Nissan Nx2000

In the 90s, Nissan took over the streets of the United States with their automotive line-up. Such was the case with the Nissan NX series, a sporty coupe that was designed in California. The NX2000 (with a 2.0-liter engine), and the NX1600 (with a 1.6-liter engine) appealed to the crowd. This little coupe was one of the first cars which Nissan launched in the growing compact sports car market. The NX2000 attracted enthusiasts as it came with a 2.0-liter engine that delivered 140 horsepower and was considered one of the best handling cars.

Grab onto your seatbelt as we take you for a ride back in time for a detailed look at the Nissan NX2000.

The Design

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The NX2000 has a unique and sporty design that is easily recognizable, many even called it the weird car option to the Sentra SE-R. Unlike the design of a typical Nissan sports car, this little coupe isn't aggressive but very rounded around the bumper and has a grill-less front end. Coming out of the factory, they mounted the tires on 14-inch alloy wheels to keep NX on course. To make it more versatile, a T-Top model that grasped the styling phase of the '90s rather well was also available in the NX2000. T-Top roofs are easily removable and can be stored in the trunk easily. The wind tunnel-born styling not only gives NX a sporty look but also granted a quieter ride by reducing noisy wind rustle.

Fun Fact: Among the many accolades, they crowned the NX2000 the most aerodynamic car in the Nissan line-up registering a 0.32 coefficient of drag.

In terms of interiors, the NX2000 shares its underpinnings with the Sentra sedan, and thus we find a similar layout of the dashboard. All the switches are well-marked and easy to reach which gives a good feel for the interior of NX2000. Also, small storage is provided around the dash, doors, and center console with a hide-away cup holder to hold your favorite refreshments. To give you all the info the analog gauges have every engine function and detail that you need, however, it lacks an oil pressure gauge and a voltmeter which are needed for such a sporty car. Nissan equips the front seats with good enough cushioning and can be manually adjusted. We get a very standard steering wheel that comes with tilt adjustability to maximize the comfort of the driver. Because of the sloping roofline, the rear seats are just namesake and can seat only children. They do serve well as extra storage spaces to keep handbags and such. The cargo space is sufficient and measures 16.9 cubic feet in a hatchback area, which can expand to 22 feet if seats are folded.

The Performance Specs

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In the heart of this unassuming coupe is an engine from Nissan Sentra SE-R. The power of this beast comes from 16 valve DOHC 2.0 liter four cylinders which can produce 140 horsepower. It shares 5-speed manual transmission as standard and 4-speed automatic transmission which was optional. The gearbox is a little stiff and shifts aren't as smooth as you'd expect from a vehicle that's branded as a sports coupe. A pleasant soundtrack that soothes the ears start at 3000 RPM, and it redlines all the way to 7,500 RPM. Great handling combined with an engine that redlines to the edge, unleashing every bit of power in the car were the makings of a magnificent car. This very ability of the NX2000 made it such a loved vehicle in the community. This NX develops 130-pound feet of torque at 4,800 RPM. A good point was NX2000 gives 30 mpg on the freeway. For an Econo-sports coupe, its performance was rather commendable. It took 8 seconds to reach a speed of 0-60 mph, which was very impressive when compared to rivals like Mazda MX-3, Isuzu piazza, and Toyota MR2.

It wasn't mandatory to install anti-lock brakes as standard and such was the case with the NX2000 which offers ABS as an option. Another shortcoming was that it provided anti-lock brakes only in manual transmission. Nissan had to ensure the brakes were capable enough to handle the power of the 2.0L pot and thus equipped the tried and tested performance brakes found in the Sentra SE-R.

Magazines like "Road And Track" and "Motor Trend" included the NX2000 among the likes of Acura NSX, Porsche 911, Mazda Miata among a few others to test the best handling cars of the year. The credit of the best handling front-wheel-drive can be given to its independent suspension set-up. In the front, McPherson struts transverse links, and a stabilizer bar gives support to the driving wheels of the coupe. The rear suspension is also independent and has parallel links and two stabilizer bars, this gave an enjoyable experience on roads.

The Cost

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With everything, we just told you bout the NX2000, in today's market the likes of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo or the Honda Civic Type-R seem like the cars that can take on the NX2000 and still lose. The prices of these Honda and Hyundai hatches are way over $30,000, however, back in the 90s, the NX2000 cost merely $12,900 - $15,000. This car had everything, terrific performance, powerful brakes, outstanding handling, great styling, superb quality, and sensible price. However, it misses out on the front-drive torque steer and sparse gauges.

With a curvaceous design, fine handling traits, and low base price Nissan won the hearts of people all over the globe. It impressed enthusiasts as the Nissan NX2000 gave good competition to other sporty hatchback cars in the early 90s. Production of NX2000 was only from 1991 to 1993 with no real production numbers available, which means it would be hard to find this glorious beauty today. We considered this car revolutionary as it was among the first generation of cars launched in the economic sports market in the 1990s. Currently, Kelley Blue Book evaluates the fair price of the NX2000 between $1,100 to $2,500 depending on the condition that the car. A marvel that the NX is, it makes for a really great show car that only true 90s JDM aficionados can truly evaluate as it is a very rare car to find. Looking up at many postings, we found ads between $1,000- $9,000. Its price isn't just the money you pay for it, but the smiles and the history that the little coupe has amassed over the years.

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