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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  GREAT CAR - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By JacariG - June 8 - 7:26 pm

  The SE-R Altima is a great car. I bought it used with 54k miles. It runs and drives like a brand new car. The engine has lots of power and torque, its almost vibration-free at idle, and the fuel economy isnt too bad if you drive with a light foot. It also makes nice sounds when you give it the boot. Steering is good without being too light and the front sport seats are very supportive. The two-tone leather is a nice touch and the 3 Z-like gauges set the inside apart from other Altimas. The worst about this car is the too firm suspension. It literally crashes over bumps and you feel every ripple in the pavement. If you can live with that then this car will not let you down.

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever had - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By GKLCPA - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Up to this point, Ive never had any brand loyalty to any particular carm but that has changed with my purchase of a 1998 Maxima GLE. I have a 130 mile round trip daily commute and I wanted something reliable with power. The Maxima fits both bills more than adequately. For a car with so much power, its surprisingly miserly when it comes to fuel usage. I routinely get 26+ miles to the gallon. I am quite pleased with this purchase and will likely be a committed Maxima owner for years to come (although the new Infiniti G35 looks interesting as well!).

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  Best in its CLASS - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bhaveshandsonal - June 8 - 10:00 am

  This is the best SUV I test drove and bought. I tried various others like the rip off 4Runner - which has no power and the Grand Cherokee had no power either plus a bad consumer reliability report. The Pathfinder is awesome with a lot of power and great style plus a lot of fun to drive!!!

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  My second Max - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Martini421 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  We just got our second Maxima. WOW!! What improvements they have made since 2000. The 255hp realy moves. The Titanium Package adds many of the extras we wanted, we also opted for the Meridian and Traction Control. The only thing we diddnt get was the Nav System. I have to say that this car is the best value for your dollar in the performance luxury market. This car is awesome to drive.

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  Excellent - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Bobby McInnis - June 8 - 8:33 am

  Good on gas very comfortable.drives smooth.very quick in speed.Brakes well.Stereo sound very good.Moon roof is very nice to use.

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  Titan "a truck to contend with" - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By MARTIN E ALBARRAN - June 8 - 7:20 am

  When applying the brakes firmly at speeds of 60-75 and over mph i felt the vehicle and steering wheel shaking badly. I reported it to the dealer and they did a complete brake system repair without questions asked. Now they work perfect. I have the 2004 crew cab with the tow package, fosgate speaker system that sounds great and 18" rims. You may want to check nissans recall which there are a couple that apply to only a certain vehicle batch numbers.

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  Versatile Versa - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By MetallicMoment - June 7 - 11:30 pm

  Traded in my old 1995 Nissan 4X4 king cab for the 2009 Versa 1.6 L sedan with ABS and AC (cash for clunkers) The Versa is very comfortable, quiet, and very peppy on the road. Happy to have the AC and the ABS, no radio though. I got 400 miles on the 13.2 gallon fuel tank, not too shabby and that is with the AC on and in a lot of stop and go traffic. Looked at the Yaris but it was more expensive and not as comfortable or quiet and considerably less roomy. The Honda Fit was also less comfortable and less roomy plus more expensive. The Versa may not be flashy looking but it covers all the bases and then some.

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  Cant Stop Smiling! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By theojac - June 7 - 10:30 pm

  Just purchased a 2004 cherry red 350z with black drop top and black leather w/only 19000 miles...Ive read the other reviews and agree that it is such an enjoyable ride that you will find any excuse to drive it...and it is a head turner. This is like heaven on the eyes. I would put the design of this roadster up with any other sports car at any price...its just that beautiful!

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  A Nice SUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By drift2u - June 7 - 8:16 pm

  Just bought it and drove it home from the dealership. It has 56k on it. I really like how high you sit. I drove an Outlander (Mitsubishi, 4 cylinder, AWD) for years. What a difference the 6 cylinder makes, WOW! Love it! Trip computer shows an average of 19.8 mpg. Wondering what I will get on the hwy. I was only getting 22 with my previous car, so I am hopeful that this will get close to the same. I do a lot of hwy travel, so I may get a little better gas mileage!

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  2005 Xterra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Kent - June 7 - 12:23 pm

  Purchased a new left-over 2005 Xterra S two weeks ago. Was looking at the Liberty, but the Xterra has so many more features and rides much better, and got it for a slightly better price. The truck has a great stance - aggressive and stylish - and the dark black is an eye-catcher. Lots of compliments. Very comfortable inside and the truck just rides and feels solid. Just as fun as my 2001 Jetta. The seats are great and the 6 speed manual is german-car quality.