The Nissan Teana is a four-door sedan produced from 2003 to 2020.
Nissan Teana Name and Introduction
Nissan is no stranger to the four-door sedan. And the Nissan Teana was an iconic model from the early 21st century. It was a replacement to the Nissan Bluebird, Laurel, and Cefiro. While it was sold under the Teana name in the Japanese domestic market at Nissan Red Stage dealerships, it was called the Nissan Maxima and Nissan Cefiro in certain export markets. Nissan used the name of an Italian city for one model, the Murano, and decided to continue the trend with the Teana, a small village in Italy. It shared the same platform as the Nissan Presage minivan, the Nissan FF-L. The wheelbase is an extensive 109.3 inches (2,775 mm). When the Nissan Teana was first introduced in 2003, it was considered one level below the Nissan Skyline in terms of luxury and performance. It was well-equipped and offered many options, such as an advanced GPS navigation system and other amenities.
Design and Powertrain
The exterior look used arch-like shapes and long sweeping lines throughout. The engine hood and rear trunk were both quite sizable, with the front grille sticking to a minimalistic design flanked by tear-drop headlights and a color-matching bumper. The rear featured some of the only square lines on the vehicle. The passenger compartment was spacious with good visibility. The engine choices ranged from a 2.0L inline-4 to a sizable 3.5L V6. A midrange 2.3L V6 was also available in certain markets. The engines were paired to a four-speed automatic transmission or six-speed CVT with manual shift mode.
Second Generation Nissan Teana
In 2008, the second generation Nissan Teana was released. The exterior design was updated to a more modern style with a slightly more aggressive undertone. It remains on a 109.3-inch wheelbase, but was moved to the Nissan D platform shared with the Maxima and Altima. The Nissan Teana was now sold under the Maxima name in Australia and New Zealand, and was available in many countries throughout the world, mainly focused in Asia and South America. It was not available in Europe, where the Renault laguna was offered instead as the offering from the shared ownership. In North America, it is most similar to the Altima from the same era. While not always identical, the Nissan Altima and Nissan Teana shared many components, the platform, and many shared mechanicals. The engine choices remained similar to the first generation with 2.0L inline-4, 2.5L inline-4, 2.5L V6, and 3.5L V6 options. The 3.5L V6 produced 248 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. All were paired to a Jatco JF010E continuously variable transmission (CVT), providing smooth acceleration without hesitation.
2013 Nissan Teana Update
An update to the Nissan Teana came in 2013. It remained on the shared Nissan D platform as the Nissan Altima, and continued to share the vast majority of components. It was now a rebadged version of the North American Altima, through and through. The exterior size grew slightly, although the wheelbase remained the same and it weighs less than the previous generation. The exterior featured more sharp lines than the past generation, but also some more rounded body panels. Engines now included a 1.6L turbocharged inline-4 as the smallest option, with the usual 2.0L inline-4, 2.5L inline-4 and 3.5L V6 available. The 2.5L V6 was dropped from the lineup. The Nissan Teana and Altima continued to use the CVT. An extended wheelbase version is sold in China as the Nissan Teana VIP. It features a more luxurious interior that focuses on rear-seat comfort. The nine-speaker sterile system with rear controls and rear video screens can keep any passenger satisfied.