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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  2002 Nissan SE 4wd - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Yonna92 - September 15 - 7:23 am

  I love my pathfinder! Very fun to drive, reliable and great performance. Only complaints:1.quality of cloth -- not terribly bad but it getting worn fast. Also, the because beige in color, shows stains. Recommend leather or dark cloth. Always replace brakes at the dealer. I made a mistake of getting brakes at one of those discount stores and their brakes do not hold up well

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  Pretty good SUV - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By brianl - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this Xterra about 8 months and have driven 17K miles to date. It constantly gets 16MPG no matter what type of driving I do. I recently drove to Florida (1,260 miles each way) It still got 16MPG. Of course I was going about 75MPH. Other than that it seems solid.

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  fun - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By not know - September 15 - 2:00 am

  fun to drive, needs more insulation from noise

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  Been a great lease, deciding to purchase it or not - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By tmac4718 - September 14 - 12:07 am

  Brand new lease on 08/13/2008, now has 36k miles. Have enjoyed the car so much Im trying to decide whether to just buy it. If it was awd it would be a no brainer. Even with brand new Toyo all seasons this year it still stinks in the winter. Car is too light and cant keep the front tires from slipping entirely too much in the winter, drove my 4wd instead. Brakes have squealed the whole time, dealer says normal. And an odd loud ping upon startup when putting in reverse. Dealer can never reproduce the ping. Other than that great car. Other peoples tranny issues concern me but still has warranty

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  great in head-on - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ellen black - September 13 - 8:40 pm

  This is my second Pathfinder. I was in a head on collision in my first at 45mph with my daughter in the front seat. Both cars were totaled, but we both walked away. I had whiplash, but by daughter was unscratched. Accelerator pedal sticks, doesnt handle well on turns, and the fuel economy is awful, plus there are small rust spots around passanger door windows already, after 60,000 miles. Im still mostly happy with it.

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  Great looks, no reliability - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By manny andujar - September 11 - 8:13 pm

  I have had my Maxima for about 3 years now and I love it. This car performs, as well as offer great style. I take care of my car and I would expect it to last. Sadly it has me fed up with its annoying problems such as when I put the cd player on, the left side speakers dont work, the transmission jumps, the back of the car spins out easily, there is even an annoying flickering sound. Sometimes it reeks like rotten eggs, and the steering radius is horrible. I love my car, and I might not ever part with it. It has only 40,000 miles and when I can afford it Im gonna have to get a new transmission, cat converter, cd player and new finger valves.

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  Great first car, I love it! - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Angela - September 11 - 2:04 pm

  I got this car for my very first car, and so far Im inlove with it! It drives perfect and is so easy to drive! So far its been very reliable and Iv already put around 500 miles on it, in 2 weeks! I think the only complaint I have is when I look over my shoulder its harder to see because of how the back is, but it hasnt been a problem! I drove 4 hours up to my moms house and I was comfortable the whole time, and so was my dad in the passenger seat! It gets very speedy too! Overall I recommend this car to anyone!

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  Good but not great - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By bigvic1 - September 11 - 1:30 am

  We purchased a loaded se and owned for almost 2 years. Purchased used in 2008 with 26k on the odometer. Cost was $20k out door with fl tax (orig. Sticker was over $34k. Whoa). Has almost every option except dvd/nav. Here is a good car that could have been great. While dependable, it has it quirks. Fast car, but terrible torque steer. Nice interior, but seats need more padding. Trips over 1.5 hours and your bottom is sore. Great styling, but bad turning radius. Weird cloth substance on dash/doors. What is up with that? Leather would have been perfect. All in all, a sharp looking, dependable car that is good on gas. No maintenance issues in 2 years. No rattles, leaks, creaks etc.

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  Its ok but..... - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By mike - September 10 - 11:13 pm

  Ive had this pick-up for 9 months now, and it is ok. The ride is the biggest disappointment. The truck has a vibration when driving 40+, had at the dealership twice. They rebalanced the tires both times, but truck still has vibration. It also has numerous little rattles in the cab. On the positive side, you get a lot of options and a nice looking truck for a lot less than other models.

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  Campers deelite - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By bigdaddypain - September 9 - 10:00 am

  Have been camping twice. Is very utilitarian. Seats 4. Not very comfortably, but well enough esp. for a 4 door truck. Can haul junk w/o worry.