Nissan Pulsar NX (1986-1990)

When the 1986 Taurus hit the market, it turned car styling on its head. Gone instantly were straight line creases and wedgie shapes. Curves were now in, and oh yeah, were they!

This second generation Pulsar NX followed the trend, and looked so much better with a reskin. It also offered more FUN things like T-Tops and a removable hatch panel that left flying buttresses for strength. With the hatch gone, a small canopy covered the trunk area so your stuff didn’t get wet or stolen… hopefully.

It also kept some of the old car. Flip-up headlights, boxy tail lights, and from the side, you could see enough of the old car to know what this one was. Good job, Nissan!

I left Nissan at exactly the time these were released, so I never got to play with one. But I really wish I had leased one when the Sport Coupe’s time ran out. This car was not only sporty, it was versatile and fun!

Styling changes aside, the big news for the car was the optional Sportbak. This rear hatch replacement turned an everyday commuter car into… an everyday commuter car wth more storage room.

The Sportbak had a triangular window, much akin to the then-new Nissan Pathfinder. Was Nissan starting a new styling trend with triangles?

Maybe the big hatch cover was a good idea, but it also presented a few problems. Like… it was a bit of a chore to change the pieces. Also, one had to store the original hatch panel where it didn’t get damaged. And storing the Sportbak when not in use took even more room.

The interior was all-new, and much for the better. It looked more expensive than the first car, the dash flowing into the upper door panels. Switches became more modern, and made the car much more “sporty.” Where the old car looked anemic, this one was toned.

Engines for the Second Gen varied from year to year. But the Twin Cam was usually found in the upscale SE Trim. The base NX trim was the XE.

So the second car was truly better. And when it came time to replace this one, the next car could only be better …right?

 Stay tuned for Part Three.

—That Car Guy (Chuck)

Image Credits: Our front beauty shot was found at BestCarInf.com. The Sportbak rear quarter picture came from ConsumerGuide.com. The Coupe/Canopy image is from Kinja-Img.com. The Nissan NX’s interior image was found at Photobucket.com. And the engine compartment photo is from CarDomain.com.