Nissan 240SX

Nissan 240SX: which version to buy

The Nissan 240SX is a rear-wheel-drive Coupe sold across two generations from 1 January 1989 to 30 November 1998. The buying choice is not “any 240SX”: first generation uses a 2389 cm³ naturally aspirated Gasoline engine at 143 hp, second generation uses a 1998 cm³ Gasoline engine in three outputs — 160 hp with No boost, then Turbo at 200 hp and 220 hp. All eight catalogue versions are RWD.

The Nissan 240SX is a rear-wheel-drive Coupe sold across two generations from 1 January 1989 to 30 November 1998. The buying choice is not “any 240SX”: first generation uses a 2389 cm³ naturally aspirated Gasoline engine at 143 hp, second generation uses a 1998 cm³ Gasoline engine in three outputs — 160 hp with No boost, then Turbo at 200 hp and 220 hp. All eight catalogue versions are RWD. Fuel is 95 throughout. Tank size is 65 L on every version. Acceleration, top speed, and mpg figures exist only for first-generation 2.4 MT; every other row is not measured for those fields.

Generations: what actually changed between 1 generation and 2 generation

1 generation (1 January 1989 – 31 December 1994), Coupe, 2 versions: 2.4 MT and 2.4 AT. Both make 143 hp (105 kW) at 5200 rpm and 309 Nm at 4000 rpm from 2389 cm³, 4 Inline cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, No boost, compression 9.2, bore and stroke 89 × 96, Distributed injection (multi-point). Ground clearance is 135 mm. Front brakes are Disc. Rear suspension, rear brakes, and wheel size are not measured. The split is gearbox only: 5-speed Manual versus 4-speed Automatic.

2 generation (1 January 1994 – 30 November 1998), Coupe, 6 versions, all named 2.0 AT or 2.0 MT and therefore distinguished by horsepower. Displacement drops to 1998 cm³ (391 cm³ less than 2389). Bore and stroke become square at 86 × 86. Clearance drops 5 mm to 130 mm. Front brakes become Ventilated disc; rear brakes are Disc. Front and rear suspension are Independent, spring. Three power steps sit on the same 1998 cm³, 4 Inline, 4 valves, Distributed injection (multi-point), 95, RWD, 65 L tank package.

Arithmetic on the generation step: peak torque falls from 309 Nm (1 generation) to 188 Nm on the 160 hp engines (−121 Nm), then recovers to 265 Nm at 200 hp and 274 Nm at 220 hp. Specific output rises from 143 / 2.389 ≈ 60 hp per litre on 2.4 MT / 2.4 AT to 160 / 1.998 ≈ 80 hp per litre on the 160 hp pair, 200 / 1.998 ≈ 100 hp per litre on the 200 hp pair, and 220 / 1.998 ≈ 110 hp per litre on the 220 hp pair.

Engine specs: eight versions, three power families

Same name, different engines: three catalogue lines are all 2.0 AT (160 / 200 / 220 hp) and three are all 2.0 MT (160 / 200 / 220 hp). Compression is 10.0 on both 160 hp versions and 8.5 on all four Turbo versions. Engine location is Front, longitudinal on 2.0 AT 160 hp, 2.0 MT 160 hp, 2.0 AT 220 hp, and 2.0 MT 220 hp; it is not measured on 2.0 MT 200 hp, 2.0 AT 200 hp, 2.4 MT, and 2.4 AT.

Horsepower gaps on second generation: 200 − 160 = 40 hp; 220 − 200 = 20 hp; 220 − 160 = 60 hp. Torque gaps: 265 − 188 = 77 Nm; 274 − 265 = 9 Nm; 274 − 188 = 86 Nm. The last 20 hp buy only 9 Nm more than the 200 hp Turbo.

Versus first generation: 2.0 MT 160 hp is 17 hp above 2.4 MT (160 − 143) but 121 Nm below it (309 − 188). 2.0 MT 200 hp is 57 hp above 2.4 MT and 44 Nm below (309 − 265). 2.0 MT 220 hp is 77 hp above 2.4 MT and 35 Nm below (309 − 274). The 2389 cm³ engine remains the torque leader of the whole model.

Performance and mpg: only 2.4 MT has measured numbers

2.4 MT is the only version with 0–100, top speed, and fuel consumption in the data: 6.9 s to 100 km/h, 240 km/h, 12.2 L/100 km city, 7.7 L/100 km highway, 8.9 L/100 km mixed. Those figures must not be copied onto 2.4 AT or any second-generation 2.0 AT / 2.0 MT.

Not measured for 0–100 and top speed: 2.4 AT, 2.0 AT 160 hp, 2.0 MT 160 hp, 2.0 MT 200 hp, 2.0 AT 200 hp, 2.0 AT 220 hp, 2.0 MT 220 hp.

Not measured for city / highway / mixed mpg: the same seven versions. A 1993 Nissan 240SX mpg search can only be answered from 2.4 MT (production of 1 generation includes 1993). A 1995 mpg search has no measured figure in this dataset — 2 generation lists fuel use as not measured on all six versions.

Dimensions, weight kg, and ground clearance

Wheel size is not measured on all eight versions. Gross weight is not measured on all eight. Length, wheelbase, and weight distribution are not measured on any version.

