Nissan Primera Hatchback (1990 - 1996) 1.6i LX 5d Owner Review

This review is a bit postdated - I had a Primera over 20 years ago (it was built in 1998) and it was the most FANTASTIC car I have ever had.

I understand subsequent versions of the Primera have declined dramatically in build quality and reliability.

My Primera was taken to France on ski trips on several occasions loaded up with 4 adults and it drove just fine. The only repair I had done on it was the Engine manifold which I could easily understand had suffered because I thrashed the car around driving way too fast for a 1.6L engine basically abusing it.

The car was terrific and it would not die no matter how much abuse it was given.

Finally with 187,000 miles on the clock I drove it into a tree and that was the Coup de Grace - a sad day - and I apologise - “Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.”

I compare this to the rubbish reliability and the flakey cars out there now (with all their deliberately designed in faults and their over complex gadgetary - again designed to fail) and I miss that Primera like you wouldn't believe - nothing has ever come close.

It is 2023 now and I would take that reliability and simplicity in a car ANYTIME over the RUBBISH and over complex alternatives we have today.

There may be a worthy modern day alternative - I sat in a Kia Ceed very recently and it had a Nissan Primera (1998) feel about it and I am tempted to purchase once of these because Kia are putting their money where their mouth is with the extended warranty.

People I know in the industry say the only manufacturers of reliable cars these days are Toyota, Honda and Kia.

The rest just design cars to fail so as they are a continuous money making machine - expensive servicing and spares once the car has been purchased.

Hope this helps anyone.