Overview & Reviews

Nissan was born in Japan, and like other marques from its homeland, the brand is known for crafting vehicles that place an emphasis on quality and reliability. The company's roster of products is broad, and includes sporty coupes, family sedans, minivans, trucks and SUVs.

The automaker got its start in 1933 as the Jidosha Seico Co., Ltd. The following year, this outfit merged with another Japanese manufacturer, and the new company was christened Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Nissan initially marketed its vehicles under the Datsun brand, with the first Datsuns being built in 1934. Postwar, the brand made its presence felt worldwide, building a partnership with the U.K.-based Austin Motor Co. and establishing a presence in the United States. The first Datsuns hit American shores in 1958. Vehicles like the Datsun 1000 were based on Austin platforms.

The '60s witnessed Nissan's merger with Prince Motor Company, a union that helped the Asian manufacturer create more luxury-focused vehicles. In the U.S. it began offering its first vehicle styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan. By the end of the decade, Datsun had exported more than 1 million vehicles. Datsun rose to prominence in the 1970s on the popularity of its 240Z sports car. Powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, the car was coveted for its blend of style, performance and affordability. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker's cumulative vehicle exports had surpassed the 10 million mark.

In 1981, Nissan shelved the Datsun name and began selling vehicles worldwide under the Nissan moniker. The '80s also saw Nissan's launch of a tuning division called Nismo for the development of performance-oriented vehicles and accessories. Nissan also brought its production to American shores, with the construction of a Georgia-based plant.

The early '90s saw Nissan's fortunes rise in the U.S. thanks to fun-to-drive cars like the 300ZX, Maxima and Sentra. But this trend didn't last long and by the late '90s Nissan's offerings consisted of anonymous vehicles. The company's future was uncertain.

After the turn of the new century Nissan bounced back, helped by a 1999 alliance with Renault that boosted the company's finances. Its redesigned Sentra and Altima boosted sales and consumer interest, as did new models like the 350Z sports car, Armada SUV and Titan pickup. Today the manufacturer is known for offering a wide range of well-regarded vehicles, including the popular Murano SUV, the incredible GT-R supercar and the all-electric Leaf.

User Reviews:

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  Easy to break into - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Vasf - March 10 - 8:26 pm

  I have owned my Max for 2 years. On June 27 2006 my car was broken into. Doors were locked,windows were up,and alarm was working. When I came outside to my car the 2 front windows were down and the door lock was messed up. Apparently, someone used an object, such as a screw driver, jammed it in the drivers side door turned it to make the windows come down and doors to unlock which is why the alarm never went off. This happen right in front of my house around 5:00 am no noise was made. Fortunately, the only thing they stole was a cell phone adapter. I am nervous about how easy it is to get into this car and searching for a car that does not have this feature. The repair bill was $794

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  My MAX ,is a beautiful vehicle - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By kc21 - March 8 - 5:06 pm

  I think over all the vehicle is extrodinary,except for the rough ride over bumps,as I explained below.other then that the vehicle is GREAT!.

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  Bulletproof - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By whittonm - March 7 - 10:46 pm

  In 8 years of ownership, the only major repair was the replacement of the ignition key switch after 3 years. Other than that, just tires, oil, etc. Performance is OK, fuel economy is fair, interior is nice, driving position is excellent, AC held up well during 7 TX summers. This truck is bulletproof.

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  One Solid Truck - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By CarOwner - March 6 - 10:00 am

  This is one great truck. Its a little small on the inside but the comfort level is great. I bought it with 90K. I owned it for over 2 years and 15,000 more miles and never had to do one maintenance job. Just be good with your oil changes and it will treat you great!

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  Almost Overlooked this SUV - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By TrapperJay - March 6 - 10:00 am

  This SUV had flown under the radar with me. When my Explorer finally died, I sort of stumbled across the Pathfinder when a friend told me to check out the Xterra (!). I did my research (including Edmunds) and saw that the Pathfinder garnered consistently high ratings from both reviewers and consumers. All it took was one test drive for me to say "this is the one". It handles superbly, has a lot of power, and is very comfortable. It doesnt have the latest body styling, but I actually find it very attractive, especially in the Platinum Edition. This is a smaller midsize (why do they keep getting bigger?) that sure fits the bill

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  350Z Needs Twin Turbo - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By wasboater - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Great car, nothing like the older Turbo models though. Interior is nice, with sharp contemporary design. A bit difficult to get in and out of, dont buy one if you have a bad back.

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  Extreme CVT at Value Price - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By 2.5SL - March 6 - 3:10 am

  This is a sporty car with midsize roots and value pricing in its segment. The Altimas CVT and engine mating and an interior that we found best in the class for us make it a home run. Drive the manual shift CVT on a twisty road and you will smile all the way home. The power bands are beautifully executed. CVT does great even in hills. Bravo Nissan engineering!

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  Tough truck - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Mark - March 5 - 8:00 pm

  I have 120k miles on an 04 Off-Road, and there has only been the brake rotor problem, which Nissan took care of, eventually. I routinely tow 8500 lbs. with it and haul about 500 lbs of tools always, and the truck has held up really well. Better than my previous 2 Expeditions on all accounts, especially comfort & handling.

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  Best for the $$ - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By FK - March 2 - 8:16 am

  I bought the base model (XE), king cab with 4WD (4WD adds about $3K). Even though its a "base" model, it doesnt look cheap. It has painted bumpers (which I like) instead of chrome, and steel wheels which look OK (unlike the cheap looking steel wheels you get on a Toyota SR5). Windows, mirrors and door locks are manual, but other, but criously enough it has cruise control. I paid $24K, plus tax and a $300 dealer fee, it was right at $25K out the door, they are willing on deal on these, the MSRP was $27.5K. The steering and engine have that tight, "refined" feel you would expect from a Lexus. King cab doors open 160 degrees, and there are "latch" child seat connectors in rear.

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  Altima Hybrid - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By joha - March 2 - 3:26 am

  The Altima Hybrid is a very good car. In my first 600 miles of mixed freeway and local driving, I got 34.1 mpg. This is less than I hoped, but much better than non-hybrid cars of similar size and performance. There are a few problems. The gas engine is rough and the ecu has the engine running too much in local driving. The placement of the big battery creates a small trunk that is tall but short front to back. Long items cannot be carried. I have the base model with strange and limited instruments. The speedometer goes to 160 mph, so only the first half is usable, with hard to read gradations. There is no tachometer and no temp guage.