Nissan Cima First generation (Y31)
Nissan Cima (First generation (Y31)) was built from 1988 to 1991. Powertrain: Gasoline: 3.0 L VG30DE V6; 3.0 L VG30DET turbo V6. Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive. Size: 4,890 x 1,770 x 1,380 mm (L x W x H). Weight: 1640 kg.
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: Tennen-Gas, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.
Overview
Up until 1989, the Japanese tax bracket dictated a division point at the car being 4700 mm long, 1700 mm wide, with a 2-liter engine. Both the Cedric/Gloria and its arch-rival, the Toyota Crown were stretched to this very limit, with a larger engine version also available. The bigger versions received larger bumpers to take advantage of the absence of exterior dimension restrictions, but were still somewhat of a half measure as the bodywork itself remained narrow. Nissan had already begun updating the executive limousine President which would début October 1989 as an all new model, and the availability of the Laurel and Cefiro that shared a chassis with the Skyline.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Check before you buy
- Ask for service records: turbocharged engines are sensitive to oil changes and cool-down habits.
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
Other generations of the Cima
- Second generation (Y32) · 1991-1996
- Third generation (Y33) · 1996-2001
- Fourth generation (F50) · 2001-2010
- Fifth generation (Y51) · 2012-2022
More from Nissan · all Nissan models
- Elgrand (Fourth generation) · 2026 - present
- Patrol (Seventh generation) · 2024-present
- Skyline (Thirteenth generation) · 2014 - 2022 (hybrid); 2014 - present (gasoline)
- Fuga (Second generation (Y51)) · 2009-2022
- GT-R · 2007 - 2025
- President · 2003-2010
Can I import a Nissan Cima (First generation (Y31)) from Japan?
By production year alone, Nissan Cima (First generation (Y31)) is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Nissan Cima (First generation (Y31))?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: Gasoline: 3.0 L VG30DE V6; 3.0 L VG30DET turbo V6.
How big is the Nissan Cima (First generation (Y31))?
4,890 mm long and 1,770 mm wide and 1,380 mm tall, on a 2,735 mm wheelbase. For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
- Complete guide · 12 minHow to Import a Used Luxury Car from Japan: Auction Grades, Paperwork and Country Rules (2026)How to import a used luxury car from Japan: what an auction grade means, how to check mileage and history, which export papers Japan asks for, and the age rules in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.
- General import guide · 9 minHow Much Does It Cost to Import a Car from Japan? (2026)Shipping is only part of it. The real cost of importing a car from Japan stacks purchase, freight, duty, fees, and US-side costs. Here's the full breakdown for 2026, with a worked example.
- General import guide · 9 minThe 25-Year Import Rule, Explained (2026)The 25-year rule is the single most important law in car importing — and the most misunderstood. Here's how it actually works, by month of manufacture, with the EPA and NHTSA thresholds untangled.
- General import guide · 8 min7 Common Car Import Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)Most import horror stories come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. Here are the seven that cost first-time importers the most money and stress — and exactly how to avoid each one.
- General import guide · 8 minHow to Check a Used Car's History Before ImportingA clean photo and a low mileage number prove nothing on their own. Here's how to verify a Japanese car's real history — mileage, accidents, grade — before you commit a single yen.
- General import guide · 7 minContainer vs RoRo Shipping: Which to ChooseRoRo is cheaper; container is safer. The choice between the two main ways to ship a car from Japan comes down to your car's value and what you're willing to risk. Here's how to decide.