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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  Love My maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Dave - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Ride is Great Power plant so far is awesume.handles rela good. Was looking for a Luxury car but always needed to sooth the kid in me with sportier model. Well I got it here. Service has bee exellent. To the Guy up futher if you hold the channel button on steering wheel it will change channels on radio without seeking. So far very Happy. Only draw back is it doesnt have retractable wings so you could really fly

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  Cool car - 2011 Nissan Maxima
  By Tom Lentz - September 21 - 10:48 am

  Very reliable sporty car with very little issues. Roomy inside and comfortable seats

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  My First Nissan - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By TaTa - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought this truck because I needed inexpensive 4wd and the ability to pack a couple of kids in the back when necessary. Have had numerous other Japanese vehicles over the years and always was impressed with there quality,reliability,and driving satisfaction. Have to say that the Nissan is a step below the others. I also had the radio light go out (a common problem), Ive had driveability problems in damp weather,a 4wd hub issue twice,a/c not very good,squeaks and rattles,not very comfortable,poor mileage even with the 5speed. On the plus side, paint is good ,never stranded me,for what I paid its probably been a decent vehicle. Would I buy another? Probably not unless the price was a steal.

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  LOTS OF CAR FOR THE MONEY!!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By toothfairy - September 21 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking for a compact per- formance vehicle for around $20k, this car is PERFECT!! After driving a Honda Civic Ex for the past 3.5 years, Im in heaven!! Were talking 175hp vs. 127hp. It MOVES!! After reading another consumers review describing the Spec V as a "pocket rocket", pretty well sums it all up.

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  Nissan Maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Gunjan Amin - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I just love my new Nissan Maxima. Its awesome. I love that damn powerful engine. The exterior is not bad. But if you want the exterior look more appealing, then buy body or aerodynamic kits for Maxima. It will looks great!

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  Pathfinder Rocks - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PFinder Driver - September 20 - 6:26 pm

  Ive had this car on lease for the past 3 years..now I am faced with the difficult choice of buying it out, or getting a new car. Always got me where I needed to go. GREAT for packing anything and everything into. Drives like a car not a truck.

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  LYING NISSAN - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By consilium - September 20 - 5:07 pm

  I purchased the 2014 Rogue SL AWD The interior lay out is quit well I love the soft touch materials around the cabin also the seats are very comfortable both front and rear. The Infotainment works OK, but While navigating through the menus I see a lag within the response. The power lift gate is convenient. The EPA estimate for the Rogue AWD is 25 city/32 highway averaging 28 MPG. My best MPG is 34.8 Worst MPG 24.3, to attain the 34.8 MPG I have to drive the speed limit, but I think its worth it. the O/D button works well when passing 18 wheelers or zipping through traffic. Overall I am happy with my investment & advise anybody who is shopping for a SUV to test drive the Rogue.

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  fast ad furious - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Charisse Harris - September 20 - 2:00 am

  For a mini maxima , I rat e the car an (A) . Fun and fast , easy on the clutch and fasy on the gas . Good gas milage . nice stereo , wheels and Body.

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  Fun car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By ejkraft - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Sporty features and better than average performance, for a car of its class, have made this a fun car to drive. Both interior and exterior features are well designed and give this car a feel bigger than the compact cars of only a few years ago. My only complaint is that the suspension got much softer after driving it for 3000 miles than it was during the test drive.

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  Steering Shutter/Load Capacity - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By angry1 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I just dumped my 01 Pathfinder for a Ford Explorer. Anyone buying this truck should know that its more a sports car on stilts than an SUV. With a 1,000 pound load (including passengers), its bottomed out...no shock absorbtion at all. Additionally, I went through 2 sets of tires and 14 service visits to fix a steering wheel shutter that begins at 60 and never goes away. Its still there after 45,000 miles and Nissan cant/wont fix it. RECOMMENDATION - Take it on the highway b4 you buy it! Dont get stuck with one like I had. Other than that, a very quick, fun to drive, reliable truck....but not worth the BS.