These New Nissan Sedans Are a Nice Break from the SUV Madness

The Epoch and Evo go against the tide to show sedans still matter.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Apr 25, 2024 at 4:18am ET

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The Auto China 2024 show in Beijing is in full swing, and you'll be glad to hear it's not all about crossovers and SUVs. After Mazda unveiled a new electric 6 with rear-wheel drive, here comes Nissan with a pair of its very own sedans. The Epoch is fully electric while the Evo is a plug-in hybrid and definitely not a Mitsubishi rally-bred sedan.

Created in collaboration with local partner Dongfeng Motor, the sedans are deemed as concepts but will go into production. During the press conference, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said they're "very close to reality" as development has already commenced. The plan is to have the Epoch on sale within a year whereas the Evo will go on sale later.

Nissan Epoch, Evo, Epic, and Era concepts

The sedans appear to be similar in size, but we'd argue the Evo has a more daring design with a rakish roofline and a nicer derrière. Nissan is only showing the Evo’s interior, featuring a Tesla-esque minimalist approach by cramming all controls into a large tablet-like display. Unlike on the Model 3, there's still a digital instrument cluster that appears to be a smidge larger than the industry norm.

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Despite carrying the Evo name that recalls performance sedans, it's a car "perfect for weekend getaways and creating special moments for the whole family," per Nissan. The two models will fight in a crowded market considering automakers active in China are still offering plenty of sedans across multiple segments. The new Volkswagen Passat Pro is a relevant example since no other market gets the sedan.

Of course, Nissan couldn't miss the opportunity to show a couple of SUVs as well at the Auto China show. The electric Epic and plug-in hybrid Era follow the same design language as the two sedans and are planned to hit the market within the next three years. The Epic has bidirectional charging while the Era gets air suspension, zero-gravity seats, and four-wheel drive.