The Nissan Sunny has long been synonymous with being a reliable, durable range of cars. However, the Sunny lineup has not been exclusively about the Sunny model; it has been an umbrella model that integrated the Nissan Almera, the Nissan Pulsar, and the Nissan Tiida in its lineage and history. This also included models with brief production run, such as the Datsun 1200 and the Datsun 120Y.
1996-1969: B10
The Nissan Sunny began its long production as the B10, more popularly known as the Datsun 1000 Deluxe. It was a 2-door coupe that spelt class in every way. Its performance rested on a 1.2-litre A10 OHV inline-4 engine with 4-speed manual gearbox. This generation saw two trims of the Datsun 1000 Deluxe come into production.
The B10 came with drum brakes, conventional leaf springs and an independent front wishbone. Its engine featured an upgraded compression, a Hitachi carburettor, an exhaust manifold and an increased power output to 49 kW.
1970-1973: B110 (aka Datsun/Nissan 1200)
The second-generation Sunny, then called the B110, was launched in 1970. In Australia, this model was also named the Datsun 1200. This generation gained in size, which was a well-deserved improvement, considering that Nissan pitted it against the Toyota Corolla at the time. It came with improved auto parts like MacPherson struts and better suspension.
The initial release consisted of sedans, wagons, and coupes. In the second year, however, the range included a 2-door, 3-seat ute. All variants were powered by a 1.2-litre A12 inline-4 engine, which put out 51 kW of power and 95 Nm of torque.
The Datsun 1200 was a favourite among racing enthusiasts in the country because it could be effectively converted to a 2WD rally car.
The last of the B110 sedans, wagons and coupes were sold until 1974. The Datsun 1200 utes, however, continued to be in production until 1985. It retained the same 1.2-litre A12 I4 engine mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox up to the last ute produced.
1973-1977: B210 (aka Datsun/Nissan 120Y)
What Nissan introduced in the North American market as B210, Australians called the Datsun 120Y and Nissan 120Y. It came in CKD (complete knock-down) kits and was assembled locally. The 120Y included an alternator, disc brakes, 4-speed gearbox, mud flaps, radial tyres, and radio as standard equipment. It received praises for its pocket-friendly fuel consumption. The following were the variants on offer under both Datsun and Nissan 120Y nameplates:
Datsun 120Y (1974-1979)
- Coupe, base model – available in 3-speed automatic or 4-speed manual gearbox
- Sedan Deluxe - available in 3-speed automatic or 4-speed manual gearbox
- Wagon, base model - available in 4-speed manual gearbox only
Nissan 120Y (1977-1978)
- Commercial van – available in 4-speed manual gearbox only
All these variants came with a (1,171 cc) 1.2-litre A12 OHV inline-4 engine that could generate up to 52 kW of power and 95 Nm of torque.
However, the B210 encountered media backlash with critics saying that it didn't differ from the B110. Following this reaction, Nissan included a station wagon in 1978 under the B210.
1988-1981: B310
The B310 carried the Sunny nameplate to Australia to replace the Datsun. Nissan improved the class B chassis that came to be the backbone of the Nissan Silvia drivetrain. It came with an improved 1.2-litre A12A engine that made 51 kW.
1981-1985: B11
Finally named the Nissan Sunny, the B11 marked a new era in production for Nissan. The B11 came as a subcompact sedan and featured significant improvements like a shared engine and drivetrain with the Nissan Pulsar N12. These two models later became integrated into one for the next generation B12 and N13 models. The B11 had a new trim that came with a diesel engine, a 1.7-litre CD17 engine that generated 45 kW of power. As thе B11 craze caught on, Nissan developed a hatchback supermini version of thе next-generation B12 to be marketed under the Nissan Pulsar N13. These were the Nissan Micra and Nissan March.
1985-1990: B12
This model was introduced in 1985 at the Tokyo Motor show as a 5-door front-wheel-drive station wagon. Although it had excellent performance, featuring a 1.2- litre ES13s inline-4 engine with either four or five-speed manual gearbox, the B12 sales did not catch on, and its returns suffered. This low market performance was due to B12's boxy aesthetics that did not appeal to the masses. Nissan then moved the production of the high-selling Pulsar nameplate to boost the B12 sales. Nissan rebranded both the sedan and hatch as a Nissan Pulsar N13. The hatchback replaced the Cherry as the Nissan N12.
This generation of the Sunny saw the iteration of different models of the Nissan Sunny to suit their destination market better. The Sunny was dubbed the Nissan Sentra in the USA, which was a 4-door sports wagon. Japan got a revised model that was called the Laurel Spirit. The Laurel inspired other Nissan Sunny models, including the RZ-1 for the Mexican market.
1990-1993: B13
In 1990, the B13 was born as a round and sporty B12. Nissan had designers shift from the box-edged design in favour of sleek curves that came to define the Nissan Sunny in its present-day form. It featured improved performance parts, such as engines upgraded to the following:
- 1.4 L GA14DS/GA14DE I4
- 1.6 LGA16DE/GA16DS I4
- 2.0 L SR20DE
This model came purely as a four-door, front-engined, front-wheel drive and had an air-conditioning system. While it was not a very popular model, the B13 model served as inspiration for conventional sedan car models under Nissan's product line.
1993-1998: B14
The B14 carried on from where the B13 left off in 1993 with a minor facelift to its design. This new generation model was made more formal but classy by integrating more curves on the front-end and a raised back-end. Nissan ditched the 1.4-litre engine and offered the B14 in the 1.6-litre GA16DE and 2.0-litre SR20DE, both with inline-4 orientation. The B14 was cross-patched as the Nissan Pulsar N15 in Australia.
1998-2006: B15
The B15 saw production in 1998. It has by far been the longest-running generation of the Nissan Sunny with a production timeline of 9 years. The B15 first launched as a saloon that lasted up to 2004. However, a facelifted B15 was released in 2002 rebadged as the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy in Australia. This model was available in two engine options – a 1.5-litre HRDE (that had either 4-speed manual gearbox or 5-speed automatic transmission) and a 2.0-litre HRDE engine with CVT.
The Nissan Sunny remains in use today as a family sedan or hatchback, and even the classic models are still very much around! If you're thinking about buying a Sunny or its parts, or if you're selling an old model, Carpart will be a handy site for you. Check it out now!
-RayKaz