Last month, Nissan announced job cuts as part of its efforts to cut costs and right the ship, but this week’s tariff announcements could be a blessing in disguise for the Japanese automaker. Its most popular model, the Rogue crossover, is built in Tennessee, exempting it from the worst of the tariffs’ impacts, which will likely save hundreds of jobs.
Nissan previously said it would cut a shift at the Smyrna, TN assembly facility, but the trade war has pushed American-built vehicles into the spotlight. A spokeswoman told Automotive News, “We have decided to maintain two shifts of production of Nissan Rogue at Smyrna, keeping more localized volume in the U.S. that is free of the new auto tariffs.”
The automaker didn’t say how many jobs could be saved, but many people at the plant had already taken its early retirement buyout offer. So, while keeping the shift in motion could save jobs, it could also mean hiring for positions vacated in the buyout process.
Though challenging for all automakers, Nissan is in a decent position to weather any potential storms. The company said in a statement, “Currently, more than half of our U.S. sales volume is sourced from our plants in Tennessee and Mississippi. The company currently has ample inventory at our U.S. retailers that is unaffected by the new tariffs. We will continue to evaluate the impact, as well as market needs, to make any additional adjustments to production.”
[Images: Nissan]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.