Our SE-R tester proved to be a delightful blend of mild and wild. The steering was light but positive, the ride was firm but far from choppy, and the response in abrupt maneuvers was quick and decisive. Nissan wanted to make its new coupes comfortable without compromising their sporty reflexes, and we think that engineering goal has been achieved. The 200SX provides sports-car feel and driver confidence in equal measures.
We also liked the performance of the SE-R engine, a sizzling little powerhouse that's capable of zooming from 0 to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds. As an added bonus, it goes about its business quietly thanks to extra attention in noise-suppression, and it has an excellent record for durability.
The shifting of the manual transmission may be the best of any small car going, and we found the action of the clutch to be exceptionally smooth. The SE-R engine has enough power to provide satisfying performance even with an automatic transmission, but we would imagine the action of the 5-speed manual is so cooperative that anyone even a stick-shift novice will feel very comfortable with it. it's a key element that helps make this car so much fun to drive.
However, we should also note that Nissan has restricted the SE-R's ultimate performance as a concession to insurance rates. The old Sentra SE-R coupe was capable of more than 125 mph; the 200SX SE-R has a governing device that limits top speed to 109 mph. As a result, this makes the SE's 1.6-liter engine a bit more attractive by comparison. Its performance is lively you have to push the SE-R to its limits to produce an appreciable difference and the SE costs less.
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