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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  Fast and Furious - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Bill - March 15 - 5:08 pm

  I traded a 2014 SV Maxima for the 2016 SR Maxima. The improvements over the SV model are great. The SR model has the 60/40 fold down rear seat that the 2014 model didnt have. This gives more trunk space. The 2016 navigation system is far superior to the 2014 SV. I like the fact that you can change the ride quality from normal to sport mode. The 2014 model had a sliding seat and steering wheel lift that the new one doesnt. It also lacks the sunroof. These are two items Nissan should have kept. Without the sliding seat it is a little difficult to get in and out. The interior is first rate. The dash, seats, console, are all high quality. I love the car. The dealer is I bought the care from is another issue. I opted for the extended warranty and told the dealer I wanted a Nissan warranty not an after market warranty. Well, when the warranty booklet arrived in the mail it was from an after market company. I now have to deal with this issue. This is the forth Nissan product Ive owned. I had two Infinitis and two Nissans. Three of the dealers have been dishonest in their selling practices. Only one dealer did what they said they would do. My suggestion is, if youre going to buy from Nissan make sure youre very clear in what you want in the vehicle. Because of this Ill probably shift to Lexis or another high end car as Im burnt out on dealing with Nissan.

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  My 2nd Z - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By dmpete - March 15 - 9:08 am

  Picked up a used 09 a couple of days ago, this is great. Coming out of a BMW that had nothing but problems, always liked the Z, kinda my halo car (the 300ZX twin turbo). I have drove one, this new 370 outshines it in almost every way. There is road noise, but the feel of the car is great, acceleration is good, w/ in a few ticks better or worse than my M. Steering is very tight, the suspension is a little softer than my old M, but not in a bad way. The Bose system sounds great. First weekend put over 200 miles on her. Great driving car, and have already started getting looks. Overall this is a home run for Nissan. And I love it.

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  Great Buy! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Old Grunt - March 15 - 7:03 am

  If you have not driven this car with the CVT trans, you are missing something special. Big car inside, small car outside. Excellent field of view all around. Handles like a sports car. The interior style is just enough.

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  Traded 2 BMWs for the Maxima, love it - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By chrissy grieco - March 15 - 6:26 am

  My husband owned a BMW 740i and I had a BMW x5 coming off lease. We have been a BMW family for a long time and had been considering a BMW 3 or 5. My husband saw a Maxima in person, and was impressed with the styling, so we went for a test drive. I never expected to get him into this car. We were so impressed with all the features we got in the car (Sport loaded) that a similarly equipped 3 would have been $55k, and we loved the sporty look and feel of the dash board and small steering wheel! We had fun driving it, and were impressed with the 5 star crash ratings. In todays economy, why spend more money for a name, when if you dont look at the emblem, you dont know this is a Nissan.

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  Awesome - 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Carol Lopez - March 14 - 10:12 pm

  What you would want in it. I have heated cloth seats heated mirrors and steering wheel. I also have tow hitch.

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  None better - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Vik - March 14 - 1:33 pm

  Best SUV value on the planet. Safe, fun to drive, looks cool, totally reliable and sturdy.

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  Great truck!!!!! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By ALLMAN - March 13 - 2:36 am

  Best deal bar none!!!!.....I researched, tested, drove, talked and argued for one month before finally landing the deal. Great power, handling, comfort and overall great truck.

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  fun to drive - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By fun to drive - March 13 - 12:23 am

  The car is amazing. The 6-speed manual transmission has a very short throw and the hp kicks in when you need it. Even though the insurance is pretty expensive when youre under 25, its well worth it.

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  Still happy after 3.5 years/80K!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Tommyguy - March 13 - 12:20 am

  This is absolutely the best car I have ever owned. Even after 3.5 years and 80,000 miles, I would buy this car again! Love the transmission and POWER! Way roomier than people think and drives like a dream. Had only one problem (alternator) but it was 100% covered by recall. I bought this car for the styling and the drive. The only bad thing is that you cannot replace the factory radio with a custom stereo. However, I worked around this by loosing the tray beneath the middle of the console and adding a custom stereo with subwoofer and top of the line speakers. It can be done!

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  GREAT AUTO - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By narf - March 12 - 7:16 pm

  Have owned this auto for almost two years - no problems, oil changes only. I will buy a new one when the 2010 models come out. You cant buy a better made auto for the price. (a friend bought an Accord, paid more and got less - no comparison on handling)