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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  still going - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By tothemax - April 30 - 2:23 pm

  I have 286,000 miles on my Max. It has been a great to commute in. Average about 27 mpg most of the time. With the price of cars now, it pays to keep running what you have. Great car!!!

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  Dont buy a sentra, horrible MPG - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Joshua1981 - April 30 - 12:10 pm

  Let me start off bye saying the car drives pretty good. But thats about as far as it goes. My 2.0S only gets 23 mpg combined city and highway driving. Which is way below the fueleconomy.gov ratings of 25mpg city and 33mpg highway. What has happened to nissan. I like the car ok other than that but to me gas mileage is a big part of car ownership. I would strongly advise anyone considering buying a 2007 Sentra to buy a honda civic or toyota corolla. They get way better gas mileage. I only got 350 miles on a 14.5 gallon tank of gas. Im very disappointed and nissan should be ashamed of the gas mileage on the sentra. I will never buy another NISSAN again. Hope that helps.

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  GREAT Value - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Chris Ruppert - April 30 - 11:40 am

  I actually put up an 07 for an 08 with more options, and both vehicles have been absolutely wonderful, and a BLAST to drive. GREAT fuel economy as Im averaging 22-23 in cold temperatures, higher in the summer. Lots of options, and a GREAT value for the amount that you get. Wonderful performance, and the push-button start/Intelligent Key system is extremely convenient. I actually traded a Lexus for the 07, and I dont miss it a bit. The CVT is a great transmission as well, although it does take some adjusting to. It makes great use of the power band all throughout the RPM range, plus it has a surprisingly accurate manual mode.

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  i love my maxima SE - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By mike - April 30 - 2:53 am

  I have the SE with 5 speed manual, alloy wheels, spoiler, sunroof. bought it at 73k for $4800 and have put on 7k in 5 months. first off, for a 95, this car looks good. it can easily pass for a 99 and the interior design looks a lot newer than 10 years old. the 3.0 V6 is silky smooth and POWERFUL. this car has GREAT acceleration, especially with the 5 speed. if you know what youre doing you can drag race most cars you pull up next to at stoplights. very comfortable. the a/c works very well. handling is decent. gas mileage is not bad for a smaller V6. only problems were with transmission due to previous owners abuse. and even that couldnt really damage it.

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  I love this car - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By renee33 - April 29 - 8:30 pm

  I have owned many cars in the past including last a 2010 Acura TL. After renting a Nissan Altima and driving it round trip over 1200 miles for a trip I was sold and got rid of my Acura and brought the 2014 Nissan Altima S with the Sport Value Package. I absolutely love the gas mileage I get from it I easily go all highway driving over 600 miles before needing gas and the features are great for me not too many not too few features. I think it has a great ride and looks impressive. I get lots of comments on it and so far after purchasing it in mid September I have only had oil changes necessary and anticipate no problems in the future.

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  1998 Nissan Frontier King Cab SE - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By rainh2o - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Pros: Handsome looks. Famously reliable 4 cylinder engine. Nice ride for a truck, especially with good replacement tires. Cons: The automatic is low on horsepower and towing capacity. The fuel mileage is unimpressive. OEM tires create excessive road noise. Lots of irritating rattles at 40,000 miles.

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  Nice Car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Sobhan - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Its a good car with very powerful engine,makes driving a pleasure and very stable even at high speeds about 100 mph.we can get optional features etc at reasonable price

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  I love my 02 Maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Jjm753 - April 29 - 10:00 am

  If you want performance, an awesome sound package and a sweet interior then please opt for the 2002 Maxima SE. THe tightened handling capabilities, hold this fierce engine to the ground.

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  THE BOMB!!! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By bdbbbd - April 29 - 10:00 am

  THIS XTERRA IS THE BOMB! IT HAS THE BEST PICK-UP W/THAT NEW SUPERCHARGER. ITS NICE BEING THE FAST VEHICLE FOR ONCE. I RECCOMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE.

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  My 2005 CC Nismo 4X2 - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Wirenut - April 29 - 3:43 am

  I really enjoy driving this truck. I had a 2001 Nissan Frontier that really enjoyed but this truck has it beat by a mile.The 4.0 265 hp works well with 5 speed auto tranny.I can now pass another car with confidence. Plenty of power to go around.Even though it has a short bed the extender works good for me.Went on a 1500 mile trip and the truck did very well.Have not been off roading as of yet will see how that does later.Its like having a big truck without the size.