- Nissan is preparing to axe the Altima and Rogue Plug-In Hybrid.
- Amid slowing sales, Nissan believes they only need one sedan in America.
- Plug-in hybrid crossover will be replaced by the new Rogue e-Power.
Earlier this year, Nissan announced plans to kill off 11 different models as part of their “Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life” strategy. At the time, the company was coy on specifics but said they’d cut “low-performing models” to reallocate investments to growth areas.
Fast forward to today and we’re starting to learn about some of the casualties. In an interview with Wards Auto, Nissan Americas Chief Product & Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira revealed the Altima and Rogue Plug-In Hybrid are about to die.
More: Nissan Keeps The Altima Alive For 2026, But Kills Off Key Versions
While the Altima has been a staple of the company’s lineup for 34 years, Pandikuthira said the “Altima will soon depart, since the new, more ‘grown-up’ Sentra is intended to satisfy Nissan’s remaining sedan demand.”
This is hardly surprising as Altima sales have been declining for years. The brand sold over 200,000 units annually in the United States as recently as 2019, but that number dropped to a mere 92,809 last year.
2026 is shaping up to be even worse as dealers only moved 42,288 Altimas through the first six months of the year. That’s a 31.9% decline and it means the automaker is on track to sell around 84,600 units for the entire year.
The Sentra is doing far better as customers snapped up 75,549 units through June. That’s an 11.7% decline compared to 2025, but the model is easily beating the Altima.
Pulling The Plug On The Rogue PHEV
Besides announcing the impending death of the Altima, Pandikuthira confirmed the sun is about to set on the Rogue Plug-In Hybrid. The lazily rebadged Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV won’t be missed, but the product planner noted it filled a special role.
As Pandikuthira explained, “We did that car for a very specific reason, to bring it to market as soon as possible to see what having a hybrid in the lineup would do for overall demand.” He added, “If people shopping online see that Rogue does not offer a hybrid, they will not go to the dealer.”
Pandikuthira said the model has served its purpose and will give way to the new Rogue e-Power. He promised the upcoming crossover will offer a “very attractive price point with good fuel economy.”
Lastly, the product planner said the Ariya remains available in Canada and they’re still considering bringing it back to the United States. He went on to mention the company’s upcoming body-on-frame makeover that will spawn new versions of the Frontier and Xterra. Pandikuthira implied a three-row Nissan SUV could follow as well as two- and three-row versions for Infiniti. All would be offered with internal combustion engines as well as hybrid powertrains.
