The Nissan Stanza is a compact car built from 1981 to 1992 over 2 generations. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Between 1985 and 1992 it grew 14 cm longer and gained 232 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl. 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 Stanza is
The Nissan Stanza is a compact car that Nissan built from 1981 to 1992 — 12 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 1986. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest sibling in the Nissan range: Versa.
Where the Stanza 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 113 Stanzas on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JN1, JN8 | 1983-1992 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Nissan VIN decide which of these 2 lines your Stanza belongs to. What every character in a Stanza VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Nissan Stanza adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Stanza generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Stanza'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 Stanza that gives 2 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 441 cm | 247 cm | 1055 kg | - | - |
| 1986-1992 | 455 cm | 255 cm | 1287 kg | +14 cm | +232 kg |
Between 1985 and 1992 the Stanza gained 14 cm in length (+3.2%) and 232 kg in weight (+22.0%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Stanza that is 232 kg against 14 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Nissan Stanza tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Stanza 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 Stanza have? Power & range
The Nissan Stanza is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.4L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Nissan Stanza, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.4L · 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 Stanza by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Nissan Stanza. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Stanza | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 12 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 184 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Nissan Stanza?
The Stanza is a compact car, built from 1981 to 1992 across 2 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Nissan Stanza made?
Across 113 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). 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 Stanza have?
2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1986. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Stanza grew 14 cm longer and gained 232 kg.
What is the Nissan Stanza 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 Stanza 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 Stanza?
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 | 94 | 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 |
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