If you’ve developed an engine, there’s little more satisfying than finding your creation has a spot on the annual Ward’s 10 Best Engine list. Some powerplants have appeared on there more than once too, cementing their reputation as exceptional pieces of engineering.Based on the Ward's list, the Nissan VQ series of V6 engines is among the best engines in recent automotive history. The powerplants in this family have earned a spot on the list a whopping 16 times, the most of any V6 engine. These mills have also found their way under the hood of a wide range of vehicles, from sports coupes to the Quest minivan. Here are 10 models that used a VQ. 2003 Nissan 350Z 2006-2008 Nissan 350Z Coupe Front 3/4Although far from the first car to use a VQ engine, the V6 is probably best known for its time in the Nissan 350Z. The coupe used the VQ35DE, the 3.5-liter naturally aspirated version of the six-cylinder. At its introduction for the 2003 model year, the 350Z’s VQ engine produced 287 horsepower and 274 pound-feet of torque, sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed close-ratio manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic transmission.As a quick primer, Nissan's engine codes are easy to decipher once you know what the letters and numbers mean. In this case, VQ is the powerplant family; 35 denotes the 3.5-liter displacement; D stands for dual overhead camshafts, and E is for fuel injection.It wasn’t a light car for the time, weighing 3197lb and only getting heavier with more equipment, but it was highly praised for offering plenty of performance and an exciting driving experience. Models from 2007 saw the VQ revised to deliver a peak of 306 hp but slightly reduced torque at 268 lb-ft, before the coupe left production late in 2008 and convertibles in 2009. 2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe 2006 - 2007 Infiniti G35 Coupe (3)Ah, you liked the thought of the Nissan 350Z, but wanted something that felt a little more premium? The Infiniti G35 was right there for you.Also introduced to the US market for the 2003 model year, the G35 was the American version of the contemporary Japanese-market Skyline. Although best remembered for its sweet-looking coupe form, the G35 could also be had as a four-door sedan, balancing a sporty drive with genuine practicality to rival the established BMW 3 Series. The G35 shared a lot with the 350Z, using the same platform, equipped with the same VQ35DE engine, and rear-drive.Curiously, though, power outputs differed for the G35 depending on which gearbox you had. The five-speed auto produced less than the Nissan at 280 hp, but that rose to 298 hp with a six-speed manual. The latter benefited from the same power boost as the 350Z in 2007. 2009 Nissan 370Z 2009-2012 Nissan 370Z Coupe Blue Front Angle Track Driving 3/4The Nissan 370Z may go down in sports car history as the final naturally-aspirated Z car. Introduced for the 2009 model year, the 370Z wasn’t a complete redesign of the 350Z. Instead, it took the platform and significantly evolved it.That resulted in a shorter wheelbase and a more rigid chassis, as well as the VQ35DE's departure. In its place came the VQ37VHR, a 3.7-liter naturally aspirated V6 producing 332 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. In Nissan's nomenclature, V denotes the presence of a variable valve lift system, and HR stands for "high revolution" and "high response," indicating this is a performance-focused powerplant.Combine the increased displacement and new engine tech with extensive use of aluminum for its bodywork, and it made for a car that was quicker and more agile than its predecessor. The more powerful Nismo trim with 350 horsepower available was even better.The 370Z remained in production much longer than the 350Z, too, living on all the way up to 2021, when it made way for the new, turbocharged Z. 