1997 Nissan Primera GT 2.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Brilliant sports tourer

Faults:

Leather seat side bolsters wearing on drivers side.

General Comments:

Having always owned "hot hatches" I was pleasantly surprised to discover how sporty this car is. The handling too is also superb and compares well to my previous car (Renault Clio 1.8 16 valve)

Where it really excels though is on the motorway, I have quite easily kept pace with Subaru Imprezza turbo's and Honda Civic type R's. Know wonder Nissan won the British Touring car championship with this car!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 16th January, 2003

7th Sep 2003, 10:43

I take it that your unhappy rating was a mistake. I also find it amazing that you could keep up with an Impreza turbo. They have over 100 bhp extra on tap as standard. Strange.

27th Feb 2006, 10:26

For four glorious years, I owned a 1999 Nissan Primers 2.0 SRi which was supposed to have 20 HP less than the GT, but personally, I found very little to choose between them. My SRi would thrash all, but the fastest M3 and M5 BMW's on a winding road, and even a friend's full rally spec. Impreza couldn't shake me off. On European motorways, it would cruise all day at 125 MPH with loads to spare.

Why the hell Nissan chose not to carry on with the proper development of this car I will never know. Instead, they went on to produce very mediocre machines which have seen many thousands of buyers go elsewhere for their kicks. That could be down to the French influence, and if so, they should be shot a dawn for spoiling a great marque. How could anyone other than a buffoon take a car that was so right, develop it, and produce one that was so wrong?

My Primera was nothing, but fun to drive. It was also comfortable, reliable, roomy, and economical. Some say the car has bland styling, but with front fogs, stylish alloys, and rear spoiler, my SRi in shining silver looked absolutely great.

In choosing my 2.0 litre SRi's replacement, I made a massive mistake. I listened to the garbage spouted by so-called professional motoring journalists, and opted for a brand new Ford Focus C-Max 1.8 Zetec which has proven to be an absolute dog of a thing in reality. I hate that bag of crap so much, I feel like throwing a lit match into the petrol tank. After 15 months of bitter regret, I am now buying its replacement - a new Mazda 3 series 2.0 litre Sport saloon in the hope it will put the fun back into my driving - the fun I once had with my beloved Primera. That car was just phenominal, and I miss it dearly.

Tad, Cambridge UK.

1997 Nissan Primera GT 2.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A lot of car at a bargain price

Faults:

Rear brake light integrated into rear spoiler failed, expensive replacement at £137 + v.a.t.

Annoying rattle from exhaust.

Very squeaky wiper blades, even when replaced with new items.

Intermittent rattle from dashboard.

General Comments:

The car performs very well and handles superb for the size of the vehicle.

All that performance and it still returns a good 36-40 miles per gallon.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th August, 2002

1997 Nissan Primera GX 1.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A top class bargain

Faults:

There was a fault in the air conditioning wiring. It took some diagnosing!

Annoying rattle on the dashboard.

'Doors open' light not working.

Other than that, nothing.

General Comments:

I'm not sure why this car has such a bad image reputation. I actually think it's quite stylish.

Performance is okay, but you have to give it some beans, then it shifts reasonably well for a 1.6 with a heavy body.

Very quiet cabin. Comfortable seats, sensible instruments.

Why is there no door lock on passenger side?

Great value car which is seriously underrated. I bought my high mileage Primera complete with full history, not a blemish and a factory 6cd autochanger R registration for £2000.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th June, 2002