mix of 15 percent tariffs on imports from Japan, slower than expected sales, and the end of the federal EV tax credit have apparently led Nissan to halt the importation of the 2026 Ariya EV SUV to America, according to a recent report from Automotive News.
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We reached out to Nissan for comment, and it offered the following: “Nissan is pausing production of the 2026 Ariya for the U.S. market and reallocating resources to support the launch of the all-new 2026 Leaf, which will have the lowest starting MSRP out of all new EVs currently on sale in the U.S. Ariya remains available in the U.S. through existing inventory, and Nissan will continue to support Ariya owners with service, parts, and warranty coverage.”
Nissan hasn’t ended production of the Ariya entirely, and it will continue to build and sell the Japan-manufactured EV in other markets. From the statement, it will also continue to offer its remaining 2025 Ariya inventory for sale here and support its existing owners. But it’s clear that the automaker is shifting its resources in America to promoting the all-new 2026 Nissan Leaf, which we recently had a chance to drive. The Leaf was one of the pioneering EVs in the U.S. and worldwide, and although the new Leaf is also produced in Japan, it has far more name recognition and built-in reputation than the Ariya, which makes it a better bet to import despite the tariff and tax credit headwinds.
The Ariya’s cancellation here is just the latest blow to Nissan’s fortunes that has included a delay or cancellation of four EVs that were to be manufactured at its Canton, Mississippi plant, an allocation limit on the 2026 Leaf due to a battery supply issue, and its ongoing corporate struggles. The latter has led to reports of Nissan seeking conglomeration with Honda and Mitsubishi or potentially a buyout from Foxconn. Recently, Nissan has closed seven manufacturing plants, shuttered its U.S. and Brazilian design studios, and its U.S. sales and marketing chief, Vinay Shahani, has abruptly resigned after less than two years on the job.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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