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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  Great Truck - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Bob Robertson - July 9 - 8:06 am

  I traded in a 2006 GMC Duramax for this Nissan Pro 4X and I am very happy with my decision. I have pulled loads up to the max towing weight and had no problems at all. I love the interior room and all of the great storage compartments. The Rockford Fosgate audio system is great! I love the bluetooth for my phone and the ride and handling are awesome.

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  Love My Car! - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Heidi Kolb - July 8 - 11:16 pm

  In the past 10+ years Ive had the opportunity to own some really great high performance cars: corvettes, mercedes, BMWs. This little Nissan is by far my favorite car of all time! It fits me like a glove and is a blast to drive! In a few of the other high performance cars I was not as comfortable with the drive or the performance. This car truly feels like an extention of me. It also attracts some attention which is always fun! I love the fact that I see very few other Nissan 350Z Convertibles when I am out ~ and there seems to be a corvette or BMW at every corner. It is really fun to drive something that looks and feels special. I plan to keep this car for a very long time.

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  Love my Pathfinder - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By cagrrl1971 - July 8 - 9:43 pm

  I inherited my car from my sister in 2003 and it has been the best vehicle I have ever had. It has 150000 miles now and you cant even tell. We handle typhoon like rains here in Northern CA. Ive driven it through the snow without hesitation. This car is so reliable. My mechanic and a couple guys at the oil change shop have said theyll buy it anytime Im ready to sell. The only major problem Ive had is the bushing pin went out right when I took over from my sister - I figured it was because she didnt know how to drive a manual transmission. No problems ever since. If they sold this model again I would buy it. When this one dies Im buying the latest version of a Pathfinder.

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  this is a great car - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By steve ferry - July 8 - 8:03 pm

  I loved this car because it spactacular. I love the handling, interior, exterior, and everything. It is alot better than the toyota avalon.

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  enjoyed, but wonder now - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jwwilcox - July 8 - 4:26 am

  My vehicle has 93,000 miles, has seen mostly city 2x4 usage, snow 4x4 high, and little 4x4 low usage. Ive owned it for 60,000 of the miles and purchased it 2000 with few needed repairs. It has a great look to it, and 4wd mode is great in snow. The engine is a bit underpowered compared to other SUVs, but its a comfortable ride. Gas mileage is 16-18 mpg. Suddenly this vehicle seems to be falling apart. This year, Ive had to completely replace both muffler systems ($700), brakes ($120 ceramic), rotors ($300), right and left sway bar links ($240), struts, and mounts (estimate $800), and now my transmission (estimate $2800). Im now looking for a new car. When this car goes bad, its bad.

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  2016 Nissan Maxima SR - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Eric M. - July 8 - 1:03 am

  Leased this vehicle almost a year ago. Great service from the sales team. Got a great deal. The car itself is fantastic for a car under 40k. I have the SR model in black with the camel tone Interior and it looks great. Good acceleration, comfortable ride, and great driving experience. The heated steering wheel is useless to me because I live Florida. I air conditioned steering wheel would be a great feature. Handling could be better, but overall its a fantastic car that has decent speed and would also make a good family car. I enjoy it thoroughly.

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  Go anywhere! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Ry - July 7 - 10:06 pm

  I commute 100 miles a day. 100,000 miles to date. Great on fuel & highway smooth. Through the foothills of the rocky mountains in wheel deep snow the 4x4 is perfect. No repairs only tires. Ive driven/owned the others too. Buy this truck!

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  Best Buy in the Mid-size category - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Ben K - July 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car privately in 7/02 with 7,000 miles. It now has 52,000. It is a dream drive anytime I get in it. Recently, my wife took a job that requires 150-200 miles of driving daily so I turned it over to her and bought an 04 Dakota (awesome, too). SHE LOVES THE ALTIMA!! One problem, though. Her company is now insisting she drive a company car (Jeep Liberty). She is very upset that she has to give it up! I would definetely buy another 00 or 01 Altima. I would avoid the 2002 & up as they are very hard on the eyes (ugly).

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  bad choice of wheels - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By jmmosley - July 7 - 10:00 am

  The overall appearance of the truck would be greatly improved by adding aluminum or chrome wheels to make the paint really stand out.. Ride is hard needs softening up.

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  Forget Detroit! This truck turns heads! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Monte to a TITAN - July 7 - 10:00 am

  I have always driven a sports car. I gave my wife my 2002 Monte Carlos SS (which by the way, the Titan will bury in a drag - Ive done it!). This truck is a keeper. I bought it planning for the future (room for a family, plenty of power to tow any boat or camper you can buy, and anything else you can think of). The truck has some minor problems. The speakers are not great (I dont have the Rockfords), but I didnt buy the truck for the sound system. Some cheap interior items, but nothing to really complain about. I love this truck!