- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 265Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 8.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Used car review: Nissan 200SX 2000-03
Killed off by ever tighter emissions laws, Nissan's 200SX that sold here between 2000 and late 2003 was a firm favourite among those who valued budget performance.
Even had it been twice the price, the turbocharged Nissan coupe would still have had appeal, simply because it was so darn capable and utterly entertaining.
That's fine if you can afford a second-hand S15 (as it was known) 200SX but if the budget is a bit tighter than that, then that car's predecessor, the S14 (surprisingly enough) might be for you.
You see, while it lacked the later car's svelte bodyshell, the S14 was mechanically very similar to its offspring and almost as entertaining.
In fact, had the S15 never emerged, it's quite probable that we'd be singing the S14's praises as a modern classic, just as we do the later car today.
Actually, modern classic is a tiny bit misleading, because a large part of either 200SX's attraction was its old-school feel.
Rather than rely on four-wheel-drive for grip or front-wheel-drive for its packaging-friendly nature, the 200SX was good old-fashioned rear-wheel-drive. And that, as much as anything else, gave the car its essential flavour.
While a front-wheel-drive car will (all things being equal) push its nose wide in fast corners and an all-wheel-drive can feel a bit clinical, there's no mistaking a good, rear-drive chassis.
It's no accident, for instance, that BMW has stuck with rear-wheel-drive.
The same goes for other landmark, hard-core performance car makers including Porsche, AMG (Mercedes-Benz) and others. Ferrari, for instance, doesn't offer - nor has it ever offered - a front-wheel-drive model.
The physics of rear-drive are well known, of course; weight transfer as a car accelerates pushes the mass over the rear (drive) wheels so that grip is multiplied and the car is less likely to spin its wheels.
Similarly, by leaving the front wheels to do only the steering (and not the driving) the front-end feel is usually more tactile, responsive and accurate than a front-drive car.
And if you ever needed proof that the theory works, you need only take a quick spin in the S14 200SX.
While the suspension is set up quite firmly, the ride quality is actually pretty good, thanks largely to the car's relatively long wheelbase.
More than that, though, is the fact that the steering wheel keeps feeding you lots and lots of pure, uncut information.
There's absolutely no guesswork involved when it comes to knowing what the front wheels are doing or where the car is pointing.
And as you exit a corner and apply the throttle, the 200SX simply hunkers down, grips and accelerates away into the distance.
Lovely, it is, and the Nissan's responses are a classic case of the good old days really being worth reliving.
Those charming road manners are, of course, complimented by an engine that is both powerful and flexible.
While some turbocharged engines leave you hanging until the turbocharger manages to spin up some boost, the Nissan's unit makes boost from very low revs and then builds and builds until it reaches the 7000 rpm redline.
At that point, the engine is fairly screaming (and displaying a bit of harshness, it should be said) but it's still making plenty of power and torque with impressive acceleration as the end result.
Nissan was thoughtful enough to offer the 200SX with an automatic gearbox but, with just four ratios, it doesn't suit the car at all.
Certainly, there's enough urge on tap but somehow the visceral nature of the car just seems at odds with a self-shifting gearbox.
All of which means that the one you want is the five-speed manual (the S15 model has a six-speed manual) and with a light clutch, accurate shift and well-spaced ratios, it's a true delight.
Like a lot of Japanese performance cars from the 1990s, the S14 was imported through Nissan's official channel as well as by countless private import operations.
The difference between an Australian-delivered car and a private import is largely in retained value (provided the private import has been modified to comply with local rules and regulations).
Simply, a locally delivered car is worth more than a private import, so make sure you know exactly what you're buying and pay accordingly.
Australian-delivered cars should have a compliance plate under the bonnet proclaiming their status.
The other big thing to watch out for is a 200SX that has been heavily modified.
A bigger tailpipe and maybe some blingy wheels wouldn't worry us but more turbo boost, bigger intercoolers and body kits don't do anything for a car's resale value (to rank and file buyers, anyway).
At best, you will be paying for somebody else's idea of style, at worst you will be buying a potential hand-grenade.
Either way, it's not really worth the risk when there are plenty of unmolested examples out there.
What to pay
Mid-teens seems to be where the really good examples start although we'd certainly look at a cheaper car from a private seller who's keen to unload it. It's still very possible to spend more than $20,000 on an S14 200SX but when the S15 is also around for about the same money it doesn't really make sense to buy the earlier car.
The competition
Japanese hot-shots such as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru's all-conquering Impreza WRX are likely candidates and while both of those offer an engaging, entertaining drive, the Nissan is a different flavour altogether. In the right hands, it's just as fast, too, and probably even more fun on a race-track if club racing is your thing.