Nissan appears to be at a crossroads moment. The brand has seen a significant decline in market share since its peak in 2017. Nissan has been updating its model lineup, but not as quickly as it attracts consumers’ attention compared to other brands. The Titan was gone, the new Z went down with little of a beating, and the GT-R languished until it was taken behind the shed. It appears that one trader has had enough, and may be ready to take action.
DealershipGuy.com Reports One of the merchants sent a letter to their colleagues in which the author made heavy accusations. This anonymous letter paints a bleak picture. The letter states that sales targets set by the manufacturer have become so aggressive that they are forcing stores to pursue volume levels, leaving little room to make any actual profit. according to DealershipGuyThe average dealer aims to achieve a return on sales of between 2 and 4 percent. Nissan dealers, according to the letter, average less than 0.004 percent.
A big part of the problem is the cyclical nature of the legacy product portfolio. It is difficult for an agent to attract new or existing clients if they cannot compete effectively. It is difficult for Nissan to introduce new products if it is not able to sell cars.
To be fair to Nissan, there are signs of life within the current lineup. The automaker has redesigned the Sentra for 2026, giving the small sedan a major flare, inside and out. The new Sentra delivers strong fuel economy numbers, carries a smart price, and should be a strong sales proposition in its class.
There is talk about Xterra returns to the lineup. This would be a smart move since the appeal of body-on-frame SUVs is strong right now. The wild and off-road crowd likes to have options. A true off-road-ready Xterra will be a welcome sight in Nissan’s lineup.
On the other end of the spectrum, shoppers will also appreciate the affordable sports car option. Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa recalls The IDx concept is excellentAnd so do we. Just slap a Silvia or 240Z badge on it, and then put it on the market to compete against the likes of the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ and even the Mazda Miata.
Nissan also needs a hybrid in its lineup. It’s strange to see an automaker not selling the equivalent of cars in 2025. While some will drive an ICE car until the world falls apart, and others have happily transitioned to a pure EV driving experience, there are a fair number of customers who appreciate vehicles that straddle the line. Nissan says the Rogue Plug-In Hybrid will arrive later this year, and I assume its dealers will say it can’t get here soon enough.
Aside from the model lineup, the automaker is making a move A deep dive into her own books. Cutting costs is very important going forward. There are processes that exist as a result of things that are no longer necessary or for the purposes of chasing volume. Size, which doesn’t exist in the same way today.
All this is particularly focused on Nissan by the way. Infiniti is a niche extension of the automaker, but it suffers from the same problems. Infiniti needs Nissan to turn things around. Perhaps Nissan dealers will work together to impose positive changes sooner rather than later.
We’ve reached out to Nissan for more information on this matter. The story will be updated if we receive more information.
source:
DealershipGuy.com
