Outrage over plans to axe ‘America’s cheapest car’ which costs just $17K – with country’s ‘worst-driven’ vehicle also set to be pulled

Nissan has angered motorists by reportedly planning to scrap America’s cheapest car within a year and focus on electric vehicles.

The manufacturer’s popular Versa sedan has been favored by budget-conscious drivers for decades, but sources said Automotive news that it will be removed from shelves by April 2025 at the latest.

At just $16,680 for a brand-new model, the Nissan Versa is the cheapest new car you can buy in the United States.

Nissan reportedly plans to pull its Altima sedans from the market sometime in 2026. However, this will likely be less of a loss on the road, as the model has become a social media meme synonymous with bad driving behavior.

It comes as Nissan moves into electric cars, though the maker said in a statement that sedans “remain an important part of the company’s product strategy”. Pictured: Nissan CEO Makato Uchida

The decision to ax both models is part of Nissan’s broader plans to cut two-thirds of its sedan lineup as the company increasingly focuses on electric vehicles.

This could allow some version of the Altima to survive, as Nissan – unlike the Versa – is reportedly considering releasing a hybrid version when the current production run ends in 2026.

For cost-conscious drivers, it may be a tall order to pay more for their car with car prices in America near record highs.

Nissan has been reaping the rewards of its budget vehicles lately, with sales of the Versa increasing 62 percent between January and June 2024.

Nissan’s moves into the electric car market mean the popular Sentra model (pictured) will be one of the last sedan offerings

With the Altima and Versa both disappearing from the market, Nissan’s last budget model is the Sentra: the Versa’s “little brother.”

Deliveries of the Sentra are also said to be up 55 percent from January to June of this year. The company stresses that the recent developments will not mean the end of sedans on the road.

“(Sedans) continue to be an important part of the company’s product strategy and offer benefits across several areas, including cost of ownership,” Nissan spokesman Brain Brockman told Automotive News.

‘Nissan is committed to offering a complete line-up of vehicles that meet the needs of our customers in different segments.’

According to experts, it makes the most sense to keep the Sentra in the lineup, as it is the Japanese manufacturer’s second best-selling car.

According to AutoNews, the car is a “Goldilocks sedan” because it’s roomier than the Versa, but not as large or unwieldy as the Altima.

Nissan’s Altima is being plagued by the ‘Big Altima Energy’ meme on social media after it became the punchline for jokes about the ‘worst-driving car in America’

Altima sales have reportedly struggled in recent years as it became a meme on social media

The Altima has become famous online as a meme synonymous with bad driving, with many drivers joking about the “great energy of the Altima.”

Unsurprisingly, this has not resulted in higher sales figures. The model reportedly lagged behind other sedans that Nissan has recently delivered.

Nissan has ended production of its Maxima sedans in 2023, and the brand’s latest moves are being seen by the industry as an aggressive move toward electric vehicles.

The automaker has previously announced plans for a battery-powered sedan by the end of the next decade, reports Miami Herald.