diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 220d5b8f..a8614611 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ Collate:
     'driver-hive.R'
     'driver-impala.R'
     'driver-mysql.R'
+    'driver-netezza.R'
     'driver-oracle.R'
     'driver-postgres.R'
     'driver-redshift.R'
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index c81c0245..8bcfdaed 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ exportClasses(HDB)
 exportClasses(Hive)
 exportClasses(Impala)
 exportClasses(MySQL)
+exportClasses(NetezzaSQL)
 exportClasses(OdbcConnection)
 exportClasses(OdbcDriver)
 exportClasses(OdbcResult)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 2d1733cc..7e1aeb5b 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # odbc (development version)
 
+* Netezza: Improved data type inference for character columns (#847).
+
 * Added functions `odbcEditDrivers()`, `odbcEditSystemDSN()`, and
   `odbcEditUserDSN()` to provide a shorthand for 
   `file.edit(odbcListConfig()[[i]])`. The helpers only support macOS and 
diff --git a/R/driver-netezza.R b/R/driver-netezza.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c293649a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/driver-netezza.R
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#' @export
+#' @rdname DBI-classes
+setClass("NetezzaSQL", contains = "OdbcConnection")
+
+#' @export
+#' @rdname odbcDataType
+#' @usage NULL
+setMethod("odbcDataType", "NetezzaSQL",
+  function(con, obj, ...) {
+    switch_type(
+      obj,
+      character = varchar(obj),
+      callNextMethod(con, obj, ...)
+    )
+  }
+)
diff --git a/man/DBI-classes.Rd b/man/DBI-classes.Rd
index 8e4fc2e7..b77495e7 100644
--- a/man/DBI-classes.Rd
+++ b/man/DBI-classes.Rd
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 % Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
 % Please edit documentation in R/dbi.R, R/driver-access.R, R/driver-bigquery.R,
 %   R/driver-db2.R, R/driver-hana.R, R/driver-hive.R, R/driver-impala.R,
-%   R/driver-mysql.R, R/driver-postgres.R, R/driver-redshift.R,
-%   R/driver-snowflake.R, R/driver-spark.R, R/driver-sqlite.R,
-%   R/driver-teradata.R, R/driver-vertica.R
+%   R/driver-mysql.R, R/driver-netezza.R, R/driver-postgres.R,
+%   R/driver-redshift.R, R/driver-snowflake.R, R/driver-spark.R,
+%   R/driver-sqlite.R, R/driver-teradata.R, R/driver-vertica.R
 \docType{class}
 \name{DBI-classes}
 \alias{DBI-classes}
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 \alias{Hive-class}
 \alias{Impala-class}
 \alias{MySQL-class}
+\alias{NetezzaSQL-class}
 \alias{PostgreSQL-class}
 \alias{Redshift-class}
 \alias{Snowflake-class}
diff --git a/man/odbcDataType.Rd b/man/odbcDataType.Rd
index 5c6331ee..8fbab99f 100644
--- a/man/odbcDataType.Rd
+++ b/man/odbcDataType.Rd
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 % Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
 % Please edit documentation in R/aaa-odbc-data-type.R, R/driver-access.R,
 %   R/driver-bigquery.R, R/driver-hive.R, R/driver-impala.R, R/driver-mysql.R,
-%   R/driver-oracle.R, R/driver-postgres.R, R/driver-redshift.R,
-%   R/driver-snowflake.R, R/driver-spark.R, R/driver-sql-server.R,
-%   R/driver-sqlite.R, R/driver-teradata.R, R/driver-vertica.R
+%   R/driver-netezza.R, R/driver-oracle.R, R/driver-postgres.R,
+%   R/driver-redshift.R, R/driver-snowflake.R, R/driver-spark.R,
+%   R/driver-sql-server.R, R/driver-sqlite.R, R/driver-teradata.R,
+%   R/driver-vertica.R
 \name{odbcDataType}
 \alias{odbcDataType}
 \alias{odbcDataType,ANY-method}
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@
 \alias{odbcDataType,Hive-method}
 \alias{odbcDataType,Impala-method}
 \alias{odbcDataType,MySQL-method}
+\alias{odbcDataType,NetezzaSQL-method}
 \alias{odbcDataType,Oracle-method}
 \alias{odbcDataType,PostgreSQL-method}
 \alias{odbcDataType,Redshift-method}