Nissan Skyline (R32/R33/R34) Review & Buying Guide (1989-2002)

May 02, 2025 by Mario Christou

The Nissan Skyline of the 1990s is part of almost every car enthusiast’s life thanks to its movie and video game fame. Here’s what to look out for when buying a piece of Japanese automotive history.

The Prince Skyline nameplate was introduced in 1957 by Fuji Precision Industries (later Prince Motor Company)
Nearly three million Skylines were produced between 1957 and 2002
R32 generation Skylines were the first to introduce all-wheel drive
Saloon, Coupe and Estate body styles were available over the Skyline’s production run
Nissan introduced the GT-R name plate to production cars with the third-generation Skyline in 1969

For all of its fame in popular culture, the history of the Skyline long predates the iconic, highly advanced sports cars of the 1990s. In fact it wasn’t even Nissan who brought the Skyline to the world, but company mergers and acquisitions were common post-war Japan as peacetime businesses grew.

The Prince Skyline and highly sought-after Skyline Sport models were introduced in 1957 as some of Japan’s first luxury cars since World War II. The second generation Skyline was still known as a Prince and introduced an inline-six engine to the model, outselling its predecessor more than three times over. It was also available in race homologation GT-A or GT-B trims.

Nissan badges started appearing on Skyline models after Prince’s merger in 1966, and by 1968 the third-generation ‘C10’ car was finally known as the Nissan Skyline. The Skyline ‘Hakosuka’ 2000 GT-R introduced the GT-R badge to the world and dominated the Japanese touring car series at the time.

The 1972 ‘C110’ generation Skylinerange included an updated Skyline 2000 GT-R – the last use of the badge until 1989. Fifth, sixth and seventh generation cars were known as the C211, R30 and R31- and cemented the Skyline’s reputation as one of Japan’s best-selling family car models.

All Skylines pre 1989 are incredibly rare and hard to find in the UK, so we’re focusing on the R32, R33 and R34 generation Skylines in this guide, as the post-2002 models were sold in the UK as Infinitis.

While they’re all distinct generations of Skyline on the outside, there are lots of similarities under the skin between the R32, R33 and R34 generation cars. This rings especially true with the GT-R models, re-introduced with the R32 Skyline GT-R, which took Nissan to the forefront of touring car racing, just like its predecessor from the 1960s.

Nissan Skyline R32

A drastic departure from the previous generation cars, the Nissan Skyline R32 was leaps and bounds more advanced than any Skyline which came before. It featured a more modern interior and optional tech such as anti-lock brakes and rear-wheel steering as a highly aerodynamic design.

Nissan Skyline R33

The R33 was an evolution of the R32, with an even smoother, more rounded design which had clear links to the earlier car. It had grown larger though, and while it was seen as more comfortable and luxurious there were some complaints that the R33 had lost some of the sportiness which appealed to R32 owners.

Nissan Skyline R34

Nissan listened to the critiques about the R33 and addressed them with the R34. Not only was the design far more modern and striking, but the R34 coupe was shorter than its predecessor – almost as compact as the R32. Though the engines were of the same design as the earlier models, they received an upgrade for the R34 making them more powerful and more fuel efficient than ever before.

Is the Nissan Skyline a good car?

Pros

Sporty handling on all models
Fantastic engine options
Rarity status as an import

Cons

Non-modified examples are hard to find
Few specialist garages to look after them
Some GT-R prices are astronomical

It’s easy to put the Skyline on a pedestal thanks to its motorsport and video game legacy, but entry-level Skylines were typical every-day family saloons and coupes – and they make up the vast majority of the cars sold. They were comfortable, practical and easy to drive commuter cars, though they all had thirsty engines.

The R32 had a very futuristic design when it was launched in 1989, with rakish windows, wide headlights and a smooth front end. The R33 looked similar and grew in size with an even slipperier shape, but the R34’s design was a radical departure with a bluff nose, boxier stance and more aggressive headlights. The quad round ‘afterburner’ taillights were retained on every model, a design cue that stems back to the 1970s.

The R32’s interior is the most minimal of the lot with the R33 being an evolution of the design and R34 feeling much more modern with a gauge cluster or digital screen above the CD player and air vents. They don’t feel nearly as posh as German or British cars of the era, but the build quality is generally solid.

Part of the reason the Skyline sold so well is how fun they are to drive, even the non-sporting models. Most of the Skylines produced were rear-wheel drive, with some all-wheel drive non-sporting models, and the GTS models with the sportier engines even came with four-wheel steering.

Only the most basic of R32s came equipped with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine; the rest of the range featured a six-cylinder engine called the RB which came in 2.0- and 2.5-litre capacities. While the base engines were woefully underpowered, they’re all smooth and responsive – and turbocharged dual-overhead cam engines in higher trim levels provided much more power than in the equivalent European saloons and coupes.

