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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  Beware of the CVT - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By considerate128 - October 19 - 4:43 pm

  Bought this car used with 50k miles on it. After about 6 months I noticed a rattle sound from the transmission at low speeds @1,500 rpms. I did some research and it sounds like its a common thing for their transmissions. I was very disappointed and the cost to repair looked to be steep. I knew there were mixed opinions about the transmission and I wanted to give it a chance. Last Saturday a truck rear ended me, totaling the car. It may be a blessing in disguise due to the transmission needing repair and I was able to go out and get something else. I will not buy another Nissan again if it uses the CVT technology.

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  Whats Not to Like? - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By doc - October 16 - 11:43 am

  This is my second Nissan frontier - much better than the one I bought 10 years ago. Nissan has come a long way. I get 20 hwy with recommended 91octane; 17.5 hwy with 87. I intended to buy a Tacoma, but Nissan and dealer rebates made the frontier about $5k cheaper for the loaded versions. I have no complaints, but then Ive never owned a Tacoma so I dont know if Im missing anything. Pro 4x has stiff suspension which I wanted, but its not like riding in uncle earls town car. My avalanche 2500 and silverado 1500 have smoother rides. Seat configurations are well thought through.

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  Awesome engine, rest of car above okay. - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By keanuration - October 16 - 2:26 am

  This Max has been a legacy in my family. Started off with a 88 that was ahead of its time. Now the 00 max was heading in the right direction until its design team hit a block. What were they thinking of, the back end is simply ugly. However, set aside the exterior design and you have a solid core, with the engine, durability, electronics, and very useful vast space of cargo and seating. The Bose is tops with more than adequate bass. The SE has the ability to handle the road due to its sports suspension. Very practical for a family sedan with a slight tendency to sportiness. The mileage proved itself @ 24mpg on avg, not too shabby for a 222 hp quasi- racer. Not too much road/wind noise.

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  Oldie but still good - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By WILLIAM TOTEN - October 15 - 1:52 pm

  Buy it if mileage is appropriate for age and pricing consistent with Edmunds or KBB range. Must have Carfax and maintenance history

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  Wish Id bought a Tahoe - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Billybob - October 15 - 10:46 am

  We bought the Pathfinder after owning a GMC Yukon thinking "this will be more sporty and get better gas mileage." We were right about the sportiness part of SUV but found the utility lacking because of the small size and the gas mileage being actually worse than the larger Yukon/Tahoe. It is a nice vehicle with comfortable leather front seats, but the backseat is horrible and really only fit for kids. I guess its all relative to what a persons needs are so if the size is not an issue then I would recommend this as a good vehicle to have. Weve kept it for 8 years so it wasnt too bad of an experience. Replaced oxygen sensor with Maxima sensor for 20% of the pathfinder price 3 yrs ago.

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  Xterra - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By The Beast - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Great styling, many complaints about the comfort of the front seats ( not my leather recliner, but I think they are OK) Very ruff drive on bummpy pavement, windows rattle when lowered, the hood is very flimsy and we all know about the sunroof.

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  Reliable transportation.. - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By otrand - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Seats are uncomfortable for long trips. Engine is okay but needs more HP. Torque is good. Reliability is good. Tranny is the best Ive driven. I liked the ride at first but have come to hate it. It comes delivered with 26lbs(rec. pressure) which makes it feel smooth. Put the pressure where it should be and ride becomes jiggly and shows the chassis flimsiness.Upgraded to Bilstein shocks which helped but without a stiff chassis ...... Nissan also has had a problem with the 2 piece driveshaft design that exhibits itself as driveline vibration. Nissans "fix" is not adequate. Overall the truck is okay, but I looked forward to driving my ole GMC more than I do this truck.

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  So far, so good! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By MuranoMan - October 15 - 10:00 am

  We ordered a Murano last Thanksgiving and got it earlier this year. It was worth the wait. Its a nice balance between utility, performance, and style. Has the utility to haul kids and dogs, performance to make you smile and style thatll have folks asking you about it. I havent taken the car to its limits yet, but for everyday driving its great. One thing Ive noticed is that to get optimum performance from the CVT you have to be pretty generous on the accel pedal. I.e. punch it if you wanna go fast.

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  The pros way outweigh the cons - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Schnurr - October 15 - 6:50 am

  We love this van! It looks great - it has great mid range acceleration. There is not an onramp made that it doesnt love!!! Awesome highway performance and great fuel economy - 28 mpg on a fast long distance road trip.

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  Good SUV if you likem - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By evilone - October 15 - 1:13 am

  All my ratings were based off of the several SUVs and trucks that Ive driven from an Explorer, Expedition, Tahoe, Denali XL, Jimmy, Ranger, F150, C1500, and CRV. The Xterra is its own vehicle and thats why it shines. The mileage and highway driving are not fun. I fear merging with this car b/c of the lack of power. But the sheer massive truck presence of the Xterra makes up for it. The hard engine sounds and road noise from crusing at 65mph sometimes does bother me especially when I see my gas tank meter drop. Going w/o a LSD was a big mistake. Interior is shabby but its a truck what do you expect. Overall a good performing truck however, Im starting to realize I like small cars.