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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  Fun, Fast, Tough!! - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Fred - March 6 - 12:56 pm

  Sold My Crew Cab for the Pathfinder.. And for once I feel like I got my moneys worth. It has all the features I need.. ride, handling, looks.. etc..

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  Its an OK suv but a Good Deal - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Chris - March 6 - 3:30 am

  Well, after having went through the process of suv shopping, my wife decided that she liked the Pathfinder the most our. Its an LE with all options except Nav or Sat radio. After owning it for a few days, we have agreed that we should have also included the Nav. We negotiated a great price. Sticker was $37,450, we settled at $33,900, which was about $600 below factory invoice. The interest rate was 4.49%. So, good luck. Its a ok vehicle. The fact that the gas mileage is poor coupled with the fact that premium unleaded is suggested leads me to believe that the posted yearly gas cost is a low figure. The door construction is poor, one can see the, what I believe are brace lines in the panel

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  WOW... 2001 Nissan Xterra - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By jake - March 6 - 2:06 am

  I absolutely love my Xterra. It is comfy and stylish. I love how sporty it feels. I also love how well it is in the snow. (But then again when your used to a three quarter ton 99 ford ranger it doesnt take much to beat!)

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  4x4 OR - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Robert - March 5 - 9:20 am

  I have had my 07 OR for a few weeks now. I find the fit and finish above average. The ride is smooth for a big tired SUV. Plenty of power and the truck gets up to highway speeds very quickly. The X tracks like a true 4x4 and requires a little feed back on the highway to keep it going straight.

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  Buy anything but this vehicle - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By mc - March 5 - 8:46 am

  This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever owned. In the two years I have owned it, it has been in the shop 12 times for rattles, 3 times for brakes (they keep patching them and telling me Nissan wont allow them to change them until they get really bad because of lack of parts), and numerous other times for various other problems. I plan on replacing it with a reliable vehicle soon. I will never own another Nissan.

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  Budget friendly to the Max - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By sdaigle - March 5 - 3:52 am

  The Versa is definitely geared towards people who shop for a car with their head rather than their heart. Its extremely practical and efficient, what economy cars generally aim to be. Its the cheapest car to buy in its class. Its near tops in fuel efficiency. Running costs are low. It offers a lot of room for its size. Overall, its a fantastic value. If you want something stylish, fun-to-drive, with loads of personality, the Versa will disappoint. Think economy car for middle-age folks. Its like driving a well-engineered appliance. It does its job well, but isnt inspiring and wont win over your heart. I recommend the Kia Rio or Chevy Sonic if thats where your priorities reside.

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  "Dont Watch the gas gauge is Right!" - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By speedboat2 - March 5 - 2:03 am

  Other reviews regarding poor gas mileage is what I found to be true. Fun car to drive, especially with the turbo that all models have, but gas mileage is bad. Alot of plastic parts inside that I can see not lasting the lie of the vehicle.

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  Update to Fun, Fun, Fun - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By Gary - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for a few weeks now. First a correction, it only has 5 gears when you shift the CVT in NORMAL mode, not six. Second, I am getting better mileage than earlier. I am getting 23-25 mixed and I got 30+ with mostly highway. My guess is that you can get 30+ on a level highway easily. Still love it. Motor Trend ranked it as a finalist in SUV of the Year, but it lost out to a $70+k Porsche. The Porsche cant be this much fun.

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  awesome - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By margie - March 4 - 5:33 pm

  I loved my Altima. I only had it 7 months but it drove so smooth, was fast and handled curves very well. I no longer have it, it was totaled after a serious accident I had. I survived but my beautiful Altima did not. It was the best vehicle I had ever had.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Owned - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By TC - March 4 - 10:36 am

  This truck has been rock solid since I drove it off the lot. I drive a ton of miles and it is very comfortable. It turns a lot of heads, too. It has some great features for a moderately priced truck. I compared them all but after I drove the Titan, there was no way I would drive any other.