What Is a VQ Car? A Look at One of Nissan’s Most Popular Engines

Nissan’s VQ cars are some of the manufacturer’s most popular models, and while they each have their own unique features, the reason behind their fame all boils down to just one thing: the VQ engine.

What Is a VQ Engine?

Nissan’s VQ refers to a family of V6 engines with displacements varying from 2.0L to 4.0L. Each variant is a versatile powerhouse engine that you’ll find in a number of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, but the most famous version is the one under the hood of the Infiniti G35 Sedan.

The Infiniti G35 sedan has a powerful 3.5L VQ engine that produces around 260 hp at 6,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) and 260 lb-ft torque at 4,800 RPM. Its impressive performance earned a spot in Ward’s Ten Best Engines list, and it’s the only engine that’s consistently kept its place on the list for 10 years.

What Makes Nissan’s VQ Engine So Special?

The VQ engine isn’t one of Nissan’s most famous engines for nothing. It’s been years since it first hit the market, but mechanics and car enthusiasts alike continue to rank the VQ engine high on their list of favorite engines. Here are some reasons why:

Power

Wondering how much power the VQ engine produces? The short answer: a lot. The longer answer: it depends on the VQ variant.

The earliest version of the VQ35DE, which you’ll find in the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and 2001 Infiniti Q4X SUV model, produced around 240 hp. In later models, however, the VQ35DE can reach around 300 hp.

You’ll find the most powerful factory-made VQ35DE under the hood of the 2006 Nissan 350Z GT-S Concept, which can produce around 383 hp and 313.3 lb-ft of torque.

Good Mileage

What’s the point of having a powerful engine if it doesn’t even last long? Thankfully, this isn’t something you have to worry about with the VQ35DE. With proper maintenance, Nissan’s VQ engine can last for longer than 200,000 miles.

Fuel Efficiency

Looking for a powerful engine with decent fuel economy? Well, you’ve found it. After years of upgrading the VQ engine, Nissan was able to improve its fuel economy without sacrificing its power.

The VQ engine’s sodium-filled exhaust valves reduced combustion temperatures by drawing heat from the head through the stem while improving fuel economy. Now, the VQ35DE has an average consumption of 22 miles per gallon.

Easy To Modify

Not all engines are tuner-friendly, but the VQ35DE is a dream for mechanics and mod enthusiasts alike. Nissan engineered the VQ35DE knowing full well that customers would tinker under the hood to personalize their powerful engine.

The Infiniti G35 is a popular choice among VQ cars, and you’ll find all types of modifications for it, ranging from wheel upgrades to new exhaust systems.

Disadvantages of the VQ Engine

As impressive as the VQ engine sounds, it’s far from perfect. Here are some common issues with the Nissan VQ engine that you should know about:

High Oil Consumption

The VQ engine isn’t the most high-maintenance engine you’ll find on the market, but it does need more frequent oil changes than most engines.

VQ engines typically burn through oil at a pretty fast rate, which only worsens as the years go by. However, you can try to lessen your Nissan’s oil consumption by using high-quality oils and shortening the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Avoiding excessive idling also helps.

Oil Leaks

Oil leaks aren’t uncommon for most engines, and Nissan’s VQ is no different. Valve cover gaskets take a lot of heat, and it’s only a matter of time before their material degrades and fails to keep oil from leaking out.

Unfortunately, oil leaks are a big fire hazard, so you’ll want to replace your cracked valve cover gasket as soon as possible.

Timing Chain Failure

If you start noticing a rattling or clunking noise from your engine along with a loss of power, then you might need to replace your VQ car’s timing chain.

VQ engines come with timing chains instead of hydraulic lifters, which means they’re a lot more powerful and efficient than most engines. Unfortunately, this also means you’ll have to replace your VQ car’s timing chains after 150,000 miles.

Vehicles With a VQ Engine

When people talk about the VQ engine, they usually talk about the VQ35DE variant. This hardly comes as a surprise as it’s arguably one of Nissan’s best engines on the market. Here are some popular Nissan vehicles with the powerful VQ35DE under the hood:

• Nissan 350z
• Nissan Pathfinder
• Nissan Altima
• Nissan Maxima
• Nissan Stagea
• Nissan Skyline V35

Most Nissan models from 2002 to 2007 were equipped with the VQ35DE, which was named one of the best 10 engines at the time.

You can also find the VQ35DE in some Renault vehicles, such as the 2006 Renault Samsung SM7 and 2008 Renault Laguna Coupe.