Not leaning on a ute: Nissan's 2023 sales buoyed by much-loved badges as ageing Navara dual-cab dips

The current-generation Nissan Navara is almost a decade old, and its sales figures are showing that. But despite dual-cab utes bulking up several brand's sales, Nissan's up over last year without the Navara's help.

In fact, the Navara isn't even managing to remain steady this year, with Nissan having delivered 3014 fewer of the utes to the end of August this year compared to the same period in 2022.

But Nissan Australia's numbers are looking healthier this year with 23,910 cars delivered so far, or 4806 more than the 19,104 it had shifted the same time last year. So what's carrying the team?

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Well, if you've been paying attention to the Japanese brand for the last little while, you might know that four new-generation Nissan models have launched in Australia in the last year.

While one of those is the Nissan Z sports car, which is selling in decent numbers but not exactly moving the meter overall for the brand, the other three SUVs - Qashqai, X-Trail and Pathfinder - are selling in much higher figures than last year.

Well out in front of the rest of Nissan’s line-up, is the X-Trail’s 7566 sales.

Nissan has shifted 4385 units of the Qashqai so far this year, as well as 1109 examples of the Pathfinder - which together more than make up for the loss of sales inflicted upon Nissan by the Navara's nosedive.

On top of that, and well out in front of the rest of Nissan's line-up, is the X-Trail's 7566 sales which amount to 1826 more than its year-to-date figure at the same time last year.

Nissan has shifted 4385 units of the Qashqai so far this year.

Add this to other models that have smaller year-to-year sales variations, like the Juke being down 200 units and the Patrol being up 354 sales, and Nissan's 4806 units up on where it was the same time last year.

August specifically helped plenty here, with 4233 sales being 2567 higher than August last year and a huge jump over July's 2399 figure.

The other three SUVs - Qashqai, X-Trail and Pathfinder - are selling in much higher figures than last year.

Last month also saw 1533 X-Trails sold, and 1032 Patrols finding new homes - almost a quarter of the off-road SUV's total sales this year so far.

CarsGuide has contacted Nissan Australia for more details.