Nissan sales slid in Q2, but affordable models held steady
Through the end of June, Nissan and Infiniti together sold 488,526 units in the U.S., a decrease of 0.2% from the same period in 2024. The Nissan brand actually saw a 0.3% sales increase, 463,034 vehicles sold, but Infiniti sales dropped by 9.0%, to 25,492 units. Nissan's neglect of its luxury brand makes those results unsurprising, but there was something interesting to note in the main Nissan brand's sales.
A trio of Nissan's least-expensive models saw big year-over-year sales increases in Q2. Sales of the Versa sedan were up 71.9% compared to the second quarter of 2024, the Kicks crossover saw a 52.8% year-over-year sales increase, and sales of the Leaf electric hatchback leaped 28% from Q2 2024.
A sales boost for the Kicks was likely as redesigned versions of that crossover didn't start reaching showrooms until later in 2024 (newness may also be behind a 99.5% jump in Murano sales) but that doesn't apply to the aged Leaf and Versa. Perhaps continued price increases for new cars, which is now beginning to affect the supply of cheap used cars, is causing more shoppers to visit Nissan showrooms.
The Versa remains one of the cheapest new cars available in the U.S., with an effective base price of $20,130 after destination. While it was still listed on the automaker's consumer site at the time of publication, Nissan is expected to end production of the even-cheaper five-speed manual Versa, although most customers likely weren't choosing that option. Similarly, the Leaf's $29,280 base price for the 2025 model year makes it one of the cheapest EVs around-even though it doesn't qualify for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
While there are some indications that the situation is improving-the Pathfinder crossover also recorded its best-ever sales quarter-Nissan remains in an unstable position. Outside the U.S., the automaker on Tuesday said it was seeking 250 voluntary job cuts in the U.K., home to one of its biggest assembly plants. Reuters on Monday reported that Nissan was seeking to delay payments to suppliers in the U.K. and Europe.
Layoffs and cost cutting are the orders of the day under CEO Ivan Espinosa, whose stated goal is to achieve $3.4 billion in cost cuts over the next two years, included the reported $700 million sale of the automaker's headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. It's part of a rough road to recovery for Nissan, which lost $4.5 billion last fiscal year, and is looking to remain independent after merger talks with Honda quickly dissolved.
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