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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  Fantastic First Car! - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Shea - March 19 - 10:00 am

  My great uncle sold this car to me cheap soon after I got my license last December. Now, it was in great condition mostly thanks to my uncle treating it like his firstborn son since he bought it in 97, but what a great car he chose! Ive had it for almost a year and its required shockingly little maintenance for a 13-year-old car. 130,000 miles hasnt slowed it down a bit. It drives great, even in bad storms and intense heat. My parents and I feel safe knowing that I have a sturdy reliable car to get around with. I was definitely dealt a good hand with my first car compared to some clunkers my friends were landed with. My compliments to Nissan, this suckers going to last me for years.

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  Fun car to drive, with caveats - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By 350Z - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive on back roads, esp. along the Calif coastline. Just be aware of maint costs. I drive it easy, only 7K a year, and still replaced 6 tires, tranny, the top, clutch pedal, clutch and flywheel. Clutch chatter is embarrassing! But, she has power and hugs the roads nicely. Stops on a dime and accelerates briskly. I think the traction control is about to go--what happened to Japanese engineering? Oh and subwoofer failed twice (note I owned 2 other Nissans but not sports cars and loved them)

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  Great SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By A Fox - March 18 - 1:30 pm

  Ive had this 2 years. The main pros are the excellent comfort, handling and reliability. It handles like a car, or the 4-runner. Checked out the Explorer, and this feels a lot safer cornering. Looks are very good, the Bose Sound system is excellent and it never has any issues. Mileage is average at 17 MPG for me. It has plenty power for overtaking, and is always just big enough to fit bikes, and camping gear or furniture. Overall - My only complaint is the gas mileage, which has improved on the newer model. This is a great SUV, and a lot better value than the 4-runner which enjoys somewhat of a cult status. Well worth the money.

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  Love it so far - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Matt - March 18 - 3:03 am

  I am really enjoying my 2.0SL. The car is surprisingly large inside and everything is well laid out. My previous car was an Accord, and the fit and finish on the Nissan are just not up to that standard, but the Sentra is lower on the scale than an Accord. Even though, I really love the styling, how high-up it sits, how quiet the engine is, the regular stereo sounds great and overall I am really enjoying it.

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  COULD BE BETTER. - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By carlo - March 18 - 2:03 am

  This Model has a very nice body style. Priced right and fun to drive. Until you make turns, when i make left or right turns into a small dip or driveway at speeds of no more then 2 mph. The struts make a ugly sound they dont take the impact at all. I went back to the dealer 3 times , a rep from Nissan took a look at it. For their fix they went to Home Depot brought a clear PVC tubing and weaved it through the struts to help with the bang. I still here the bang, and this is the best they can do after 35K.

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  Sexy and sleek, but a little noisy - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - March 16 - 3:13 am

  Overall this is my favorite car out of 12 that I have owned. I was immediately drawn to the power that comes from the amazing 3.5V6 in this car. My car has over 125K miles on it and the engine still purrs. My gripes have been with the build quality of the exhaust system. The flanges between the midpipe and the muffler have rusted and snapped TWICE. Ive lowered the car and redone the suspension and although its a little stiffer, this car is connected to the road better than ever before. Fuel economy is GREATLY improved now, I average about 50/50 highway city and get 25+ mpg most of the time on 87 octane.

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  love it / hate it - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Amy - March 15 - 10:30 pm

  I still love the look of this vehicle, the comfort and the ride (when it is working properly) However, I have had to replace the entire exhaust system, 2 wheel bearings, numerous tie rod ends, breaks, calipers and discs, VDC sensor at over $300, and I cant even remember all the other things. Now I have a broken drivers seat, rear wiper motor died, and another tie rod end. This is over $1,000. Not to mention the tires are replaced every year at a cost of $1,000. It is at the dealers every month minimum of $500 every time and I am sick of it!

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  the good, the bad and a little ugly - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By spudskier - March 15 - 2:50 am

  My 2001 Nissan Maxima is more fun than any other sedan out there. I didnt want what everyone else had, and this car is very different. Having said this, it has a poor steering radius, mediocre fuel economy, pthe aint chips easily on front. On the plus side, the car has good power and handling, ground clearance, a smooth ride, It is biga nd hard to maneuver, which is bad for downtown or tight areas. Overall the Maxima is a food family car. It is very safe and has lots of safety features.

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  2003 Nissan Maxima SE - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By beegowl - March 15 - 2:00 am

  Traded my 93 Z for the 2003 Maxima. Better mileage, more room, same power, not as much fun to drive by a long shot, but so much more practical. Long trips are comfortable. Plenty of room for my 6 ft 2 in frame. Seat could go back a bit more. Dont like the spoiler, its a dirt catcher and totally useless. Why do they make them for passenger vehicles? Bose system sounds fine. Can carry on a normal conversation during highway driving, the cabin is quiet. Plenty of trunk room. Rear seat folds down for a bit more room. Plenty of power for onramp merges and passing in a hurry. NOT a sports sedan, however, though it handles just fine. No problems so far.

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  hagar 1 - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By hagar - March 15 - 2:00 am

  The ride, all roads,great and contrary to other notes read here steering is better than great. Gas mileage: 18 to 20 I understand very good I feel it should get more.