1000km Road Test - Nissan 200SX Spec S

The Subaru WRX gets the headlines and the hype, but Nissan's rear wheel drive 200SX is the purist's sportscar and an exhilarating drive.

Value for money

Pricing

The 200SX Spec S is priced at $40,990, while the better equipped Spec R is $44,990. A four-speed auto is a $2000 option on both models.

Warranty

Three years/100,000 km; average.

Standard features

Standard equipment in the Spec S includes airconditioning, an in dash single CD player/four-speaker audio system (six stacker/cassette in the Spec R), 16-inch alloy wheels, remote central locking with an engine immobiliser plus power windows and mirrors. The Spec R adds side skirts, a rear spoiler and sunroof.

Retained value

The previous model retains 56 per cent after three years according to Glass's Guide. The new 200SX will be stronger; a 12 month retained value of 85 per cent is above average.

Design and function

Ergonomics

It's a long way to the clutch pedal, and drivers with short legs may find themselves sitting uncomfortably close to the leather-wrapped wheel. There is no reach adjustment, unfortunately, but height adjustment is fitted.

You sit long and low in the 200SX, but vision around the car is good. No seat-height adjustment is provided.

The dash has a simple instrument layout with a central tachometer and metal-look faces. Orange reflective lighting is a bit kitsch, but easy enough to read at night. Audio and airconditioning controls are simple and efficient.

Innovation

A helical gear-limited slip differential is claimed to provide better control over wheelspin than a conventional unit.

Safety

Two front airbags are fitted, as are ABS brakes. These have brake assist, which automatically applies maximum power when pedal pressures reach high levels.

Security

An engine immobiliser and remote central locking are standard.

Comfort

The driver's seat provides knee to shoulder support with firm bolstering. It is quite narrow, so broad backsides might find it a bit painful.

Space and Practicality

The two person back seat is deeply contoured, but leg room is non existent unless front-seat occupants are very short. Buy a WRX if you regularly carry more than one passenger.

The boot is also much smaller than the WRX's, but has enough capacity for two people's gear for a weekend. It can be extended with the fold-down rear-seat back; under the floor is a space saver spare.

Build and finish quality

The body is taut and rigid. The interior is no frills dressed-down black, but like the car's on-road performance the basics work nicely. Fit and finish in the test car was excellent, if overwhelmingly plastic.

On the road

Fuel efficiency

Figures of 8-9 litres/100 km on the highway and 13-14 litres/100 km in the city are reasonable considering the performance on offer. Premium unleaded is recommended.

Performance

The 2.0 litre, 147 kW four cylinder turbocharged engine is quite tractable with none of the on/off switch or significant lag effect sometimes found in turbos.

This civility makes the Nissan an easy drive in town; overall it is a more refined device than the WRX, but in pure acceleration it is comparable. The 200SX is one of the few performance cars which will do 0-100 km/h in six and a bit seconds.

The turbo starts to kick hard at 3000; from here it is very smooth and responsive to 6000, where a bit of extra thrust is available for the last 1000 rpm to redline.

The six-speed box is a beauty, shifting with a short throw and great precision. The ratios are spot on to keep the engine in its best operating range.

The clutch is similarly effective, but with no hydraulic damper it is unforgiving of sloppy use and can occasionally give the rear wheels a chirp when engaging second gear.

Ride

Ride quality verges on harsh at low speeds around town, but becomes more compliant at highway speeds. It is still very firm, but tolerable enough to make the 200SX a viable long distance drive.

Handling and steering

The new 200SX uses the same Macpherson strut front/multilink rear suspension as the previous model, but with firmer springs and greatly tightened control over wheel movement. The body incorporates several bracing struts to improve rigidity, and the steering has less power assistance.

This less compromised setup gives the Nissan outstanding dynamics.

It goes exactly where it's pointed - turn-in is sharper and more accurate than the WRX - has an impeccably taut, dead flat cornering attitude and great agility and composure when changing direction quickly.

Under hard acceleration the back end squats a little, and if grip does become tenuous it is easy to monitor and control thanks to the engine's fine responsiveness and the clarity with which tyre/road contact is relayed to the driver.

Rough surfaces reveal a slight imbalance between the front and rear suspension tuning. Front end roadholding is less secure, and can become a touch nervous on really poor bitumen.

Braking

The ABS-equipped brakes use four piston calipers and a two stage booster, which in emergency stops provides a higher proportional level of assistance. The brake pedal is quite firm, but feedback and performance are excellent.

Smoothness and quietness

The 2.0 litre turbo is acceptably smooth, but you're supposed to hear it working - and you do. Fluid filled suspension bushes and relatively low tyre noise keep the 200SX reasonably refined and quiet in the cabin.

Summary

No matter what the price, sports cars don't come much better than the 200SX. A must-drive if you're looking for power, poise and precision.

Test by Bill McKinnon, March 2002.

The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.

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