Nissan sees opportunity in compact pickup segment as FoMoCo pulls Ranger

Posted: Jan 12, 2012
    Email 6 Comments

Nissan Frontier

Ford recently gave us something that used to be Euro-only: the Fiesta, and it has been well received, but they will be pulling the Ranger. Due to this gap, Nissan seems to think that it will capture the Ranger’s sales: “We’re really the beneficiary of Ford pulling out of the segment,” says Al Castignetti, Nissan Division’s U.S. sales boss.

This begs the question though: how long will the alleged gravy train last for Nissan? The next Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon will be coming out soon, and what is the Toyota ‘Taco then, chopped liver?

Ford’s truck sales figures as this question as well: Nissan thinks they have a fighting chance in the more roomy compact pickup segment, but when Ford sold over 70,000 now-discontinued Rangers last year (28% more than 2010), nearly 50,000 more than the number of Nissan’s full-size pickup, the Titan, it seems implausible that Nissan will fill the gap.

They might be punching through with an aggressive ad campaign to bring awareness of the company’s truck division, but as we have seen with the Suzuki Kizashi (they only sold 5,000-6,000 of them last year), aggressive advertising is not everything. Only time will tell.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

Source: Automotive News


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  • Cad4life

    if they want a nissan they would have got a nissan, their going 2 gmc

  • Boog

    Wow, Cad4life, You don’t give up, do you? It’s already a given that Cadillac is the new Standard of Recalls. May the best car win, ehh?  Duhhhhh!  Government Motors would have gone the way Packard, Hudson, Studebaker and American Motors if it wasn’t for…. that’s right, the Federal Government. Where would they go then???????

  • Matt

    Nissan………the Ranger has been a dead horse for quite some time. Ford did not have to abandon the Ranger completely to have you finally come out with such a lame statement.
    I am the proud owner of a Nissan 2k6 Frontier 4×4 NISMO 6 speed and I so do love that truck.
    I’ve owned a Ford Ranger back in ’85 and it left a lot to be desired compared to my Nissan Frontier.
    Even my ’95 GMC Sonoma V6 4×4 manual paled in comparison to the Frontier.
    So for you to come out with this statement is like…….why talk about a “has-been”?

  • Brooks Davis

    Sawyer Sutton, what a stupid comparison you made…………the Suzuki Kizashi to the Nissan Frontier ??? a midsize sports sedan compared to a midsize pickup truck ???? Really, Sawyer !!! 

    Dude, WHY didn’t you compare the sales number of the Nissan Frontier to the Suzuki Equator, which is ( obviously you don’t know this, Sutton) A REBADGED FRONTIER !!!!!!  The Frontier outsells the Equator like 100 to 1…………Why is that Sutton ????  There are very few Suzuki dealers anywhere, and many buyers would be concerned with support down the road………….anyone remember the Daewoo ????

    I bought a 2011 Nissan Frontier for $5000 less than a similarly equipped Tacoma, and the Nissan dealers had a better selection here in Houston. For towing and outdoor duty the Frontier is more of a truck, it is VERY QUIET and the Nissan 6 cylinder/5spd auto combo is a driver’s gem . 261 HP / 285 ft/lbs torque, it happily drives around all day long , 2000 rpm at 70 mph, or 40mph at barely above idle………The steering is accurate, nicely weighted, and the brakes are superb. It actually handles better than my old Pacifica, very nimble around town ! Oh, and did I mention the regular gas, continuously variable timing, lifetime roller chains, anti-knock sensors, and it purrs like kitten at idle. NO ONE knows 6 cylinder better than Nissan !!! I get 18 mph in mixed city/highway driving, I have gotten 23 mph on the road at 65 mph steady speed. It will go 0-60 mph in 8.3 seconds, according to Edmunds.com. It will tow 6500 lbs with a Cl 4 hitch, 5000 lbs with a Cl 3 hitch.

    I wanted a midsize truck, because I wanted it to fit in my garage and my office parking garage. Hard to do with a monster full-size pickup. I wanted a crew cab, Ford never even bothered offering a crew cab for the Ranger. The Dakota CC is gone, and the upcoming Equinox/Colorado CC has an Equinox front end and lots of curves all around…………….I’m surprised it’s not front wheel drive !!!!! 
    The girls will love to garage sale shopping in the new Equinox, or maybe to the craft store……

    Conclusion for you , Sutton. Yes, Nissan will steal sales from Ford because a LOT of people like me aren’t going to pay the Mercedes/Benz like price of a Tacoma……………and there are a few BIG things that the Frontier does better anyway !!!!!!!!!!!!! 

    The domestics have given up on the midsize pickup, I get that………….too bad , not the first time they miscalculated the market…………..

    Sutton, I responded because your little post was so bad January 8, 2012………………

  • Guest

    This post makes no sense other than it’s from a Nissan sensationalist.

  • Brooks Davis

    I agree, I rambled, but the author of the original article was obviously the son of a lifetime Ford man…………and he didn’t know Nissan trucks well, that’s all……………..

    Is that OK with you, Guest ???