Nissan’s November Sales May Be More Realistic After Discount-Induced Streak

Nissan had 13 straight months of record sales until November, when the automaker cut most of its manufacturer discounts. Credit: Nissan

Nissan’s November sales snapped a yearlong streak, but analysts say the month’s slower sales pace may be more realistic. The Franklin-based automaker backtracked by 3.1 percent compared to the previous year. Until now, Nissan’s sales growth has been brisk, with some months even notching double-digit gains. .

The slide in sales corresponds with the company dropping its manufacturer discounts by more than $1,000 compared to year-ago prices. Nissan’s rebates are coming down from being well above the industry average for the last year, according to an analysis by the car shopping website Edmunds.com. Now Nissan’s discounts are now below average.

“It was certainly an effective way for them to grow market share. It’s something that really worked out for them,” Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said. “But now what they’re relying on is the actual merit of their vehicles.”

Some Nissan models did continue to see growth during the month. For instance, the Rogue crossover SUV — built in Smyrna — sold more than 15,000 units, a 44 percent increase over the prior year. And so far this year, the company has sold more vehicles than it did in all of last year.

“Through November, Nissan has set an all-time yearly sales record in 2014, with a month still to go,” senior vice president Fred Diaz said in a written statement.

Edmunds.com analyzed manufacturer discounts for the month of November compared to the prior year. Nissan cut its deals by more than $1,000. Credit: Edmunds.com