It’s a story that has gotten repetitive in recent years: a major automaker confirms it is discontinuing one of its sedans, particularly of the larger kind, in face of reality. Reality being tanking sales, the demise of V6 engine, the advent of EVs and government emissions regulations, and so on.
The latest four-door to bite the dust is Nissan’s Maxima, which the automaker has just confirmed via a short statement that it is going to stop producing as of mid-2023.
“Maxima is one of the most storied nameplates for Nissan in North America. Today we announced to our employees, suppliers and dealers that the current-generation Maxima will end production in the middle of 2023.”
- Nissan
Browse cars for sale available near you
The company further explained that as part of its Ambition 2030 plan, the priority going forward will be developing EVs and advanced technologies. Under that plan, Nissan wants 40 percent of its vehicle sales to be all-electric by 2030, and the majority if not all of the rest to be partially electric.
The Maxima was first introduced in 1980 (model-year 1981) under the Datsun banner as a replacement for that Japanese brand's 810 model. The American market was one of the most important for the Maxima, with the model being built at the Smayrna, Tennessee plant starting in 2004.
Sales of the Maxima have been in free fall since it recorded sales of 67,627 units in the U.S. in 2017. The total in 2021? A mere 16,386 units. The Maxima thus joins the likes of the Toyota Avalon, Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Impala in departing the North American market.
But, in its case, the door remains open to a return in modified, electric form; the company stated that we should all “stay tuned for future Nissan Maxima news as we empower journeys through exciting vehicles and tech innovation.” That seems like a pretty clear indication the automaker is at least giving thought to keeping the nameplate alive on something new, something electric, and perhaps something related to the IMs concept it presented back in 2019 in Detroit.
Stay tuned.
