Nissan Ariya vs Skoda Enyaq

Count the sticker and the Ariya wins; count the substance and the Enyaq does. The Nissan Ariya Engage opens at $49,990 driveaway, undercutting the Škoda Enyaq Select 60's $55,990 start. But for that extra $6,000 the Enyaq Select adds range, 431km WLTP against 385km, a much bigger boot, 585 litres against 466, a seven-year warranty against Nissan's five, and 30,000km service intervals against 15,000km. If the lowest driveaway price wins, the Ariya takes it. If value over the life of the car matters more, the Enyaq is the smarter buy.

The Enyaq leads on range across the board, from 431km WLTP in the entry Select to 551km in the Sportline 85, against the Ariya's 385km to 504km in the Advance+. On charging the picture splits. The Ariya charges at a flat 130kW on every grade for a 10 to 80 per cent fill of 35 to 40 minutes. The Enyaq's 82kWh Sportline and RS peak higher at 165kW and finish 10 to 80 per cent in about 29 minutes, though the entry Select's LFP battery is capped at a slower 105kW, its smaller pack still filling in around 26.

The Škoda Enyaq wins practicality clearly. Its SUV-wagon body holds 585 litres with the rear seats up and 1,710 with them folded, where the Nissan Ariya manages 466 litres seats up on the front-drive grades and 1,350 folded. The dual-motor Ariya Evolve gives up more space again, down to 408 litres, for its all-wheel-drive hardware. The Ariya's lounge-like cabin feels airy and its flat floor frees rear knee room, but on raw luggage volume the Enyaq is the more useful car on every grade.

Both wear a five-star ANCAP rating with the full active-safety suite standard, so neither is a compromise. The Nissan Ariya, tested in 2022, scores 86 per cent adult occupant, 89 per cent child, 74 per cent vulnerable road user and a strong 95 per cent safety assist. The Škoda Enyaq, rated to the 2021 datestamp, scores higher for occupant protection at 94 per cent adult and 89 per cent child, but lower for safety assist at 73 per cent. Both include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and blind-spot monitoring as standard, so the choice is close to even.

For a family the Škoda Enyaq is the stronger pick. The 585-litre boot swallows prams and weekly shops the Ariya's 466 litres cannot, three-zone climate keeps the back seat comfortable, and the seven-year warranty with 30,000km service intervals eases long-term running. The Nissan Ariya is not far behind: its cabin is the airier, calmer place to sit, its safety-assist kit scores higher, and the whole suite is standard from the entry grade. But on the space and ownership numbers that decide most family purchases, the Enyaq leads.

They chase different briefs. Australian reviewers praise the Nissan Ariya as quiet, relaxed and cosseting, a car that soothes rather than excites, though they note the ride can turn busy on rough surfaces, more so on the larger wheels of the upper grades. The Škoda Enyaq is the more resolved driver's car, but only once fitted with Dynamic Chassis Control: reviewers find the passive Sportline firm on patched roads and rate the roughly $5,000 Ultimate package close to essential. Sorted correctly the Enyaq feels the more European; left standard the Ariya is the more relaxed daily.

The Škoda Enyaq has the stronger ownership case. It carries a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty to the Ariya's five years, and its service intervals stretch to 30,000km or 24 months against the Nissan's 15,000km or 12 months, so it visits the workshop half as often. The Enyaq is also the more efficient car at about 159 watt-hours per kilometre to the Ariya's 184, which trims charging costs. The Ariya's counter is roadside assistance of up to 10 years when you service with Nissan, against Škoda's two. As EVs, both avoid fuel and oil entirely.

For regular highway miles the Škoda Enyaq Sportline 85 is the pick. Its 82kWh battery gives 551km WLTP, the most of either range, and it charges at up to 165kW for a 10 to 80 per cent stop of around 29 minutes, comfortably ahead of the Nissan Ariya's flat 130kW and 35 to 40 minute stops. The Ariya Advance+ answers with a real-world-friendly 504km, and reviewers note it beats its efficiency claim, but its charging speed lags. One caveat: the cheapest Enyaq Select's LFP battery charges slower at 105kW, so the road-tripper should step up to the Sportline.

On the Nissan side the Advance+ at $61,990 driveaway is the value grade. Its 87kWh battery lifts range to 504km WLTP and adds ventilated memory seats, without the $75,990 Evolve e-4ORCE's flagship price. Step to the Evolve only if you specifically need all-wheel-drive traction or its 1,500kg braked towing. On the Škoda side the Sportline 85 at $64,990 is the sweet spot for its bigger battery, 551km range and 165kW charging, and reviewers say to budget the roughly $5,000 Ultimate package for the ride-fixing Dynamic Chassis Control. The entry Select 60 is the value play if its slower-charging LFP battery suits your driving.