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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  Good car, not quite a great car. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By NW Driver - December 9 - 7:00 pm

  The 04 is the 3rd Maxima Ive owned (95 GXE &99 GLE previously). The redesign caught my eye as Nissan really upgraded from the previous bland edition. Looked initially at the SL model, but the handling of the SE sold me. It took me awhile to get used to the firmer feel, but when you can get it on the highway, it rides very smooth. The brushed aluminum vs. the wood grain on the inside took some getting used to, but now I really like it. Have gotten several positive comments from passengers and others about the overall look of the car.

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  I love it all but the gas milage - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bamccargo - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I love it all but the gas milage

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  Armada anomaly - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Allen_Crabtree - December 9 - 10:00 am

  Let me start by stating that I could not have found a better dealership from which to purchase my Armada. Bachman-Bernard in Greeneville, TN is worth your drive. I LOVE my Armada but unfortunately within the first 3 months the front passengers seat broke 3 times, the drivers window quit working, and an odd clicking sound coming from the rear hub turned out to be a miss-drilled brake rotor. It took 30 days to finally repair the passengers seat apparently due to availability of parts. After getting my Armada back, I had one blissful day before the passengers window started to malfunction the same way the drivers window did previously.

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  perfect - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By jjtubs - December 9 - 10:00 am

  perfect suv for any family. gas prices over two dollars a gallon sucks it really good...oh well, no price is too high for saftey.

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  Watch the Navi System! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Dirtdude - December 9 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I have really enjoyed this car, however, I have had the entire navigation system replaced not once, but twice, in 10 months. They cant tell me why it keeps going out, but said they cant find anything (a short) on the car itself to cause the problem. The car drives great, the sound system is great and I really like the transmission... no "jerking" as it changes gears. Gas mileage has been pretty good (compared to some reviews Ive seen) about 20-21.

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  One Happy Titan Owner - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Donnie - December 8 - 11:00 pm

  Not being a " jump into a purchase " type of person, I bought the Titan. I smile every time i drive it. Sure the mileage could be better, but the experience of driving it makes up for it. Not your average truck, ask anyone that has driven one .Satisfied !

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  Nice but.... - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By Idlejunk - December 8 - 4:36 pm

  This truck is an average truck with good in-your-face, like it or leave it styling. The average comments come from the following: Bad Stuff: 1) Underpowered for towing / hauling (yes - even with the supercharged engine) 2) Sloppy transmission with poor ratios for towing / hauling 3) Horrifing gas milage for a small truck! (14.5 MPG city - 14.5 MPG highway) 4) Exhaust Header that cracks about every 40K miles (has been covered under warranty) 5) Finicky about fuel - requires 93 octane to avoid knocking and supercharger cut-outs. 6) Steering Effort is High Good Stuff: 7) Off-Road Capabilities 8) Seats - very comfortable (leather) 9) Dash Layout - easy to navigate with gloves LOOKS!

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  Great Looks - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Sanaa - December 8 - 2:13 pm

  I love the style and the performance. It also feels much smaller behind the wheels. This SUV drives like a car and very stable on the freeway. It currently has 16,000 miles and has been serviced 4 times total (3 times for the breaks, where the rotor had to be replaced or shaved). My husband is 65" and he loves the car, except for the lumbar support comfort and the overall quality of the leather, fabric,plastic and paint.

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  Great 4x4, horrible gas mileage. - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Michael K - December 8 - 7:23 am

  Wow, the gas mileage is horrible. First fill up was 16 mpg and second was 14 mpg. I could get the same in a full size truck. Other than that the suv rides well and for my purposes has plenty of interior room. Driven off road only once so far, but will put it to the test when the snow comes. Does well off road. Very quiet interior, but yes there is some squeaks now and then from the cheap plastic interior. Has decent power to get up the hills, but could use more. Clock could be brighter for use in the day. Over all a great suv, but you would expect it would get better mpg with a 3.3 L motor. Thought it should get around 18-21 mpg hyw. If you can afford the gas buy one.

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  Good SUV for the money - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PLC - December 7 - 10:06 am

  Purchased in May of 05. Horrible experience with Tom Peacock Nissan in Houston. Vehicle is great, however, no mechanical problems whatsoever, great power, fun to drive, handling is superior. Few minor issues that others have mentioned - interior plastic scuffs/scratches very easily, and there are a few rattles/squeaks that have shown up in the first 7k miles. Hopefully these will diminish as the car gets older. I bought the Nissan hoping for a long lasting quality vehicle that can hold its own off the beaten path. Added the running boards myself for only $200 or so. Cant really complain about the gas mileage, as it has 270 horses, and Im coming from a Ford F-150.