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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  Very,Very Good - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By goodmax - July 2 - 10:00 am

  All Nissans are the best, Mostly my whole family drives Nissans and I wouldnt want them to drive anything else.

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  Comments on Maxima GLE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By mickeyandme - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Owning this car has been a generally satisfying experience. I am VERY impressed with my dealers response to warranty situations. Things to fix iclude: Fix SLIPPERY steering wheel on GLE model ... dangerous!!! Needs more comfortable drivers seat with more secure hip gripping ... tendency to slide around on turns with leather upholstery. Less jouncy suspension option.

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  The Jury Is Out - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By C K - June 28 - 11:56 am

  This is our first minivan and we are very happy early on.We felt the best value was in the S. The option packages in the S & SL are NOT worth it. A big selling point was the aesthetics inside and out. The engine is strong and you can set the cruise at 80 and it will go effortlessly. Fuel economy is disappointing. 22 MPG on the highway is about all, but it is over 4000 pounds - minivans arent "mini" any more. Inside the fit and finish are not in the class of the new Odyssey or Sienna. The cabin is quiet and the ride smooth. The fold down seats are great. We noted some bad reviews on the internet but were bolstered by the 5 year/60K warranty.

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  More for your $$ thanToyota - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Dana - June 27 - 10:36 pm

  I had every intention of purchasing a Tacoma double cab 4x4 but came home with a Frontier 4x4 Nismo crew. Definitely a lot more bang for the buck, interior feels more spacious with incredible power to spare. I was impressed with the build quality & ride. I have owned both a SE-V6 King cab pickup & SE-V6 Pathfinder years ago & decided to come back to Nissan after a long Toyota run. Yes, Toyota makes a very nice product but was totally impressed with the new Frontiers. Interior perhaps a bit too much use of plastic but otherwise very functional. Great looks, nice overall packaging.

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  Outdated interior style and door handles - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By cngchen - June 27 - 1:43 pm

  Nissan has the potential to build a quality vehicle with updated styling, but always seems uncreative in doing so. However, Honda has been successful in producing two best in class vehicles, notably the Acura TL and MDX, coming out on top in their category in last years comparison test, outscoring the BMW 330i sedan and the X5 3.0i SUV respectively.

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  Fun and Fast - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By allsupm - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I use this car mostly for fun, but occasionally drive it to work. (36 mi round trip) I always enjoy driving it! It is a sports car, and doesnt attempt to be anything else. That is as it should be. It does all a sports car should do, and it does it well.

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  High Miles - Lots of Fun - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By BRG - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Maxima GLE from a relative that bought it several years ago. When he bought the car it had just a tad over 100k on it. He commmuted about 100 miles per day and now it has 155k miles. It took real good care of it and kept all the maintenace up to date. Still runs like a bat out of hell when it hits the on ramp with the hammer down. I drive about 20k per year and I think the Maxima will do the job just fine. A great car for under $4k.

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  Fun to drive - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Holbrook - June 27 - 2:00 am

  27,000 miles in about one year and for the most part a good experience. It is nimble and fun to drive with gas milage a little better than I hoped for. One breakdown at 26000 (alternator went out) but was fully covered by warranty.

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  Better than the Highlander, or Envoy - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Adan82 - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Murano for a couple of weeks now and it has been so far so good.

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  Very sad and disapointed - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Kara Slocum - June 26 - 11:50 pm

  I bought my 1st new car and it was my 2004 Nissan Maxima SE. after 74,000 miles; 4k over warranty my transmission is shot along with 2 motor mounts. Nissan of North America had the worst customer service ever and does not want to help with anything! $43,000 for my 1st car that lasted 74k. wow my heart is broken, dont know if I will ever by a Nissan again. I plan on writing a letter to the CEO; lets all try that, just maybe will get somewhere???