- Tariffs make pricing entry models difficult in the current market.
- CEO believes sedans still hold a place despite shrinking demand.
- Future plans may include a model priced near today’s Kicks if viable.
Nissan is mapping out its next chapter with AI playing a central role, backed by a fresh lineup of ICE, electric, and hybrid models. An all-new Rogue and a redesigned Juke are part of that push. Some of what’s coming will move further upmarket, but Nissan says it isn’t walking away from budget cars.
That position comes with a caveat. Nissan chief executive Ivan Espinosa says there is still strong demand for ultra-affordable cars like the $18K Versa, which was discontinued in the United States in 2025. The company has since unveiled a new Mexico-built Versa, but it will not be sold in the US.
Read: Nissan Killed The Xterra Eleven Years Ago. It Just Teased Its Return
While speaking to Motor1 at the presentation of its ambitious comeback plan, Espinosa cautioned that despite interest in models like this, building them in the current economic environment isn’t easy.
“I think there is [a market for ultra-affordable cars], and we still see the demand,” he said. “But what’s making it very difficult is the context; there was a question about tariffs earlier. There’s demand—the question is how to get to the right price.”
Sedans Still Have Some Life
The new 2026 Nissan Versa
Similarly, Espinosa expressed his belief that there’s still a place in the automotive landscape for sedans, despite the old Versa being killed off in the US, and production of the Maxima ending. In addition, the current Altima will be discontinued soon.
“I think there’s still space for sedans,” he said. “Sentra is a very good product, and it has also moved up. So it’s kind of playing in the lower area of what Altima used to be. So for the moment, we continue looking at the market to see how it looks… Maybe something under or the price of a Kicks would make sense. But looking at the context today, as we said before, tariffs, the way they are, it’s a bit difficult to execute a program like that.”
