Last year, Nissan offered a full lineup of four sedans in the United States. In a couple of years, the brand could be down to just one.
Nissan ceased production of its large Maxima “four-door sports car” after the 2023 model year.
Now, industry publication Automotive News reports that its Altima midsize sedan and Versa subcompact are on the chopping block, too.
Citing “people familiar with the plans,” AN reports that the company “will drop the subcompact Versa after the 2025 model year.” The Altima “will sunset following the 2026 model year.”
The compact Sentra will survive, reportedly because it often sells to people buying their first new car. That gives the Sentra the chance to serve as an entry point for buyers who may stick with the brand and buy larger SUVs later.
The End of the Subcompact Car?
Nissan hasn’t commented on the report. We’ll update this story if we hear back from them.
But it’s historic news if the Versa is on the way out. It could be the last subcompact car produced.
There were just five on the market by the end of 2022.
The Chevy Spark, America’s least-expensive new car for several years, left the market that year. The Hyundai Accent followed. Then the Kia Rio.
That leaves just two in production – the Versa and the Mitsubishi Mirage.
A 2023 report said Mitsubishi would cancel the Mirage after the 2024 model year. The company has refused to confirm or deny the little car’s end.
Ironically, sales of both the Versa and the Mirage surged last quarter. As high interest rates have driven monthly payments out of reach for many Americans, dealers have pressured automakers to design and build more inexpensive models for their lots.
But America’s changing tastes may have made subcompact SUVs, not subcompact sedans, the least-expensive models in most lineups.
