Nissan Is Finding Its Footing Again
Last year was a rollercoaster for Nissan, but with new CEO Ivan Espinosa at the helm, the brand has finally clawed its way back into the black after years of losses. The American market is showing some of that new energy, though the latest sales numbers make it pretty clear where Nissan is putting its bets.
Nissan Group reported 7.8% growth in US retail sales during Q3 of 2026, with combined Nissan and Infiniti retail sales reaching 196,018 units. Nissan itself posted a 6.8% increase, extending its run of year-over-year retail sales growth to 19 consecutive months.
It all sounds pretty rosy – until you dig into the details. Nissan’s cars are taking a beating, while its SUVs and trucks are doing all the heavy lifting. If it wasn’t obvious before, Nissan’s American game plan is now all about bigger, higher-riding machines.
Nissan
Nissan’s Cars Are Taking a Hit
Nissan’s old-school car lineup is having a rough go. Just 52,359 cars found homes in the third quarter, a 21% drop from last year. Stretch that out over the first nine months, and car sales are down nearly 25%, with only 186,760 units moving off lots.
The declines span much of the lineup. Sentra sales fell 8.3% in the quarter, while the aging Altima was essentially flat for the period but remained down 26% year to date. The discontinued Versa posted a particularly sharp decline, with third-quarter sales dropping 95.4%.
The Z sports car is still hanging on, but just barely –  sales dropped another 19.3% this quarter. As for the GT-R, it’s all but vanished, with only two sold in the first nine months.
Nissan
SUVs and Trucks Are Doing the Heavy Lifting
But flip over to Nissan’s trucks and SUVs, and it’s a whole different ballgame. Truck sales jumped 10% in the third quarter and are up 15% year to date.
The Frontier is leading the charge, with sales up a whopping 37.5% this quarter and nearly 40% for the year. The Kicks is quietly climbing too, up 1.5% for the quarter and 7.5% year-to-date. The Rogue? Up 26.3% this quarter and almost 25% for the year. Armada sales rocketed 43.2%, while the Pathfinder dipped 9.5% this quarter but remains up over 20% year-to-date.
As for Infiniti, retail sales jumped 21% this quarter, thanks to the QX60, QX65, and QX80. The QX65 alone made up nearly a third of Infiniti’s sales in September.
And Nissan isn’t done yet. The all-new 2027 Rogue Hybrid lands in US dealerships this November, giving its top-seller an electrified twist. In the years ahead, Nissan’s electrified truck and SUV lineup will continue to grow, with the e-Power Kicks and V6 hybrid bruisers already on the horizon.
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