NEW YORK – Appearing on stage at the New York Auto Forum earlier this week, Christian Meunier didn't sugarcoat what he walked into when he returned to Nissan Americas.
"When I came back in January last year, I realized that I didn't recognize the company I had left a few years before," Meunier said during the 2026 New York Auto Forum. "The company had lost its appetite to sell cars."
Driving the news: Recapping the progress he's made on turning around the brand, including what’s left to do, Meunier said his first move was simplification by eliminating programs, cutting bureaucracy, and getting people back to the office.
"Anything that wouldn't do one of these three things would go away," he said, referring to selling cars, taking care of customers, and making money.
Nissan also shifted aggressively on the manufacturing front.
In January 2025, 44% of vehicles sold in the U.S. were built in the U.S. By December 2025, that number was 65%, with a target of 80%.
Tariff exposure has dropped from $4 billion to roughly $1.5 billion, he said, with a goal of reaching zero.
Earning back trust: Dealers were "very upset" when Meunier arrived, and he said he understood why.
"They could see the company go sideways,” he said. “They didn't see the focus. They didn't see the leadership."
Instead of taking it personally, he said he responded by working closely with the dealer board from day one.
Dealer profitability is now Nissan's number one KPI.
"I think they were pleased with the first signal as I sent them that we would be working with them very closely,” Meunier said. “We've been working extremely closely with the dealer board, regular touch points, and to work as a team, because without their success, I'm not successful."
Between the lines: Meunier gave himself a 60% grade. He said 2026 will be better than 2025, but acknowledged dealer profitability is still roughly half the industry average.
The trend, he said, is moving in the right direction.
He also said Nissan is actively helping dealers reduce costs and eliminate KPIs that were adding burden without adding value, so dealers can focus on "selling cars, service, F&I, and making money."
"I think Nissan is probably one of the most attractive brand[s] to invest in right now in the U.S.," he said.
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
Get insights trusted by 55,000+ car dealers. Free, fast, and built for automotive leaders.
Speaking to products: A hybrid E-Power Rogue, the revived Xterra, arrives this year as does a body-on-frame, six-cylinder hybrid, both made in the U.S.
And for Infiniti, the QX65 arrives this year, followed by a next-generation Q50 and QX50 before the end of the decade.
What he's watching: Meunier said Chinese automakers will eventually enter the U.S. market, and Nissan needs to be cost-competitive when they do.
In Canada, which falls under his purview, 49,000 Chinese vehicles are expected to enter the market this year.
"I think we need to get ready and get prepared for the Chinese cars at one point in time to come to the U.S,” he said. “I think it's going to happen. It's going to be a matter of time."
Mexico costs: Nissan faces a 25% tariff hit on Mexico-built vehicles, but has held the line on price increases.
The brand so far keeps its entry-level lineup at $20,000 to $25,000 vs. the industry average transaction price of $48,000.
Meunier said cost reduction is the survival mechanism, but acknowledged the math has limits: “We couldn't build these entry-level cars in the U.S. at the same cost,” Meunier said. “We couldn't do it in the long run."
His team is actively lobbying Capitol Hill for tariff relief on those vehicles.
Looking ahead: Meunier said the franchise model is the way for Nissan.
"I really believe in that model, in the franchise model we have today, because we're not good at selling cars directly,” Meunier said. “We don't know how to do it. They know their market. They know their customers. They know how to address their markets locally."
A quick word from our partner
Meet LotGPT, your AI Inventory Strategist built exclusively for car dealers.
Fluent in your dealership, your market, and your inventory, LotGPT analyzes live inventory, real-time market supply, and shopper demand to surface risk and opportunity - VIN by VIN.
It reveals competitive insights, shopper behavior, and pricing dynamics, and even flags underperforming VDPs with merchandising recommendations to help boost conversion without cutting price.
