Prepare to Kiss the Nissan Qashqai Goodbye
While we’re still awaiting an official confirmation from Nissan Canada, it sure looks like 2023 will be the final year for the Qashqai in North America, meaning we won’t ever get the next-generation model that launched in Europe and Asia over a year ago.
Remember, Nissan first eliminated its small crossover in the U.S.—where it was known as Rogue Sport—following the 2022 model year.
- Also: Nissan Recalls Nearly 100,000 SUVs to Fix Weird Issue With the Key
- Also: Nissan Qashqai to Cease Production for U.S. Market
Dealers were hoping the redesigned Qashqai/Rogue Sport (pictured here) would come to our shores, but the Japanese automaker’s top brass decided otherwise. Why? Because the vehicle is manufactured in England and Japan, significantly increasing import costs and causing availability problems.
The same thing happened with the Juke back in 2017. Despite leaving North America, the uniquely styled crossover continues to be sold overseas.
Incidentally, a new generation of the Kicks is rumoured to make its debut sometime next year. We hear it will be larger in order to close the gap with the Rogue and attract more customers. The 2025 Kicks could also potentially offer an AWD option—something that the current model lacks—and thus satisfy even more potential buyers.
Back to the outgoing Qashqai, expect units to be built until the end of 2023 and be available on dealer lots through the early part of 2024.
On a related note, Nissan sales in Canada are much stronger in 2023 than they were last year. In particular, the Qashqai’s first-half performance is up 64.7 percent, a clear sign that demand is still high.
It will be interesting to see how the company tries to win over entry-level car buyers in the coming year. The Versa sub-compact sedan was refreshed for 2023 but faces an uncertain future due to poor sales.