I owned one of these (in 4WD) for 10 years ('88-'98). Yeah, they were agonizingly slow but consider the standards of 30-35 years ago. A good friend of mine had an Infiniti QX4 the first year it came out and that was just as sluggish. Anyways, the Stanza wagon had ten very tough years of use with over 100K miles, plus spent time with two new drivers, and never gave a dime's worth of trouble; started first time, every time, even when below zero. The CA20E engine was not too powerful (the later SR20DE would have been a better option), but could run to redline all day and not use a drop of oil. This had the dual spark plug setup which was one of Nissan's better systems back in the 1980s. Even with all this, got a good trade in on a new Pathfinder which was really none faster, even with 168 hp. A quality CUV before the term was even invented.
It constantly baffles me how sliding doors never really caught on outside the minivan category. I _hate_ getting in and out of my car in tight parking lots, they would make it so easy!
It's interesting to see that the market for crossovers in some shape or form has apparently been around for a long time, but it took awhile for car companies to make them actually appealing to the masses. As ugly as this car is, I can see how it helped lead to the crossover boom we're familiar with now. I think the AMC Eagle was also a precursor to today's crossovers. That's pretty cool.
These weirdly tall wagon things that were around in the 80's and early 90s made a hell of a lot more sense for a small family than today's overpriced SUVs that are hard for kids (and small adults) to get in and out of. Plus cargo lift-over is higher and more awkward.
I am a fan of these old Japanese cars and would like to own one of these now. Currently have a 86 Dodge Colt Vista Wagon. Having problems finding certain parts for it but love the car regardless.
650jdb Is anyone gonna acknowledge that chicks manly hairy arms? when they zoomed in on here arms I thought It was the dude at first until I saw the nails and ring! But with that being said they don't make women like that anymore and I bet she was a freak in the bed.
I think evolution has caused chicks to lose a lot of their body hair since they were shaving it all off anyways. Regardless what a great trend that hipsters are now undoing because they want their women hairy and with pekkas, thus the reason they think a man in a dress is actually a woman.
I rode around in one of those a few times. A good friend in HS had a father who worked at Nissan. They lease brand new vehicles to employees and their immediate family at a very low payment. I was scared to death riding in this top heavy under powered car on the Ortega HWY (CA 74).
Omg, could you imagine someone from the NHTSA seeing this right now? I would love to see these 80's cars gathered up and put up against crash testing today. What the hell, they aren't doing much else if they don't run.
My parents bought one of these in '86 to supplement a 79 Volvo 245. It was quick in comparison to that car. I remember it being pretty nice to drive, actually. I ended up with it in the mid 90s and lent it to a friend to use for his wedding. Easy to get in and out of the back seat. Honestly I don't really remember any handling issues. Yes, it would flex and the sliding doors would rattle a bit, lol.
My father had this exact car. Yes, it was boxy and kinda weird looking, but it was so practical, economical and reliable that it gets a solid thumbs up.
Who would have known this style would be standard for crossovers and minivans nowadays? But our current horsepower, handling and safety features will LOL at what was available then.
This is an unexciting design, but it is space-efficient and affordable. A pity people didn't warm to it, as it was the smallest vehicle able to take 4 people and their gear on vacation. It also was the easiest access for us older folk. But sex sells...
Meanwhile my 89 Toyota Corolla SR5 All Trac AWD 5 speed is laughing with a 1.6l 4AFE and 0-60 in 9.4 in open 4x4 mode. And a second fast in "locked" 4x4 mode. Even the 4WD models of the Stanza couldn't compete as they had a locked Subaru inspired 4wd system. While the Toyota All Trac system is more like an old Chevy Cheyenne NP203 full time 4WD. That once it senses corning slip, in open mode the center diff slips the front axle off "or rear axle in the All trac system cars" and once you engage center diff lock. Both axles become engaged. So cornering will not become compromised unless you have the center diff in locked position. Which gives the car great performance.
Originally sold as the Nissan Prairie in Japan in 1982 and in Europe, U.K and Australia in 1983 before being made available in Canada for 1984 as the Multi and finally here in the U.S. in 1986 as the Stanza Wagon.
@@coachrobwille4176 they had two. I think a 1997 and a 2002. Liked both of them despite the amount of time spent in the shop. They were very comfortable. Both of them the transmissions went out before 80k miles.
