Nissan has dropped three models from its Australian line-up, announcing the Micra, Pulsar hatch and Y61 diesel Patrol will all be axed with remaining stock expected to be sold out by the end of the year.
Nissan Australia managing director Richard Emery said the company would be led by its biggest sellers - the Navara, Qashqai and X-Trail - which have accounted for more than 70 per cent of the company's sales in Australia in 2016.
"These decisions are in line with our commitment to running a robust business in Australia," he said. "Complete after-sales service and technical support for the affected models will continue to be available from our Australian dealer network."
Mr Emery also denied the move foreshadowed other changes in the company's local operations. "Nissan is committed to maintaining a strong and healthy business in Australia, which includes our national sales company, Nissan Financial Services, Nissan Casting Australia plant, field quality centre and motorsport activities," he said.
The moves aren't a complete surprise. As mentioned in last week's story on the Kia Picanto in WestWHEELS, the micro-car segment in Australia is one of the trickiest to negotiate for car makers because of the need to keep costs low, which in turn reduces the profit on sales. 
The Micra has actually seen sales improve dramatically in 2016, up 117 per cent compared with the same time last year to be the segment's second-best seller behind the Mitsubishi Mirage. However, it was reliant on discounted and drive-away prices and it suffered from having only a four-star ANCAP crash safety rating.
Nissan's local arm said it had simply "decided that there is no longer an adequate business case for offering Micra for sale in the Australian market".
"Nissan will also rationalise its Pulsar offering, concen-trating on its Pulsar sedan models and removing the hatch grades from the Pulsar range," the statement read. 
"The Patrol wagon (Y61) and Patrol cab chassis (UY61) have  entered 'run out' phase, succeeded by the Patrol V8 (Y62)  launched in Australia in   February 2013."
The Y61 Patrol workhorse was the least surprising of the three. Though beloved for its ruggedness, it's been around for nigh-on two decades. However, it means the Patrol is now petrol-only, with the recently heavily discounted Y62 Patrol not available as an oil burner.
The Pulsar hatch's exit is the most intriguing decision. The sedan version accounts for more than half of Pulsar sales and will remain, though the model has struggled sales-wise since arriving in 2013.
At the time Nissan was hoping for a return to the high-selling days of yore before it misguidedly change its name to the Tiida and saw sales drop. But with volume sellers such as the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 dominating the small-car segment, it never really took off.
Only 2.9 per cent of small cars sold in Australia this year have been Pulsars.
Looking ahead, Nissan will likely replace the Micra and Pulsar hatch in time, when it will presumably look to offer higher-quality products.