Nissan introduced a second generation for the Primera in 1996, and it wasn’t very sure if it worth making it as a station wagon.
Soon after the launch of the Primera P11 in Europe, the carmaker noticed an increased demand for the hatchback version. Also, there was a higher demand for station wagons in Europe as well. Thus, Nissan took a leap of faith and produced the Estate version of its mid-size sedan.

When Nissan started to work on Primera’s second generation, its design department didn’t want to go wild with the rounded shapes of the new bio-design trend. It tried to stick to the classic styling targeting traditional customers. Thus, the Primera looked more like a late ’80s vehicle, with rounded edges and curved body panels. But Nissan did the Estate version right, completely changing the car behind the B-pillar. While the hatchback and the sedan shared the rear doors, the Wagon version was not. In the back, it was completely new, and that included the reshaped taillights and, obviously, the tailgate.

Inside, Nissan tried to create a form-follow-function design. Unlike many other carmakers from that era, it placed the radio-cassette player above the climate-control dials. The instrument cluster was rounded and stretched above the center stack. The carmaker installed a clever system with a flip-over base in the trunk that featured a plastic tray on a side and a flat, carpeted area on the other.

Under the hood, Nissan installed a choice of three engines: two with gasoline and one turbo-diesel. The car featured standard ABS and EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) for the entire range.