@@BikerTrashWolf Thanks I have had for Dodge Caravans a 1985 a 1995 a 2007 and now a 2015. The transmission went on the 1985 at about 150,000 kms got it it fixed drove from 1992-2000 260,000 kms
I bought one and it was a good running car, never any problems, made 5 round trips from Calif. to Pa., excellent gas mileage. My wife like it because it was a little higher than most cars and easy to see in all directions!! I did need to get an new engine at 74,000 miles, I got a used engine from Japan that had only less than 12,000 miles, had a problem getting a timing belt for the engine they are different for the cars from Japan, no body in the states had one!!!
I've owned several unique 4wheel drive vehicles, including a 88 Stanza Wagon with 4 wheel drive; Mazda 1990 Protege 4 wheel drive sedan; and a Colt Vista 4wheel drive Wagon. Loved them all but parts unique to the 4 wheel drive set up were expensive and hard to find. But my favourite was the Stanza Wagon with 4 wheel drive. Very slow, roll happy in turns (as described in the road test), but able to carry a lot of stuff and got 30 mpg highway. A very practical compact wagon that put some midsized American station wagons to shame in its ability to handle some loads.
Pretty cool car, I liked it in the 80's as a kid in my teens. Nissan brought this cool concept again in 1990 with the Nissan Axxess. but they didn't do well. And dang! $9,949.00 for a car with no automatic or A/C? 22 US grand in today's money. As a rule of thumb A/C used to cost an additional $1,000.00 on any car. Now its standard equipment on anything.
B-Pillarless MPV with sliding doors! That's a great concept for the elderly, for people with problematic motor skills and for very tight parking spaces. But I don't want to imagine how the chassis would react in a crash, back then... It could become wobbly! The only car with this concept today is the Ford B-Max, but it's Euro-only. Actually, I don't think the T-handle parking brake is a design fault in this car. Had Nissan exploited this area correctly, it could leave free space for an armrest and a couple of big cupholders below. Also, even more space could be freed up by putting the shift lever on the column, but that would require the gearbox to be an automatic unit. Also, Stanza is a nice name! It's Italian for "Room"!
The Tercel wagon (in 4WD) was definitely more common on the roads in these parts. It had far less interior room however, plus with the 60-something hp 1.5 motor, it was no quicker than the Stanza. Not even sure if the Tercel switched over to FI by then.
In twenty years we'll all be driving electric cars. Early adopters, people that buy a Prius at one end of the market or a Tesla at the other or anything in between are to be commended as early adopters who ensure the viability of the tech and that it is matured and deveoped so we have a better experience. Sure I'll always have a spot for a big V8. I own a car with a 5.5 Litre V8 now, but sit back think about an internal combustion engine and all the things that are happening in there - VS an electric motor - realistically from an engineering, performance and potentila perspective and if for anything other than nostalgia and character you favour the fossil fuel engine to be your chapmion of the future I'd love to hear your reasoning
The Aztek is actually really cool. Many of the modern crossover SUVs are shaped like it. For example, the new Mitsubishi Eclipse (what an insult to the name!). That shape was scorned 15 years ago, now it is "innovative". Pfff...
This car has a unique design, ahead of its time. With a Reliable CA20 Engine, 4WD, Sunroof, and 7 Seat option The stanza wagon was definitely slept on. You can see these cars selling in good physical condition upwards of 3k if in good running condition, Not bad for a Weird looking car that only sold for a few Years and no Community for it.
LOVE these retro reviews, but I gota poke some fun and laugh at how the guy was yawning at 1:37 to help advertise the comfort/sleep possibility of the reclining seat lol. Also 5:12, real nice to bang your equipment into the side of the car buddy, I mean cmon.
If you can remove the second row seats, then you could open the front and side doors and put up side ramps. Then you could ride your mountain bike through the car.
I saw this in the dealership knew, I thought the design was excellent, however even then I thought not having a B pillar could be a problem in an accident.
Minus points for the arm hair, plus points for driving a stick. It seems less and less women (men too) can drive a standard these days, in the US at least. Maybe because there are less and less manual cars to be found.
T handle parking brake. Haven’t seen one of those in a long time. The only T-Handle I have seen recently is the T-Handle of aircraft used for shutting off fuel, electric and hydraulic flow to engine in the event of a fire!
The Stanza was an established model name and they wanted to draw a family lineage to that car, even though the wagon was really its own vehicle. The whole company was just a year or two past using Datsun on their cars - and the successor to this vehicle, which did get its own name - the Axxess - was an even worse seller in the showroom.
I have a 2013 madza 5 mini van..... Amazing simmiler layout and concepted. But much inproved in desinged usaibaly and preformancr .... But its a love it or hate it vehical. But not enouf people loved it in the us market
