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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  Sweet! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Justin Haugh - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this car for a week and am loving it more every day. I got a Liquid Silver SL with light grey interior. It has tons of power, the 4- speed automatic is very responsive and you really get pressed back in your seat when you floor it. Extremely fun to drive. Im 64" and love the spacious interior. Plenty of leg/head room in the back seat. Top-quality leather, comfortable seats. Sophisticated yet practical interior. Minor issues: torque-steer, turning radius. Tons of extras on the SL are sweet. My friends love it. I love it. A fantastic car at any price, but a steal for the $28.5K i paid for it. Highly recommended, especially for tall folks.

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  Prepare for the looks! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Sonnyfm - March 4 - 10:00 am

  1st off, kudos to Pomoco Nissan of Hampton VA. From start to finsh, they provided me with a GREAT buying experience! My SE has the Elite Package, with Burnt Orange Leather! Beautiful!! My buddy with a S430 borrowed it for a couple of hours, and said "I got, more looks in your Max then I do in my Benz"! Hes not happy.LOL! I live in a resort city, and while cruising the strip, nearly every other car had a comment! And its quick!

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  love my Altima - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By leehighgrad - March 4 - 7:57 am

  I bought my car with about 162k miles and naw about to reach 200k and have thought about getting another car but never about getting rid of my Altima it is reliability fun to drive stylishly and it seem to have kept its value since every time I see one on a lot ist about the same price I paid for it i plane an having it for years to come

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  Love my ride - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Bobbi - March 3 - 8:47 pm

  This was my second Murano. Love driving it. Very comfortable car. Would buy another one.

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  Very disappointed - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Maxima Girl - March 3 - 9:30 am

  I have owned 4 Maximas and this is by far the worse one I have owned. I have replaced 2 sensors, the exhaust, the air flow meter, the signal light flashes very fast when you turn it on to make a left hand turn, and the leather on the drivers seat is cracking. And I have only owned the car for 3 1/2 months!

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  One of the better cars in its class - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By darthbimmer - March 3 - 7:12 am

  My company provided me this car when I was on assignment for a few months. I drove it 2500 miles. Its not the kind of car I would buy for myself (I owned a BMW M3 at the time) but its good for what it is: Its a large compact with room for 4. Its comfortable around town and on the open road. It has reasonable looks and a decent interior. Even with the 2.5 engine its got enough handling that a "car guy" like me wont lose his mind driving it. Friends who have young families or are empty-nesters said they might buy this car.

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  Great car! - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By evacman - March 2 - 8:44 am

  I like how smooth the ride is in this car. Also, compared to the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder I just traded in, this car is roomier inside. I look forward to seeing the types of gas mileage savings I will be able to realize. The 2012 Pathfinder was on a truck frame, but this is not and as a result, it is a sportier ride.

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  Very happy with the Exterra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard Gillis - March 2 - 2:26 am

  Fun to drive,good performance,extremely reliable,excellent service from dealer,gas mileage a little disappointing but would not trade it for performance. At this point I feel this vehicle will be with us a long time. I am anxious to see how it will hold up. My wife loves the styling and looks. I like it too. We purchased it for her. I have my own vehicle. I enjoy driving it because it has very responsive steering and acceleration. The engine has a good sound to it under acceleration. I would enjoy a stronger engine such as offered in the new one.

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  SE-R Spec V < the sum of its parts - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Brandon Apmann - March 2 - 1:06 am

  I purchased this car spanking new and enjoyed its strong engine with gobs of torque (for 2.5 liters), loved the limited slip differential, lots of grip from the tires and suspension. I was excited to finally own a new car I could pamper and keep minty fresh. Well, the honeymoon didnt last very long. From day one, literally, I kept fresh (every 3,000 miles) Mobil 1 oil in it, but despite my efforts, the car burnt more oil than any car Ive ever owned, 2quarts every oil change. Also at about 30k to 40K the car lost a lot of power, started blowing black smoke which made it impossible to keep the bumper clean. Also, the clear coat started to peel @ 50K, making the car quite ugly.

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  Great and Affordable - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By ctgomes - March 1 - 7:36 pm

  I recently purchased a 2015 Rogue SV with the premium package. The premium package is great and gives all the features I wanted without having to go up to the SL. The car drives great and has no issues through snow or cold so far. Every review I read said it had trouble getting uphill and passing on the highways, I have yet to experience any issue with this and I do a lot of highway and hill driving. It has tons of room for all types of passengers. So far I have fit 3 adult sized male passengers in the backseat without any problems. The power liftgate is amazingly convenient. Only drawbacks are that there is no remote start and you cannot pull up the wipers for snowy forecasts.