Nissan Reports January 2026 Production, Sales and Exports

Nissan details January 2026 production, sales and export figures, showing lower output, steady global sales and rising exports from Japan. Read the full breakdown.

Nissan reported its January 2026 production, sales and export results, revealing a mixed performance across regions. Global output declined, overall sales remained broadly stable, and exports from Japan rose markedly.

Global production totaled 222,931 vehicles in January, down 7.2% year on year. Output in Japan fell 9.5% to 47,168 units, while production outside Japan declined 6.6% to 175,763 vehicles. Regional trends varied: manufacturing in the United States increased 21.5% to 43,417 units, and in the UK it rose 12.9% to 25,468. In contrast, production in Mexico dropped sharply by 31.1% to 42,115 units, and China recorded a 4.9% decrease to 44,441 vehicles.

Sales performance proved more resilient. Global sales reached 252,603 vehicles in January, up 0.6% from a year earlier. Sales outside Japan grew 2.8% to 217,316 units. North America was a key contributor, with regional sales up 7.2% to 102,982 vehicles. In the United States, sales rose 4.9% to 71,248 units. Mexico posted a 21.8% increase, while Canada declined 10.4%.

In China, Nissan sold 50,033 vehicles in January, up 10.2% year on year. Models such as the Sylphy (24,209 units, +1.0%), Altima (+21.8%) and X-Trail (+22.7%) supported the increase. Europe remained challenging, with sales down 13.2% to 26,185 units. For comparison, overall new car registrations in the European Union declined 3.9% in January, while Germany recorded a 6.6% decrease, reflecting a softer market environment.

Domestic demand in Japan continued to weaken. Including minivehicles, sales totaled 35,287 units, down 11.1%. Registered vehicles fell 17.2%, while minivehicle sales declined 2.4%. Among individual models, Leaf sales in Japan rose 206.5%, whereas Ariya declined 77.7%. In the kei-car segment, Roox increased 41.1%, while Sakura dropped 70.7%.

Exports from Japan stood out as a positive factor. Total exports reached 27,530 vehicles, up 19.1% year on year. Shipments to North America rose 25.6%, and exports to other regions increased 26.5%. Exports to Europe in January totaled zero units, compared with shipments a year earlier.

The January operating results come against the backdrop of Nissan’s revised full-year outlook. The company expects a net loss of 650 billion yen for the fiscal year ending March 2026. Earlier financial disclosures for the first nine months reported global sales of 2.26 million units, mainly driven by the United States and China.

Overall, January highlights diverging trends: softer production alongside stable overseas sales and stronger exports. Performance in North America and China supported the global total, while Japan and Europe remained under pressure. The coming months will indicate whether this balance can be sustained through the end of the fiscal year.