The Nissan 200SX is a compact car built from 1981 to 1998 over 2 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 74.8% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the 200SX is
The Nissan 200SX is a compact car that Nissan built from 1981 to 1998 — 18 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 1995. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Nissan range: GT-R, Sentra, PULSAR.
Where the 200SX is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 115 200SXs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1N4 | 1995-1998 | |
| Japan | JN1 | 1983-1988 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Nissan VIN decide which of these 2 lines your 200SX belongs to. What every character in a 200SX VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Nissan 200SX adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
200SX generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the 200SX's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the 200SX that gives 2 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-1988 | 443 cm | 243 cm | 1145 kg | - | - |
| 1995-1998 | 432 cm | 254 cm | 1057 kg | -11 cm | -88 kg |
Nissan 200SX tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment 200SX owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Nissan 200SX have? Power & range
The Nissan 200SX is offered with 2 powertrains — 3L 6-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Nissan 200SX, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | RWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The 200SX by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Nissan 200SX. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | 200SX | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 17 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 187 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Nissan 200SX?
The 200SX is a compact car, built from 1981 to 1998 across 2 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6.
Where is the Nissan 200SX made?
Across 115 cars in our records the split is: the United States (74.8%), Japan (25.2%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the 200SX have?
2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1995. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Nissan 200SX warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the 200SX reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific 200SX?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Nissan
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Rogue | 2008–2026 | 92 | 34 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Nissan GT-R | 2009–2026 | 9 | 19 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Nissan Altima | 1993–2026 | 146 | 34 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Nissan Frontier | 1998–2026 | 142 | 22 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Nissan Pathfinder | 1986–2026 | 149 | 26 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Nissan Sentra | 1982–2026 | 158 | 41 mpg | 4.0/5 |