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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  STYLISH AND AWESOME - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Ken Harris - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE OWENED 4 MAXIMAS PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF 2001. This vehicle unbelievably reliable. The hadling and performance are out of this world. The 2001 body style makes the Maxima a real sports sedan especially with 17 inch wheels. The comfort and cabin space are execllent. This isnt any other vehicle that I would purchase. I plan to keep the 2001 for 10 years.

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  disappointment - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By esky71 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I promised myself I would never spend my hard-earned money on a sleepy Japanese automobile. When it came time, it seemed like my only option so, I avoided Honda Accord and Toyota Camry because they are REALLY boring. And I chose Nissan Altima hoping it would be less boring - its not. Despite the extra horsepower, the ride is just as mundane as Camry- actually just as mundane as Oldsmobile Eighty Eight. Not only that, my service was a disgrace and the car rattles in a new place every time I sneeze. I can not wait until it is time to trade it in and Ill be on my way to a Pre-Owned BMW or Mercedes dealer. European cars are the only option from this car forward!

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  Fun family car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By WRJ - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Looked at Acura TL, G35x, and 04 Max. All great cars but Max won out on best value, dealership, ability to carry 4 people most comfortability. This car can move. Torque steer is present but not a major issue.

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  Horrible Experience - 2013 Nissan Xterra
  By kevin170 - December 26 - 12:31 am

  A month after I bought an Xterra, I took it through the car wash and water came through the roof. I took it in to get serviced and it ended up needing a major repair to the roof. Nissan ended up offering to repurchase the vehicle per the terms of the CO lemon law. They subtracted $945 for usage which I thought was a lot for 2 months of driving. They also refused to refund a few items on the purchase agreement saying they were “non Nissan” items. The arbitrations woman, Denise C., claimed that Nissan and the dealership were different entities and was very rude and difficult throughout the process of me trying to recoup my money.

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  Impressive! - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By Jason60050 - December 25 - 12:10 am

  I have owned many cars both American made and Japanese, but this car is by far the best quality I have seen in some time. Being that it is a convertible it does have some squeaks and rattles sometimes but other than that the car is exceptional. Bose stereo is nice and loud even with top down. Very impressed with the quality of the leather used for the seats. The only gripe I have this far is that this car absolutley needs to lose some weight...weighing in at 3600 lbs it is nearing my old 300c with the hemi.

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  Used 2013 Altima 2.5SL - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By Bruno - December 24 - 5:52 pm

  Overall a really good auto. Styling in my opinion just kills Honda and Toyota. The leather appears to be of a better quality than Honda and Toyota. Excellent 27.5 MPG in mixed driving with mostly city. CVT takes some getting used to. Minor wind noise from what I read is from the outside rear view mirrors. Sometimes I notice it and sometimes I dont. When I do, it irritates me. In this day and age this should not be an issue. On a bright day, the entire dash is reflected in the windshield, another thing in my opinion that should not be. Leather seats are very comfortable. I also recommend the electric seat, I could not find a good position with the manual seat.

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  SIMPLY THE BEST MOTOR AND TRANNY - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By ro-ads - December 24 - 4:36 pm

  wELL I have had my X since july o7.. I drove it for 6 months stock..... simply fell in love with the power and smooth tranny it came with. Cheap, simple easy to use utility vehicle. Some cheapy plastic interior finishes but all the door jams are solid. Great box fram + exceptionally strong precision motor with state of the art shifting capabilites = one capable vehicle.......now if they had only remembered the suspension!!!!!!!!!!! THIS AMAZING VEHICLE WAS LACKING ONE THING THAT SHOULD OF BEEN CONSIDERED. mORE TRAVEL PLEASE. STOCK IT HAS LETS SAY 6" INCHES OF TRAVEL. 3" EACH WAY UP AND DOWN...............GIVE IT 10 - 14 7" EACH WAY ANY REALLY CONQUER ANYTHING YOU GIVE IT.BUY IT

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  jeffs sentra - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By jefgil - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Very solidly built. Suspension is stiff, which minimizes a soft ride, but gives a very secure feeling of safety. Great pep in the motor. Ample room for tall (6) person in rear.

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  Still a great value - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By jeng - December 24 - 10:00 am

  The Maxima is a great all around car. It has the performance of a sports car in acceleration and handling and the refinement of a luxury sedan with ample room and amenities. The six speed manual is a blast to drive and it is great on gas (close to 28 mpg in mixed driving). What more could you ask for for a price in the mid 20s.

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  Hard to beat at this price - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Chaz - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2002 Max SE for $29K drive- out, completely loaded. The interior is great, complete w/ very useful Nav system. The build quality seems impeccable and rock-solid. Love the xenon headlights. The engine is the smoothest engine I have ever driven, with loads of torque. The car is very fast for an automatic. The seats are a little hard though.