Let?s start on a positive note: Sales of the Nissan Maxima in the United States rose 55 percent in 2016 to 62,670 units. That wasn?t just a stellar performance, it also made the Maxima unique. It was the only nonluxury, full-size sedan to have a year-over-year sales increase in the U.S. last year.
Nissan, though, had just treated its 36-year-old nameplate to a complete revamp. Its mid-size peer, the Nissan Altima, posted an 8 percent sales decrease to 307,380 units.
What?s clear is that?as Americans again bought a record number of new cars and trucks in 2016?cars, and especially larger sedans, sat out the good times. Total light-vehicle sales edged up 0.3 percent to 17,539,052 units in 2016, after a record-breaking 2015. But while light trucks rose 7 percent, total passenger-car sales dropped 9 percent, according to figures from Automotive News. And most full-size sedans fared worse. Aside from the Maxima, here?s how nonluxury, full-size sedans performed in 2016:

Chevrolet Impala down 17% to 97,006 units
Dodge Charger down 1% to 95,437 units
Chrysler 300 flat at 53,241 units
Toyota Avalon down 20% to 48,080 units
Ford Taurus down 10% to 44,098 units
Buick LaCrosse down 34% to 27,582 units
Hyundai Azera down 11% to 4942 units
Kia Cadenza down 36% to 4738 units

Some smaller, mid-size sedans did well last year. The Chevrolet Malibu was up 17 percent to 227,881 units, and the the Buick Regal managed a 2 percent improvement to 19,833 units. But elsewhere, the high-volume Toy...