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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  wow - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Rich_Serb - November 12 - 1:16 am

  fully loaded no complaints

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  Like a dream come true - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By czaman - November 11 - 9:10 pm

  I researched for about 6 months, test drove all Rogue competitors and finally bought the SL FWD with Premuim Package (which includes a 6-CD changer and moonroof). This was the best value for money. The design is smart, seats comfortable, dash lighting very soothing, controls conveniently placed and the sound system is commendable. The ride is very smooth (the CVT makes it smoother) and is the quietest among all its competitors. The vehicle is extremely responsive and has a tight turning radius. The suspension is remarkable, and I hardly feel the potholes I drive over. I have driven over patches of black ice on two occasions and both times the VDC kicked in and righted the vehicle.

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  I love this van - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By kimkiaria - November 11 - 8:20 pm

  This is my first minivan, as I too, was ambivalent about being a minivan mom, but I love it. Its roomy and sporty. I dont feel like Im driving a big bulky van. Ive taken several trips with it, and so far, no problems. I strongly suggest this van for those of you reluctant to finally admit youre a van person. It handles and corners like a sports car.

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  Z YUH ! - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Tam2uiam - November 11 - 12:33 pm

  Ive only had my 350Z Roadster for 8 months and i have loved every minute of it. It responds awesomely to everything i want it to do. And to think my husband had to drag me to the dealership to give this car a try... I didnt get the soccer mom 4 door I wanted but heck, my kids are old enough to drive and its my turn now! Z YUH !

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  Pleasantly surprised! What a gem! - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By VQ_Man - November 11 - 10:53 am

  I recently traded in my 2007 Mazda3 due to the rough winters in the northeast. I never really considered a Frontier, but Im glad I checked it out! Wow! What a truck! The ride quality blew me away and is far superior to the Tacoma. The engine is refined and powerful. I dont really baby the truck for mileage, but Ive managed 20 in the city, which is way better than I thought. No major highway trips yet, so I cant comment on highway mileage. The long bed option is awesome and the spray in bedliner and utili-track system are great features. If youre in the market for a mid-sized truck, do yourself a favor and test drive this beauty. I promise you wont be disappointed.

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  I will buy another Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Mike Harris - November 11 - 4:16 am

  Having owned my Titan for a year and a half I have recentley been doing some research for a new vechicle. After looking at a number of candidates and test driving some, I have come to the same conclustion as before, the Titan is best. I looked closely at the Honda Rigdeline (for its carlike ride), Jeep Rubicon(for its off-road capabilities) and the standard domestic trucks. Although each of the above vechicles had strong points they also had weak areas which disqualified them for me. The Titan I rated at least an 8 in the lowest catogory in this review and in most cases 9 or 10. I now have 80,000 miles on it and it is still the finest truck I have ever driven.

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  lightly driven. - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Joe P - November 11 - 12:43 am

  I got this car as a spare in the 2009 cash for clunkers. drove it just now and then. I started driving it every day, 2 month ago, 20k miles on it. My thoughts are that my base model came with no arm rests, luckily after market ones are easy to get. Also, the electronic steering wheel causes constant interference on the aftermarket AM radio. The worst thing about this car is the front wheels are so far out in front, that there is no weight on them, trying to accelerate into traffic causes tire spin even on dry roads, almost impossible to pull out into traffic on wet roads. I am still on factory tires so this might get better if better tires are eventually installed. 10/2017, car now has 33,000 miles and got the first new set of tires. Good, name brand tires made a great difference. Comparing the two tires side by side, the original tires have very hard rubber, almost like soft plastic, new tires have soft rubber, easy to deform with fingers. Handling is better, ride is softer and traction is better. Just got notice that the Air Bag is included in the recall, will have to wait several months for the dealer to get parts in stock to fix.

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  Watch out for low quality - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ken - November 10 - 10:13 pm

  We bought our Pathfinder for the same reasons as all the other buyers here. Maybe we just got a lemon. Anyway, when you have 14 different things go wrong that must each be fixed by the dealer, you get pretty tired of bringing the car in for repairs -- tired enough to make you wish you bought something else.

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  2005 Solar Yellow X - WOW! Lotsa power! - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Mike - November 10 - 9:50 pm

  Im a former Nissan Pathfinder owner (2001 & 2003) who recently "stepped down" to a 2005 Xterra. Well, I realized quickly that there was hardly any "stepping down" whatsoever once I actually started driving the X on a daily basis! This baby is fun to drive and the 2005 has plenty of power (watch your speedometer or old Smokie will get you!!!!) Also, the new 4.0/265HP Engine actually gets better gas mileage than my previous 2 Pathys ever got - and although this is a SUV, gas mileage so far is more than acceptable and I dont think it will be an issue for me at all. Lots of great forums for Xterra owners (do a google search) and you will see more than enough information on the great X!

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  Great SUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By majr - November 10 - 6:37 pm

  My father owns this car and he has spent less than a thousand repairing it when it comes to labor plus parts. Thats because my father is a mechanic so hes smarter than the average driver. He knows he should do things like warm up the car everytime you expect to drive it and especially in the winter. He also knows that he should slow down when he sees a pothole so he goes over it slowly or avoids it completely so he doesnt damage his car. He also knows that he should be nice to the people that work at auto shops so that way he can get a discount on parts. The only reason not to get this car is if you prefer a car with more tech features and a car that doesnt consume a lot of gas.