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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  Its not all good - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By JIM - March 5 - 5:36 am

  Bought it new. Have 20k miles. Still happy with performance but not real happy with anything else. Im glad its my wifes daily driver, not mine. Alignment was off from inception and it wore the tires prematurely on the inside tread. Dealer realigned the car but nissan refused to replace the worn tires at 14,000 mi. Ever since then there is an extremely offensive howl from the front end. All guest passengers comment on the noises and finish with "well, i wouldnt buy one". Im going to have to replace the tires when they appear to be only 50 % worn due to the how.L. Its been back to the dealer several times due to the problem. No guarantees that $500 new tires will fix the noise.

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  Best Car ever owned - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By gazzoo - March 5 - 3:19 am

  This will be the last day driving the best car I have ever owned. The Maxima (Mimo for nickname) has flawlessly given everything I ever asked from it. The engine and torque are in perfect balance in every gear. Need to get up to 60 mph in third in order to get on the highway. Just slightly depress pedal half way and feel the hand of God push you back into your seat. This car was/is a thoroughbred race horse. It never hiccuped while making a 800 mile road trip while on cruise control or any trip for that matter. I managed to get 170K on the original clutch! And now after 197765 miles it still gets about 28mpg on the highway. It is time to trade in and get a car for the whole family. Thnx Mimo

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  Nice Car! Fun To Drive! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Cones - March 4 - 11:03 pm

  I just bought the 07 Altima 3.5 SE with the CVT. Nice car inside and out. A little bit of a gas hog for mixed driving. But good gas mileage on the highway. Has good acceleration when and if you need it. Its fun to drive in manual or automatic mode. I get a lot of stares esp from the ladies!

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  Fun back into driving - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Anthony Perkins - March 4 - 5:50 pm

  Car is fun to drive. Getting use to the very close ratio 6 speed, puts joy into drivng a manual transmission again, makes me feel like teenager. Car handles super, and the power to weight ratio is exciting. Could use power seats, to go with the rest of the power options though, big let down. sound system a big plus. Big fun, small price :)

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  So far so good - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Nismo - March 4 - 10:50 am

  I was trying to decide between this and the RSX Type S and This car blew me away. It sells itself. All you have to do is drive it. It has abundant power over almost all the RPM range. I was doing 110 and had to swerve out of the way of an armadillo (I live in Texas), and the car stuck to the ground. The only gripe I have is that my blinker is flipping out on me. Im satisfied.

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  Amazing Bang for your Buck!! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Cberg - March 3 - 9:00 pm

  I traded in an older loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee for this & thought Id miss the space but havent had the first regret. I got mine loaded so the gadget factor is really fun! I didnt know how bluetooth worked so having it shut off my music for an incoming call is great-no more missed calls(and mic picks up my tots voice in back great)! I love not having to deal with keys at all since I have a toddler. Love the Bose sound system but above all, love the ride! The drive is very smooth with CVT, once youre at speed its SUPER quiet.. turn on jazz or classical for a great experience. It hugs the road too - didnt realize how bouncy the truck frame on my Jeep was. Avgd 25 mpg. 10 stars!

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  Bad rear axle and tires - 2013 Nissan NV200
  By junkvan - March 3 - 8:21 pm

  It is very golf cart like but it get the job done. I have owned it for about a year and put 15000 miles on it. I carry about 400 lbs in the rear for work. No problem getting around with it loaded. The problem is the rear axle and tires. The camber is off on both side and it has chewed up the tires. there is no adjustment and the dealer says its in spec, and also that I need to replace the tires because they are chewed up. They want $200 ea for tires.

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  My First Maxima - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By BIGED - March 3 - 7:16 pm

  Drives great! Love the comfort and controls. Gas mileage is Nice surprise 28-30 mpg. No major problems purchased used with 93K now at 103k miles. Great for long trips, great brakes and fast on freeways.

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  Maxima info - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By 2010 maxima owner - March 3 - 6:53 pm

  Good looks, a head Turner nice interior and exterior. User friendly nav with voice recognition, bluetooth, XM all easy to use from steering wheel. Cooled seat, heated wheel and seats. Dual panel roof is nice color contrast whole roof is black. I tinted Windows. The 18 inch premium pack wheels are ok, I dropped the car an inch and put nice 20 inch rims. Great value, reliability with Nissan/longevity, re-sale and also a great car.

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  Whew - What a car - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By H J. C. - March 3 - 2:36 pm

  Fell in love with it the first time I saw it. Wife wanted me to wait until later so I did and bought it l year later. An uninsured motorist with a suspended license hit the drivers rear quarter panel after I swerved to avoid a head on collision with the driver at the last possible moment. Took the hit like a champ. Curtain and seat airbag deployed as expected. Wife and I walked away totally unharmed after being spun l80 degrees. Since been repaired and still love it. Really a tough vehicle not to mention its beefy stance and sexy curves along with its superb acceleration chacteristics. Cant say enough Just remember - Drive one and youll buy it