The Japanese automaker Nissan is taking radical measures to optimize its portfolio, which will lead to the reduction of as many as 11 models globally. The large-scale reorganization is dictated by the brand's new strategic vision, aimed at increasing efficiency and redirecting key resources to more promising and technological areas. The decision envisages a reduction in the product range by nearly a fifth, with both established classic sedans and popular crossovers falling under the blows of optimization.
The first victims of this structural change are already known, among them the iconic Altima sedan, known in many markets outside North America as the Teana, as well as the plug-in hybrid modification of the Rogue, which European consumers associate with the X-Trail. The long-standing market pillar Altima, which for more than three decades dictated the rules in the mid-size segment, is gradually losing its positions under the pressure of changing consumer attitudes. The role of the main sedan in the brand's lineup will be fully taken over by the more compact, but already quite mature Sentra model, which successfully competes in its class.
Sales statistics clearly outline the trend of declining interest in the larger sedan. While a few years ago, Altima sales in the American market easily exceeded the mark of 200,000 units per year, this year the volume is expected to not even reach half of these values. Against this background, Sentra demonstrates a significantly more stable presence on the market and emerges as the only surviving representative of the brand's classic three-volume bodies, after the discontinuation of the compact Versa was previously confirmed.
The situation in crossovers is also undergoing a serious change. The elimination of the previous plug-in hybrid Rogue/X-Trail, which shared technologies with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, actually paves the way for the company's own technological developments. In its place, the Japanese manufacturer will impose its patented e-Power system. The new modification will rely on a highly efficient 1.5-liter turbo engine, working solely as a generator to power the electric motor, providing power of over 200 horsepower and an impressive range on a single charge.