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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  Replaced Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Liz - October 10 - 6:23 am

  We have owned 5 Jeeps, Land Cruiser, Explorer,Sequoia, etc. XTerra offers Excellent power,very comfortable and quiet compared to 7 Wrangler 4dr. Flexible, convenient,roomy interior design with good visibility and real 4 dr.access, especially compared to FJ. RF Audio has good sound quality. Our thorough test drives, on and off pavement through the WY mtns., revealed good ride and handling for a genuine, seriously off-roadable 4x4. OR model comes well equipped for offroading yet is comfortable on pavement and Interstate. Not A Car Based Poser. Very good value for the money.

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  05 Titan - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By steel1503 - October 9 - 2:43 pm

  Great experience. Fun to drive.only problem i had was the aux lighter plug will not accept my radar detector plug anymore. it will plug into the other,but not that one.

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  Sweet Ride - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Ron in SLC - October 9 - 11:53 am

  I have owned this vehicle for a year and love it. The 2.5 liter v4 gives the perfect mix of zip and fuel economy. My friends think it looks expensive but my wallet knows the truth.

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  Good econobox on a budget. - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Midwest Driver - October 9 - 5:36 am

  Had mine 8 years. Good car, always starts. 108,000 miles, so far normal brakes, tires, belts, hoses, maintenance, one alternator, some emission repairs, receiver for remote entry, trunk latch. Not much really for the miles and usage. Good gas mileage and good acceleration. Still good. No oil leaks, no fluid leaks, very reliable. With snow tires it goes through several inches of snow very well.

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  Awesome truck!!! - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By SwanIII - October 8 - 1:50 am

  I fell in love wih this truck the first day I noticed it on the freeway. I have the fully loaded 4wd Crew Cab LE Titan and this truck definitely packs some major power. I have had no issues with the vehicle and I currently have 16,000 miles to date. Handling is great and the looks I get from people tells me I made a great choice. Everyday I get in my truck Im loving it regardless of the price of gas. I use Chevron 89 (midgrade octane and have noticed a considerable difference as opposed to regular gas. Once you buy this truck you will never think about owning any other type truck again...Its AWESOME

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  Great car! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Captjim - October 8 - 12:46 am

  So far I love this car! I get up in the morning and actually look forward to driving it. I feel like I ripped off Nissan, because it feels like a more expensive car. The room is great for a 64" guy like myself. The stereo is outstanding, the ride quality is just awesome! So many great things about this car, its unbelievable.

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  Nissan vs. Honda - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By new_to_nissan - October 7 - 3:06 am

  I bought Nissan Altima, 2.5 S with ABS, after 2 weeks of new car research. I had Honda Accord EX 2000 V4 that I lost in a wreck, around 30mph, Accord stood well in a wreck though. I drove almost 2 weeks rental Accord 2005 LX. As compared to Honda Accords this car has smoother ride in the city and highway. More room lengthwise and equally wide as Accord 05. It is little early to tell about the noise on highway but it has not bothered me much at this time. In city this car is smoother and quieter ride than Accord. May have more to tell about noise in next 6 or 7 month. With low APR, May 06, this was the only car that gave the best value of my money.

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  My 1995 Maxima - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By ss_steve - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Great Car, well over 100,000 miles so far!

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  Rocket Ship - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By pashey - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I have had two Maximas since 1990, the first one saved my life in an accident. It had 88K miles on it without a major repair. Its sister, nicknamed "the rocket ship" now has 174+k miles on it and I expect it to go to 250k, it still runs great. I love this car, no major repairs (just brakes, tires and the power steering belt). I dont think you could kill that engine if you wanted to.

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  Solid and Fun - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By TheTrev - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This is an older car, but there are no squeeks or rattles even after five years. The trim has held up extremely well (leather seats). It looks new on the inside. The car handles well for a family sedan and the engine is silky smooth and exciting. The fuel economy is bad - about 14mpg city. Part of the problem is my lead foot. Highway mileage is good at 29mpg. The real problem is that it requires premium fuel (92 octane or better). I will buy another maxima when this one gets tired.