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Thread: Versa sedan sales numbers (Canada vs. U.S.), sedan cancellation

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    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    Versa sedan sales numbers (Canada vs. U.S.), sedan cancellation

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    Nissan has announced that poor sales have led to the cancellation of the Versa sedan, to be replaced by the Micra hatchback in Canada.

    In the U.S., the Versa nameplate regularly tops subcompact sales charts, month after month. American buyers apparently love small, cheap sedans. So just how bad were the Canadian numbers compared to the U.S.?

    The challenge is sorting the wheat from the chaff: Nissan doesn't separate sedans from hatchbacks in their monthly published sales figures for the Versa nameplate. But there was a window of time between the end of sales of the last generation Versa hatchback and the introduction of the new Versa Note hatchback where the charts should reveal "pure Versa sedan" sales.

    Let's look at that period...

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    The previous version Versa hatchback ended sales with the 2012 model year (Wiki). So let's work on the assumption that inventory was depleted by the end of 2012. (Safe bet, since the 2012's were actually available in 2011.)

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    The Versa Note was introduced in mid-June, 2013. So let's use the assumption that July was the first full month of sales.

    That leaves the first half of 2013, Jan through June, as our "Versa sedan" window. Let's look at the numbers, from GoodCarBadCar.net:

    2013 Versa sedan sales, U.S. Versa sedan sales, Canada
    Jan 10,270 521
    Feb 13,100 661
    Mar 15,917 742
    Apr 7155 773
    May 8614 973
    Jun 8705 915
    Total 63,761 4585

    Going strictly on a 10:1 population ratio between the two countries, you can see Canada's lagging interest in the 3-box Versa.

    Then factor in that Canadians usually buy small cars at a higher per capita rate than Americans (5:1 isn't unusual), and the picture becomes even worse. (E.G. our perennial best-selling car is the Civic sedan; in the U.S. it's the Camry or Accord.)

    Au revoir, Versa sedan. Bienvenue, Micra!


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    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    Do you think its the dislike of sedans in Canada, or dislike of Nissan, or just the Versa in general that made Canadian sales so much lower?

    They're obviously going to need to sell more Micras than Versas to make the same profit. I'm just wondering what they're hoping for.

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    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    I'd have to defer to Nissan's conclusion that Canadians simply prefer small hatches over small sedans. They've spent real money identifying and figuring out a solution to the problem... whereas I'm just a guy typing speculation into his computer!

    I'd go with the money.

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    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    Well, after all that detective work, a Nissan Canada spokesperson blurts out:

    The “buyer split” between the Versa sedan and hatchback is 90 per cent in favour of the latter.
    Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...ticle17079091/

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    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    Wow, haha, 90%! Thats a no brainer.

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    Junior Member vskid3's Avatar
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    I wonder what kind of influence price has over the sedan vs hatch sales. The sedan is about $2k cheaper in the US and Canada, maybe American's are just cheaper about economy cars than Canadians.

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    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    It's a good question. The Versa sedan's sales numbers in that 6 month "sedan-only sales window" were still about 2x - 3x higher than the Chevy Spark's typical monthly sales have been, and they cost basically the same aount for the base, 5MT, no A/C trim. Hard to say if that's an apples to apples comparison or not.

    We'll know for sure after Micra sales commence, because they'll be reported separately. No hiding the numbers this time!


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...


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