Kerb weight where measured:

• 2.4 MT: 1224 kg → 1224 / 143 ≈ 8.6 kg per hp
• 2.0 AT 160 hp: 1200 kg → 1200 / 160 = 7.5 kg per hp
• 2.0 MT 160 hp: 1220 kg → 1220 / 160 ≈ 7.6 kg per hp
• 2.0 AT 200 hp: 1140 kg → 1140 / 200 = 5.7 kg per hp
• 2.0 AT 220 hp: 1280 kg → 1280 / 220 ≈ 5.8 kg per hp
• 2.0 MT 220 hp: 1270 kg → 1270 / 220 ≈ 5.8 kg per hp
• 2.4 AT and 2.0 MT 200 hp: kerb weight not measured

Lightest measured car is 2.0 AT 200 hp at 1140 kg — 84 kg below 2.4 MT (1224 − 1140) and 140 kg below 2.0 AT 220 hp (1280 − 1140). Heaviest measured car is 2.0 AT 220 hp at 1280 kg. Manual versus automatic at 160 hp: 2.0 MT 160 hp is 20 kg heavier than 2.0 AT 160 hp (1220 − 1200). At 220 hp the Manual is 10 kg lighter (1280 − 1270).

Ground clearance: 135 mm on both 1 generation versions, 130 mm on all six 2 generation versions. Tank: 65 L on every version — range cannot be ranked except on 2.4 MT, where mixed 8.9 L/100 km and 65 L imply 65 / 8.9 ≈ 730 km of mixed-cycle distance if that consumption is used as-is; no other version has a consumption figure to repeat that sum.

Which version to choose

Choose 1 generation 2.4 MT if torque and the only measured performance sheet matter. It is the sole 240SX with 309 Nm, 6.9 s to 100 km/h, 240 km/h, and mpg (12.2 / 7.7 / 8.9). It also has the highest measured kg-per-hp among weighed cars (≈8.6). Engine size is 2389 cm³, not 2.0. Boost is No.

Choose 1 generation 2.4 AT if the same 143 hp / 309 Nm / 2389 cm³ engine is required with Automatic 4. Power, torque, compression (9.2), clearance (135 mm), and fuel match 2.4 MT. 0–100, top speed, mpg, and kerb weight are not measured — do not assume the Manual’s 6.9 s or 8.9 L/100 km.

Choose 2 generation 2.0 MT 160 hp or 2.0 AT 160 hp if the brief is a naturally aspirated 1998 cm³ Coupe with Independent, spring suspension at both ends and Ventilated disc front brakes. They are 17 hp above 2.4 MT and 121 Nm below it. Compression 10.0 is the highest in the catalogue. 2.0 AT 160 hp at 1200 kg is 20 kg lighter than 2.0 MT 160 hp at 1220 kg. Engine location: Front, longitudinal on both.

Choose 2 generation 2.0 AT 200 hp if the goal is the lowest measured kerb weight and Turbo without stepping to 220 hp. 1140 kg and 200 hp give 5.7 kg per hp — the best measured ratio. Versus 2.0 AT 160 hp: +40 hp, +77 Nm, −60 kg (1200 − 1140), compression down from 10.0 to 8.5, boost Turbo instead of No. Versus 2.0 AT 220 hp: −20 hp, −9 Nm, −140 kg. Engine location is not measured on this 200 hp Automatic.

Choose 2 generation 2.0 MT 200 hp if Turbo 200 hp is wanted with Manual 5. Same 200 hp / 147 kW at 6400 rpm, 265 Nm at 4800 rpm, 8.5 compression as 2.0 AT 200 hp. Kerb weight is not measured, so it cannot be ranked against the 1140 kg Automatic twin. Engine location is not measured.

Choose 2 generation 2.0 MT 220 hp or 2.0 AT 220 hp for peak catalogue output. 220 hp (162 kW) at 6000 rpm — peak arrives 400 rpm earlier than the 160 and 200 hp engines (6400). Torque 274 Nm is 9 Nm above the 200 hp Turbo and still 35 Nm below 2.4 MT. 2.0 MT 220 hp is 1270 kg; 2.0 AT 220 hp is 1280 kg. Both list Front, longitudinal. They are the heaviest measured 2 generation cars and only modestly better on kg-per-hp than 2.0 AT 200 hp (≈5.8 versus 5.7).

Manual versus Automatic, same power: every power step offers both. Gear counts do not change with output: Manual is always 5, Automatic always 4. Drive is always RWD. The extra of a Manual is shift count, not displacement, boost, or tank size.

What the “extra” power step buys, in numbers only: from 160 to 200 hp you gain 40 hp and 77 Nm and, on the Automatics that both have weights, you lose 60 kg. From 200 to 220 hp you gain 20 hp and 9 Nm and, on the Automatics, you add 140 kg (1280 − 1140). The 200 hp 2.0 AT is the only Turbo that is both lighter and nearly as strong on kg-per-hp as the 220 hp cars.

If the search is “1990 Nissan 240SX specs”: that calendar year sits inside 1 generation only — 2.4 MT and 2.4 AT, 143 hp, 309 Nm, 2389 cm³. If the search is a 1995 Coupe: 2 generation only, 1998 cm³, 160 / 200 / 220 hp. This dataset does not include price, Forza Horizon listings, engine swaps, or engine-for-sale stock; those cannot be ranked here.

Reliability / problems: not measured in the supplied data for any version. Specs that are measured stop at the table above.

For a single pick from the eight names as printed in the database: 2.4 MT when 309 Nm and the only 0–100 / mpg sheet are the point; 2.0 AT 200 hp when measured weight and Turbo matter more than peak horsepower; 2.0 MT 220 hp when 220 hp and Manual 5 are the point and 1270 kg is acceptable.