May 2, 2018—Multiple automakers endured a rough month in April, and Nissan in particular saw its sales figures decline sharply. According to a USA Today report, Edmunds.com projected an industrywide sales decline of 6 percent, while Cox Automotive expected a decline of 3.6 percent.
Nissan reported an eye-opening sales decline of 28 percent, with analysts noting that the Japanese OEM is slashing its sales to fleet customers that are less profitable. Nissan’s new CEO, Hiroto Saikawa, explained in January that the company would start prioritizing “quality” sales, or, in other words, sales to individual consumers.
Honda’s sales declined 9.2 percent, as the company’s decision to limit discounts played a role. Ford’s struggles continued as sales dipped 4.7 percent. Toyota’s sales also dipped 4.7 percents, as its passenger cars recorded a 12.7 percent decline.
Subaru (up 1.5 percent) managed to post its best April ever, largely due to its redesign of the Crosstrek; that model’s sales spiked 69.9 percent to 12,266 units. Meanwhile, Fiat-Chrysler, and Volkswagen, each posted 4.5 percent sales increases.
While the industry continued to shift from cars to crossover vehicles, SUVs and trucks last month, automakers are largely fairing decently due to the fact that larger vehicles are, of course, more profitable.
