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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  Sweeeeeeeet - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By tgbeard - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) in the Murano has got to be driven to be appreciated. You can put it on cruise, go up and down hills and never feel the regular "shift shock" weve become accustomed to in regular 4 or 5 gear automatic transmissions. This baby is smoooooth. My kids used to argue about who got to ride up front... not anymore! The person in the back is cruising with lots of room thanks to the ample roominess of the back seat and the reclining feature of the back seat! This car is a joy to drive... the horsepower is responsive with acceleration from take-off to mid- range torque already at cruising speed.

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  Wonderful driving experience - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By gnewell - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I test drove the car and I was instantly in love. I traded in my 2000 Honda Accord EX in favor of the 2004 maxima. Be careful, if you test drive the new maxima you may end up leaving with one.

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  Eli A - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Eli A - August 6 - 10:00 am

  Steering wheel vibration after 45mph dealership claimed it was repaired but there still is a slight vibration in wheel

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  Positive feedback - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Dave - August 6 - 12:56 am

  I purchased my Maxima in 2002 as it was the last year before they changed the style. It has been very easy to drive and I have really enjoyed it. Plus it is several thousand dollars less than its cousin the Infiniti!!

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  Awesome SUV!!! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By durstw - August 5 - 9:40 pm

  I researced purchasing an SUV for about 9 mo. I could not find a vehicle out there that fit my needs and budget wrapped into one until I stumbled onto the new pathfinder. What an awesome vehicle!! Great styling, engine power, lots of standard features. This is my first Japanese purchase. I tried to give my business to one of the big three, but I could not find a Durango, Explorer or Envoy that came close to price and value offered by Nissan.

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  DONT buy the Rogue!!!!!!! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By S.Crow - August 5 - 11:03 am

  This was the 9th Nissan we bought in 10 years. My husband worked at nissan for 6 years and we were proud to drive cars with high quality. However, the Rogue is not an suv I would ever recommend! In 9 months we have had it in the shop 4 times. New ignition switch because it would not start sometimes. This still has not fixed the prob. The car was making noises when I idled around parking lots. They replaced the cv shafts and the transmission. The problem went away but has since returned. The dealer told me that Nissan has said that this is "normal" when a steel belt wears in and that I am just too picky with the noises that it makes. AWD transmissions will do this after 7,000- 10,000 miles

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  shelleys frontiers - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By getitshelley - August 4 - 12:23 pm

  this is my third frontier, first one i traded 2004, my 2005 i totaled, rollover. it held up, condisdering 70 and rolled 3 times. the next day i bought a 2006 frontier. i love this truck it makes me feel safe when i drive. i would not buy anthing but a frontier le. its durable, cute, rugged, sporty and rides like a dream. its power amazes me it really gets up goes when you need the extra power. i cant say enough good things about this truck, if i continued it would be a book.

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  Great sports car for the money - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By sportscarlover - August 4 - 7:00 am

  This is a super fun to drive sports car! Ours has 20" wheels and tires, which helps with handling and performance. Platinum graphite paint job - WOW! This car turns heads! The interior is plenty roomy for me, great sound from the Bose stereo, fairly smooth ride for such a small car. This is a great sports car, at a great price. I thought I loved my last car, a 2000 Toyota Celica GT-S. The Nissan 370Z is a million times better! I wont complain about the gas mpg, its a fair trade off if you want a higher performance car. This car isnt for you if you want a family car, or SUV. But if you want a true sports car - this is it!

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  Love it! A few problems, but its great for the money! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By andresama3 - August 4 - 2:50 am

  Ive got over 105,000 miles and Ive never had the alignment problems people keep mentioning. I did however have the muffler problem at about 95000 miles which is longer than most people got hah. The manual recommends a spark plug change at 105k but I started to notice it needed changing around 90k. Ive never had it stop or lockup in traffic and I actually get BETTER gas mileage than whats posted. 24 city/30 hwy 27 hybrid was what the dealership sold it as; I usually get about 30-35 hybrid driving. But I do my best to drive it right though, make sure my tires are inflated and do maintenance on time. I got it new in 2008 and drive it A LOT!

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  love it - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Drew - August 3 - 11:16 pm

  We love it,and my moms gonna buy one. MPG in city is 16, Hwy is 19 average at quick speed, gets better at slower speeds,but why go slower? Very quite and smooth at 80+ MPH. Interior is great with more than enough toys to play with. Air vents in the rear are great and many. 3rd row seat is good for smaller people, but works for the occassional adult. Seats are all very comfortable and heated seats are great. Dual heat control is also nice but were currently having trouble with the heat, there is no difference in temp. between 80 and 65. This will be fixed today. Adjustable peddles are great, Im 62 and have plenty of room. Very nice for the money.