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Text and photos By William Bonds

Three brothers

We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces

Skyline 350GT

My buddy Don says all cars look the same nowadays, and to some extent he has a point. When Nissan introduced the Fuga 350GT, it kind of forced you to ask the question, “Why don’t I just have the Teana 350JM or the renewed Skyline 350GT? The Teana is, after all, cheaper and just as big, while the Skyline has more sex appeal. And from a styling point of view, who would notice?”
Well, I would, but it’s in the details that you’ll find the differences, and to find those differences, you just have to take the cars for a ride. Or read on, as we examine Nissan’s 3.5-liter sedans.

Price The Teana wins out by a mile at ¥3.4 million, and for that you get a big sedan with a 3.5-liter engine, but, as will be revealed, it’s a very different car from the other two, which both cost over ¥4 million. The Fuga tops this bracket at ¥4.41 million, with the Skyline close behind at ¥4.12 million.

Fuga 350GT

Engine/Performance Of course, you’re basically getting the same engine, but the GT models (Skyline and Fuga) have higher outputs. The Fuga puts out around 280bhp, while the Skyline is rated at 272. The Teana trails at 230. Need more? The Fuga will soon be available with Nissan’s 4.5-liter V8 while a GT-R version of the Skyline (two-door) could be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. These will both be monsters, but for most people, the 3.5 will be enough (engine options go down to 2.5 liters) and will get you to 100kph in well under seven seconds.

Driving The Fuga GT and Skyline GT both have uprated suspensions (compared with their more sedate brethren) to stop you from driving off the road. When you’re in the Skyline, you actually feel like you’re stuck to the road, and the braking is phenomenal. The Skyline is very squat, and after a while you forget you’re in a four-door sedan, which presumably was the purpose in the first place. You won’t get that feeling in the Fuga, partly because it feels less sporty, because it’s nearly 200kg heavier, and because of the limo-style interior. However, for a limousine, this is one fun car. It holds the road excellently and verges on being a back-road belter.

The Teana 350, from the outside and the cockpit (below)

The Teana doesn’t really compete in this category. One motoring insider dismissed it as an “American” car, and it does wallow a bit. Overall, nothing is precise—steering, gearing, brakes—hence, the need for wide spaces to keep it under control. The Fuga and the Teana have very acceptable automatic gearboxes with semi-automatic options, but the Skyline has a wonderful semi-automatic eight-speed box—a vast improvement over the clunky manual six-speed.

Exterior I suppose you have to ask yourself what you want. These cars are smart without being spectacular. Again, the Teana has no pretensions; it is a pleasantly big car but not exactly designed to go cruising in Omotesando. The Fuga is similarly conservative overall, but the appearance of the GT350 Sports version is enhanced by its twin exhausts, neat light clusters, and sexy 19-inch low-profile wheels. The sloping rear and curve of the front end add to its charm and sportiness, and it is by no means an ugly car. Ditto the Skyline, which seems to sit much lower on the road. The big front air intake and tinted rear windows give it a slight air of menace, but overall it remains a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Interior Someone wasn’t paying attention with the Teana—how can you design a CD box that fails to accommodate CDs? The pluses are its spaciousness, big glove box and all-around vision. The stereo is so-so, the dash OK and the driving position pretty good. However, the front seats were terrible (although the blue velour was cozy) and offered no upper-back support at all. The seats of the Skyline have been improved over the previous version; they now fit human beings. In fact, they are now extremely comfortable and together with a neat dash and smaller cabin give the Skyline a cockpit-like feel. The Fuga, again, is aiming at the upper end of the market, and has got the whole package: great seats, excellent stereo, loads of storage space, loads of people space, very good air conditioning, clear dials, a cute retro clock and a nice steering wheel. It even has heated/air conditioned seats. Yes, if your nether regions are overheating, a flick of a switch will deliver cool air down there. Why wouldn’t you buy this car?!?

Conclusion The Teana is a big, cheap practical car with a strong engine, but it doesn’t have a lot of frills. The Skyline is a taut, very fast and exciting four-door sedan. If you like intense driving, this one’s for you. The Fuga has got the lot: It looks good, drives good and feels good. An overall gem.

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