The Nissan Primera P10 is a sedan built from 1990 to 1996, presented as the first Nissan developed and built for Europe; in the United States it was sold as the Infiniti G20. If you are buying one used, it is worth checking engine smoke, power windows, steering, timing chain, brakes and the safety equipment listed in the registration document.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Nissan Primera P10 (sedan) |
| Production | 1990 – 1996; Oppama (Japan), Sunderland (UK), Taiwan |
| Debut | Japan Feb. 1990; UK Sept. 1990; Europe, Paris Motor Show Oct. 1990 |
| Technology | Project 901; multi-link front suspension |
| Dimensions | length about 4.40 m; wheelbase 2.55 m; boot 470 l (ADAC test 1991) |
| Drive | front-wheel drive |
| Engines | four-cylinder DOHC petrol with timing chain |
| Other name | Infiniti G20 (USA) |
| With us | 1.6 SLX, year 1993, 53,000 km, petrol, manual, dark grey |
If you have seen one in the United States, it probably wore a different name: Infiniti G20. Same basic car, narrower body, a luxury badge on the bonnet. The Nissan Primera P10 has a more interesting story than its sober lines suggest. In Rome there is this Primera 1.6 SLX.
Why was the Primera P10 designed for Europe?
The P10 is built from 1990 to 1996. It debuts in Japan in February 1990, in the United Kingdom in September of the same year (replacing the Bluebird) and reaches Europe at the Paris Motor Show in October 1990. It is built at Oppama in Japan, at Sunderland in England and in Taiwan. For Europe it is presented as the first Nissan developed and built specifically for this market.
Before the debut there is a preview: the Primera X concept, at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, a child of Project 901, the programme with which Nissan was betting on the most advanced technologies.
The preview of the Primera is the Primera X concept, at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show.
Four things you may not know about the Primera
- Multi-link suspension. At the front, the Primera is the first Nissan to use multi-link suspension on a front-wheel-drive car: a direct result of Project 901.
- A Japanese car coming home. The Primera UK GT was the first Japanese car built in the United Kingdom to be re-exported to Japan.
- A double American life. In the United States it was sold as the Infiniti G20, with a narrower body to fit the Japanese tax bracket.
- On the track too. P10s raced in the BTCC, STW and JTCC. The 1999 win in the British championship, however, belongs to the P11 that followed: credit where it is due.
A few numbers: about 4.40 metres long, a 2.55 wheelbase and a 470-litre sedan boot in the 1991 ADAC test. That same test even wondered whether it looked too much like the Opel Vectra: the styling was sober, the engineering was not.
Does a used Primera P10 still make sense?
Because it is a simple sedan, with Japanese mechanics and not too much electronics to complicate life. The four-cylinder DOHC petrol engines have a timing chain and are described as very robust: in enthusiasts’ accounts 300,000 km is not rare. A car for anyone who wants to drive a sedan from those years without worries, in town and out of it. One reviewer called it one of the most sensible choices for the family, and the first Nissan that was truly pleasant on a road with bends.
Looking for other sedans from those years? Take a look at another sedan from the Nineties and the used sedans in Rome in our catalogue.
What to check on a used Nissan Primera P10
On a Primera P10 you typically check:
- Safety equipment: in the early series ABS was not standard. From June 1993 the safety equipment is expanded: check the year in the registration document.
- Engine smoke at start-up and under acceleration.
- Power windows and interior trim: these are faults reported on the first cars.
- Steering: in the 1991 ADAC test it was criticised as imprecise. Test it calmly.
- Service history, timing chain and brakes, as with any car from those years.
This Primera is with us
Nissan Primera P10 1.6 SLX, 90 hp
- Year: 1993
- Mileage: 53,000 km
- Fuel: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
- Colour: dark grey
Want to see it in Rome? Come and visit us: The right car? We’ll find it for you
How we prepared it
Before it goes on sale, this Primera goes through a complete check in our workshop, a few steps from the sales area. We check everything: mechanics, engine and gearbox, brakes, suspension, electrical system and electronics, bodywork. The service is done. So when you come to see it, you know what you are getting.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Nissan Primera P10 built?
From 1990 to 1996, at Oppama in Japan, at Sunderland in England and in Taiwan.
Is the Primera P10 the same car as the Infiniti G20?
In the United States it was sold as the Infiniti G20: same base, narrower body.
Which wheels does the Primera P10 drive?
The front ones, with multi-link front suspension, the first Nissan to use it on a front-wheel-drive car (Project 901).
What should I check on a used Primera P10?
Engine smoke, power windows and interior trim, steering precision, timing chain, brakes and service history.
Does the Primera P10 have ABS?
In the early series it was not standard; from June 1993 the safety equipment is expanded. The year and the equipment are checked in the registration document.
What checks has this car had?
Every car goes through a complete check in our workshop, next to the sales area: mechanics, engine and gearbox, brakes, suspension, electrical system and electronics, bodywork. The service is done.
Sources
- Wikipedia EN/IT: Nissan Primera
- Motor1 DE: Nissan Primera P10
- Nissan Heritage
- Exchange & Mart (secondary source)
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Updated on 30.10.2026
