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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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By KenBen - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 96 Maxima SE new in Sept. of 95. It rides very well, still gets very good gas milage and the engine was the best of its day. Smooth and powerful, I have 116,000 miles, much more than Ive put on any of the many other cars Ive owned,(and two other friends with the same car have 110,000 and 175,000 miles respectively) and I cannot seem to part with it. I just bought new tires so I wont have to face that for another year or two. I dont know if the new ones stand out among their competition today as my Maxima did in 96, but Im glad I chose my first Nissan back then.

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  Great Vehicle - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PS766643 - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle with 900 miles on it and now have 11,200 miles. Im getting 19.6 mpg driving to and from work at 45 mph and 21.7 mpg on the highway at 65 mph. The ride is quiet and smooth on good roads and not bone- jarring on rough roads. The BOSE stereo system is awesome! This was the only SUV available in the LE version without leather seats. Living in a hot climate where we wear shorts a lot, I didnt want leather, but wanted the other ammenities. The vehicle could easily tow more than the rated 5,000 pounds, Nissan needs to rate it for what is is capable of doing.

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  AWESOME CAR - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By gary w. brockway - October 14 - 1:47 am

  I love this car one of the best ove had .. No probs as of yet and ive had it a for over a yr. Now .. Would buy another one.. Thx Nissan..

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  Performs as Good or Better Than Advertised - 2017 Nissan Titan
  By Stevie G. - October 13 - 11:56 pm

  I purchased a Titan in November 2016 after years of wanting to buy a pickup truck. There was a great deal of time spent comparing the features, specs, prices, etc., of all full size and midsize pickups on the market. I also test drove many of these pickups, but wanted to wait until the new Titan arrived before making the decision. After a test drive of the Titan, I was quite impressed with the performance, features, and overall value. Within a week of the test drive, I bought one. The Titan comfortably accommodates my family of five and our gear for extended road trips. It cruises down the interstate with no effort and handles snow and mud without issue. It is a very thoughtfully designed vehicle, and I hope it is as reliable as previous Nissan vehicles my family has owned. If I had to buy it again, I would!

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  My "Little" Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By hydro1 - October 13 - 4:23 pm

  I looked and looked for the right car to replace my 98 Honda Odyssey (all done w/babies and toddlers, yea!). Started wanting a wagon, but ended up in the crossover market. Im so happy with my choice, and I cant believe how well its fitting into our lives. Its actually more roomy in the front than our van. The kids are super comfortable in the back seats and dont seem to miss the reclining feature at all. I find plenty of room in the cargo area, and am figuring out how to rack it up to be able to carry bikes, skis, etc. Love the black/red cloth interior, its kind of retro and very cool.

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  I love my Frontier Crew Cab 4WD - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Rod, man - October 13 - 1:30 pm

  I have own many trucks and SUV in my life. The Frontier is my first vehicle from Nissan. I love everything about the truck. Excellent handling, engine power, and its bold body styling. I have yet to test the off-road and towing capabilities, but that will be soon.

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  I love my new Altima - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By J.Short - October 13 - 3:20 am

  I am so in love with my new Altima. I am a previous owner of the 05 Altima. I loved that one too but this one is a much better car. I went into the dealership just to look at the new Altima and three hours later I was driving my Midnight Blue Altima home. This car is aesthetically pleasing... so much that my neighbor went and bought the exact same color and style.

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  Great truck - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By gr8bolr - October 13 - 2:33 am

  I bought the 2008 Armada and traded a 2005 Dodge Durango Limited. There is no comparison between the 2. The ride, room, and all the bells and whistles are all so much better in the Armada. Fuel economy leaves a lot to be desired as I travel about 20000 miles a year but I was aware going in. Great truck.

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  Awful - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By gp5454 - October 12 - 3:07 pm

  my 3rd Maxima I have owned and by far the absolute worst!! I have spent well over $8,000 on mechanical repairs (not maintenance) and it still has under 80k miles on it. Transmission valve body, both catalytic converters, both primary and secondary timing chains tensioners and guides, multiple sensors, 4 sets of headlights (considered maintenance if it were only 2, but 4 sets!!) I wish I still had my 96 which my neighbor still drives w/ 250k+ miles with minor repairs and maintenance.

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  Made the leap From Altima to Maxima - 2017 Nissan Maxima
  By Chris Holcomb - October 12 - 12:04 pm

  I am loving my new Maxima Platinum 3.5 V6! All the things I loved about my 2007 Altima SE 3.5 V6 are in my new Maxima plus a ton of new technology and design improvements. I loved the powerful V6 CVT engine, the ultra comfortable seats, and the incredible reliability of my 2007 Altima, and now my daughter will be enjoying it too for the next few years. All of those things continue in my new Maxima, but now with I have soft and comfortable leather with the stylish Alcantara inserts, power front seats that are heated AND cooled, and all the driver infotainment comforts that anyone could wish for! Navigation, Satellite Radio, Apple Carplay, a great driver information computer/display, and sporty styling are all things I love about it. I live in Texas so my favorite new feature so far is the cooled front seats. They really make a big difference.