Nissan sales continue to sputter in the year's second half, though dealer inventory shows improvement.
Nissan Motor Co.'s U.S. sales tumbled 23 percent during the third quarter to 154,086. Nissan Division sold 142,845 vehicles in the latest period, down 24 percent from a year earlier.
Most Nissan brand nameplates witnessed year-over-year sales declines in the third quarter. However, the updated Altima midsize sedan and Z sports car saw a surge in sales.
Infiniti's volume rose 5.4 percent to 11,241 vehicles in the July-September period, powered by sales of the redesigned QX60 midsize crossover.
Judy Wheeler, Nissan Division vice president of sales and regional operations in the U.S., said dealers began seeing "incremental improvements" in inventory starting in August.
Shipments to dealers are estimated to improve 30 percent through the end of 2022, Wheeler said in an email to Automotive News.
"We are looking toward a much-improved day supply in the first quarter of 2023," she said.
Wheeler noted the market's continued consumer appetite for more fuel-efficient vehicles.
"We sell just about any Nissan Leaf that is at a dealership as soon as it is on the ground," she said.
Brands: Nissan, down 24% in the third quarter; Infiniti, up 5.4%.
Notable nameplates: Nissan Frontier, up 13%; Versa, down 60%; Rogue, down 19%; Infiniti QX50, down 7.9%; QX80, down 13%; Q50, down 82%.
Incentives: $1,227 for the third quarter, down 48% from a year earlier, TrueCar says.
Average transaction price: $36,334 in the third quarter, up9.1% from a year earlier, according to TrueCar.
Fleet mix: 13.7%. 7,144 units in September, TruCar says
Did you know? Altima sedan sales more than doubled in the third quarter to 27,512.
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