The Nissan Lucino was a sport compact coupe or hatchback produced from 1994 to 2000.
Nissan Lucino Design and Introduction
When Nissan decided to replace the two-door sedan Sunny B13 model, the automaker wanted to differentiate it from the four-door model. The result was renaming the two-door model to the Nissan Lucino (B14), while keeping the four-door sedan as the Sunny (B14). The Lucino shared the same platform with the Sunny, as well as many components and styling features. The vast majoring of the front-end was shared between the two models, including the front-wheel drive platform. The interior, especially the dashboard features and design, were nearly identical between the Lucino and Sunny. Even the dimensions were quite similar. The Lucino name stems from the Greek and Roman mythological creature known as Lucina, the goddess of birth. As the Lucino was the rebirth of the smaller, affordable, and practical version of the Sunny, aimed at appealing to young drivers who wanted a pragmatic yet stylish vehicle that was also fun to drive.
Distribution and Model Names for the Lucino
Like many Nissan models, the Lucino was sold at specific dealerships in Japan, with the Nissan Satio Store selected to distribute the Lucino. The previous two-door Sunny models were sold at the same outlets. Also keeping in line with Nissan tradition, the Lucino was sold in other markets under a different model name. In the United States and Canada, you would find the same Lucino model sold under the 200SX model name, which was recycled from other Nissan models stretching back to 1975. The Nissan Lucino was also sold in Mexico, but rather than adhere to the other North American market model name, it used the original Lucino model name in the Mexican market as in the Japanese domestic market.
Engine Options and Tax Considerations
The engine choices for the Nissan Lucino all were kept as fairly modest options, including a twin-cam 1.6L GA16DE inline-4 and a 2.0L SR20DE inline-4. Some Japanese models received the 1.6L SR16VE inline-4 instead, but this never made it to certain export markets, like those in North America. The smaller engines were suitable for the compact, lightweight vehicle, while also helping to keep costs down and fuel efficiency up. The engines were paired with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. Another important characteristic about the engine choices were the Japanese tax consequences. Engine sizes over 2.0L would cause an increased road tax, so sticking to options under this displacement size helped consumer cost-cutting measures too.
Trim Levels and Later Updates
The trim levels for the Nissan Lucino included the base, SE, and SE-R models. Most of the base and SE models came with the smaller 1.6L engine, while the sportier and higher performance SE-R used the 2.0L engine, producing 140 horsepower. All models were available with either manual or automatic transmission. In 1995, the Lucino model lineup expanded to include three-door and five-door hatchback models in addition to the original two-door coupe. These were rebadged versions of the Nissan Pulsar (N15). Other updates to the Nissan Lucino included body-colored mirrors and door handles in 1996 and a rear spoiler in 1997. Due to emissions requirements in California, the SE-R was unable there in 1997, but after adding the necessary equipment, it returned just on year later in 1998. 1998 also was the introduction of many styling updates, with reworked bumpers, front grille, headlights, taillights, and instrument cluster. The wheels bumped up from 13-inch size to 14-inch. In 1999, the Lucino coupe and the three-door hatchback were discontinued, and the final body style, the five-door hatchback, ceased production shortly thereafter in 2000. That would be the end of the line for the Nissan Lucino model.