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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  Pathfinder Fan - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Joe Lessor - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Only 1000 miles on it so far. Excellent SUV. Very sporty and smooth.

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  maxima gle - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By misty - January 29 - 10:00 am

  so far have had no problems, have 1400 mi, fun to drive, good family car yet sporty, smooth and powerful engine have all options except nav.

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  Very good value - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By Bridgeman - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I leased this car a little over two years ago and have put 35,000 miles on it so far with absolutely NO problems. The gas mileage is great (up to 39 mph, averaged around 28, never less than 25). The 155 ponies are plenty to haul this car quickly off the line. The cornering is second to none for any car in this class, but replace the stock tires (they suck). The interior is simple, yet comfortable with plenty of room. The ride is very smooth and quiet. Its very fun to drive and has plenty of room. It looks nice, drives nice, and is cheap to opperate. Im definately buying this when my lease is up.

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  My X! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By mangeli - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Wow, talk about an all around well built truck. The Xterra takes the cake. Test drove and SE and I went home with an XE with the powerpack option on it. I love it. Gets average MPG, but other than that its the best thing I have ever owned!

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  Altima hits a "home-run" - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By car-man - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Wonderful improvement over the old Altima for the performance and styling lovers. The 3.5 is sweet and the body styling is unique. A fun car to drive and gets plenty of attention. Can`t wait to see what is coming out of the updated Maxima stable. Good value for the base car, but too costly to get to the sunroof.(no a-la-carte option here)

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  Altima Shakes & Noisy - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Sad - January 29 - 10:00 am

  My new Nissan 2.5S Altima shakes uncontrollably between 60 - 75 mph. I have already had tires re-balanced. Still a major problem. Also, if a back window is open the road noise sounds like a jet taking off. Oh yeah, the sheet metal is missing under drivers feet. What a mess. I am now making another trip to the dealer Bill Cook.

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  The 2012 Quest is the Best - 2012 Nissan Quest
  By kilkel - January 29 - 7:32 am

  Just bought the 2012 Quest in Feb and love it. Looked at all the others, Honda, Toyota, Kia and Dodge and none compared to the Quests value and looks. We have owned a Pathfinder, Titan, and now the Quest. I believe we are a Nissan family. Went for the low end model and, other than 1 or 2 features, we dont really mind. If youre in the market for a mini-van, stop by a Nissan place and take a look, youll be surprised.

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  It is still surreal that I own this car - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Simply O M G !!!!!!! - January 28 - 7:56 pm

  I upgraded from my 96 Honda Accord 4 Dr LX to a 09 Nissan Maxima SV SP. Although I liked the new design of the Maxima, I was hesitant with the design of the rear but when I went to the dealership and saw this car in person it looks so much better, especially with the rear spoiler on it. I got the Sport Package that has the 19in alloy rims and spoiler upgrade and its is so beautiful. I am one of the few, if not the only, person to have this car in my area so far, I see a lot of eyes and heads turning when Im driving.

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  Close to Perfect Truck - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By LMH - January 28 - 6:26 pm

  Simply stated, the Titan towers above the others. I have never owned a Japanese car. I have driven Chevy and Ford trucks for decades. I qualify for the Ford A-plan, which would have made an F-150 thousands less. The Titan has more power, better fuel economy, more room, nicer styling, better comfort, and more functionality than all of the competition. My prior truck, an F-150 V-6, would average about 14 MPG regardless of where I drove. I just returned from a 500 mile weekend trip with plenty of foothills, stop-and-go, and freeway driving; 3/4 tank for the whole trip with 18.55 MPG... WOW! I did a lot of research before buying. I believe the Titan is the most well- tought-out truck ever built!

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  worst engine the vechicle could have - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By disappointed - January 28 - 8:20 am

  my wife was in love with this vechicle. the inside design is roomy and comfortable. the engine at first was great, but after 25000 miles it started with a tapping noise that now has become annoying and loud enough we were asked if it was a decile motor. took it to the dealer ship and they said nothing wrong they even brought in a specialist and he said that it was normal?? very disappointed with the performance of this vehicle. Nissan corp. doesnt want to help. the car car now has burned a quart of oil between oil changes that doesnt seem normal. the vehicle didnt do any of this before.