All Skyline GT-R models featured a 2.6-litre variant called the RB26, with twin-turbochargers and supercar-baiting performance, and if you get behind the wheel of one you’ll understand why they’re so revered in the realm of high-performance cars. Being designed to go racing, GT-Rs build speed aggressively, and their advanced suspension and four-wheel drive means they can carry that speed through fast corners. It’s little wonder that the R32 earned the nickname ‘Godzilla’ after dominating the Australian Touring Car Championship.

What to look out for

Save for a few ‘grey import’ R34s, all Skylines in the UK having been imported from Japan privately or by a third party as they were never officially sold here. The benefit of that is that in most Japanese prefectures they don’t use salt to clear their roads in the winter, which means that most of the Skylines in Japan are largely rust-free.

However, that doesn’t help them in the UK as the steel they’re made from doesn’t have as much corrosion resistance built into it as in a European car, such as a BMW 3 Series or Ford Sierra. If you’re buying a Skyline that was imported some time ago, keep a keen eye out for corrosion which may have happened during our winters.

When oxidation starts to take place it happens thick and fast, so nip it in the bud if you can, and pay close attention to the top of the suspension turrets, the floor behind the front wheels, the boot edge, the window surrounds and the wheel arches on all of the R32-R34 Skyline models.

While technologically advanced in the 1990s, the rear-wheel steering setup is quite temperamental and can seize over time. It’s a very costly repair if it does break so a lot of owners decide to remove it. Check to make sure it’s still fitted, or that the car is steering straight and true.

Skyline dashboards tend to crack and bubble over time, especially if the car has lived in the sun for most of its life. It’s unlikely you’ll find an as-new example, but if there are broken buttons or rattly air vents it can be hard to find replacement parts. Look out for missing screws and clips as that’s a sign that the car has been messed about with in the past.

Bodywork is crucial on an imported car, as there’s not as much manufacturer support for spare parts such as bumpers and trims as there is for a car that was sold here. If the car has been fitted with aftermarket bumpers and accessories and you’d like to put it back to standard, that could be an arduous task.

Speaking of which, the Nissan Skyline is a darling of the tuning scene and it’s getting harder and harder to find a non-modified example. Try to buy one with as many receipts for work done as possible, because a badly modified engine could cost you more than the car to put right should it break. Aftermarket wiring from the 90’s and 00’s is particularly annoying to repair should it interfere with the car’s electrical system, so avoid any cars with copious amounts of added-on electronics.

Frequent oil changes are a must with any Skyline, as the six-cylinder engines can suffer from oiling issues – particularly if the car has been driven hard for most of its life at high RPM. They’re robust motors otherwise and only require regular maintenance if you’re not planning on tuning them.
Which is the best one to buy?

Between the R32, R33 and R34 models there are enough visual and interior differences that ultimately the one you choose will boil down to your personal taste, but otherwise there are so many trim variations that it’s hard to pin point a single ‘best’ example.

For a simpler car to own which will give you an ‘old-school’ feel and that you’ll be confident to work on yourself, a simple 2.0-litre R32 Skyline GTE saloon could well be the perfect choice – though it’s far from an exhilarating car to drive.

A 2.5-litre turbocharged R34 Skyline is a much sportier proposition, but it’s still a totally usable daily driver if you don’t mind its voracious thirst for fuel and people mistaking it for a full-fat GT-R all the time.

Speaking of which, the GT-R is by far and away the fastest and most capable version of each Skyline generation. If you’re after outright performance then it’s the clear choice, but values have shot up in recent years, so you’ll pay for the privilege.

Nissan Skyline R32/R33/R34 price guide

Gone are the days of legitimately cheap Japanese cult-classic cars, and you won’t find a running Nissan Skyline in acceptable nick for anything less than £10,000. Even then it’ll almost certainly be an automatic non-turbo car with high mileage or in need of mechanical attention.

Expect to pay between £20,000-30,000 for a decent turbocharged R32 or R33 model, with well-specced R34 GT Turbos at around £35,000.

That much will get you into a leggy R32 GT-R, which will hold its value better, but GT-Rs are particularly expensive to fix if something goes wrong. On top of that, R34 GT-Rs have become hugely sought after in the USA since they became eligible for import – and you can pay anywhere between £80,000 for a ‘regular’ GT-R to £650,000 for a rare special edition.

One devoted collector even paid a whopping two million dollars for an uber rare ‘Nismo Z-Tune’ version of an R34 GT-R.

Nissan Skyline History

1989. Nissan Skyline R32 is introduced as a saloon and coupe
1991. Jim Richards dominates the Australian Touring Car Championship in a Nissan Skyline GT-R
1993. The larger, safer, R33 generation Skyline is introduced
1996. R33 facelift is introduced with updated bodywork and lights
1998. R34 Skyline enters production
1999. GT-R version of the R34 goes on sale
2001. Nissan Skyline ‘R’ series production ends, replaced by Infiniti G35
2005. A run of 21 ‘new’ limited edition Nismo Z-tune models are produced by hand from existing cars.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Change your car the easy way

Click here to follow us on WhatsApp, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.