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe 2011-2013 Infiniti G37 IPL Coupe Front 3/4 silverThe Infiniti G37 was to the G35 what the 370Z was to the 350Z. It didn’t tear up the foundations and start again, but rather, it evolved and improved the existing platform.Also, like both predecessors, the G37 and 370Z were heavily related, with the Infiniti arriving a year before the Nissan. It utilized the same VQ37VHR engine, albeit with marginally less peak power at 330 hp, although matching the Z’s 270 lb-ft of torque.Another departure from the Z was the gearbox. While the Nissan swapped the five-speed automatic for a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the Infiniti G37 retained the torque converter. Both cars could be had with a six-speed manual, at least.Once again available as a sedan (which could be had with all-wheel drive) or coupe, the G37 would remain on sale until 2013 before an overhaul of Infiniti’s model range brought it to an end. 2003 Infiniti I35 2002 - 2004 Infiniti I35 (9)-1While the VQ’s most memorable outings are in sports cars, it has also appeared in several commuter-focused vehicles. One of those was the Infiniti i35, introduced in 2003, a rebadged version of the Japanese-market Nissan Cefiro and an evolution of the Infiniti i30.Sold for the 2002 to 2004 model years, this was a higher-specification version of the Nissan Maxima sold at the same time, featuring notable styling changes to set the model apart. Under the hood, it ran the 3.5-liter VQ35DE with 255 hp and 246 lb-ft of torque, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, sending that power to the front wheels. It was a far cry from the sporty focus of the G35.The I35 didn’t remain on sale for long, exiting the market in 2004 and without a direct replacement. Instead, Infiniti positioned the existing G35 sedan as its successor in the lineup. 2018 Nissan Altima 2016_nissan_altima_front2Although all current Nissan Altima models use a four-cylinder engine, earlier versions were available with a V6. The most recent of those was produced until 2018, with the VQ35DE available as an option for the sixth-generation model.It had decent power, delivering 270 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. Sure, it wouldn’t set the world alight with those numbers, but for a family sedan, it's more than adequate. You could only have that engine equipped with a CVT transmission, however, which was far from an impressive combination if you cared about anything beyond fuel economy.When the seventh-generation Altima came, it was the first since the third-generation model to do without a VQ engine. Not the greatest loss in this case, in all honesty. 2026 Nissan Pathfinder 2026 Nissan Pathfinder -3658The VQ engine has been a staple of the Nissan Pathfinder range for decades, first appearing in the second-generation model and being present in the lineup ever since. Today, the lesser-spotted VQ35DD is utilized in the SUV, a 3.5-liter V6 that is an evolved form of the DE.Compared with the previous engine, the DD received a revised air intake system, electronic variable-timing control, and a mirror-bore coating, a technology first used in the Nissan GT-R to reduce engine friction and improve efficiency. That’s paired up with a nine-speed automatic in the Pathfinder. The DD is reserved exclusively for SUVs today, also appearing in the Infiniti QX60, where it’s paired with a CVT. 2023 Nissan Maxima 2016 Nissan MaximaThe Nissan Maxima was one of the first models to use the VQ engine, which went on to win several awards. That was the fourth-generation car, utilizing the 3.0-liter VQ30.A VQ would then appear in every generation of the Maxima, right until the model was discontinued in 2023. That was one of the final outings for the 3.5-liter VQ35DE, which lasted 20 years under the hood of US-market cars.With 300 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque, it was pretty potent, though the powerplant also suffered from an underwhelming CVT transmission. 2014 Infiniti Q50 Hybrid Infiniti Q50 HybridIntroduced for the 2014 model year as a replacement for the Infiniti G37, the Q50 utilized the VQ in two forms. First, you could have the 3.7-liter VQ37VHR producing 325 hp and 267 lb-ft. Then there was the hybrid, linking the 3.5-liter VQ35HR to an electric system for a total of 359 hp and a mighty 403 lb-ft of torque.The VQ37 was quickly dropped from the lineup, though the hybrid remained on sale up until 2018. The Q50 would be discontinued in 2024, remaining on sale with a 3.0-liter turbocharged VR30 V6 until then. 2013 Infiniti QX70 2014 Infiniti QX70 3.7 Side / Front Driving BlueInitially introduced in 2008 as the FX35, the rebranded-for-2014 Infiniti QX70 was available with the same VQ37VHR as the Q50 a year later, owing to its similar platform, and with identical power outputs. Curiously, though, it never gained the hybrid option of its lower stablemate.Truthfully, this wasn’t the most interesting QX70. That honor went to the short-lived 5.0-liter V8 version of the SUV, which barely survived two years on sale. The QX70 survived with just the V6 until 2019.
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