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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  Excellent Choice - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By APMX - December 7 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Pathfinder in January 02, and have had no problems. Fit and finish top notch. Great stereo. Love those steering wheel controls.

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  Not so sporty - 2011 Nissan Maxima
  By James Mitchell - December 6 - 9:20 pm

  This is a decent all round car which Nisson likes to advertise as sporty. The styling is so/so but the thing that really holds it back is the dreaded continuously variable transmission (CVT) While having just shy of 300 horses the car is a major dog off the line. The CVT makes a loud howling sound but it lacks the snap of a normal tranny. Additionally, handling is mediocore at best. I only kept the car through 20,000 miles but had no mechanical problems.

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  Cant beat it with a stick - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By Roy Yeager - December 4 - 6:13 am

  We bought this car new in 1997. It is a 5 speed with the 1.6 engine. 203,000 miles later it is still a good solid car that has had nothing but normal wear repairs for a car with this many miles. After it hit 170,000 I have replaced 1 starter, EGR valve, oxygen sensor and driver side axle. It developed a main seal leak at 180,000 which I havent fixed yet but will. With that done I would drive it cross country. Still has the original clutch. 38 MPG average and 42 MPG on the interstate running 75 to 80. Its part of the family.

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  not too bad - 1999 Nissan Frontier
  By brooks - December 3 - 10:00 am

  Good little truck, outstanding offroad performance. Have no problem hanging with the lifted trucks. The truck feels solid in everything I do. Interior is a little dull but the ergos are outstanding and suspension sags a lot with a little load however that may be due to the off road package. The horsepower is down compared to the competition however the torque and short gearing make up for it. Pulls a load(engine wise) like a big truck. Not a good highway vehicle. I drove mine from PA to Alaska in just 5 days and didnt have any problems, and the seats provide great support, however the truck runs at very high rpm at highway speeds.

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  Die Hard Nissan Lover - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By SkyRockerr - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I had a 1994 Nissan Maxima , After owning that maxima, i waited 2 years to save up and buy my 2002 nissan maxima se , need less to say, overall performance is good, but i was not impressed. Its going to cost me more money to address the car to my standing, by lowering it, adding aftermarket suspension, already bought aftermarket falken ze 512 tires, installed a strut bar front, rear and upgrading music, all that money spent, i should of considered a 2002/2003 Acura TL / BMW , after having honda for 1 year and driving it like hell i am impressed with honda .. i use to love nissan, but with the HID Theft issues and this hunk of junk.

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  Excellent value for the money - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By kk16 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I like this small car. It is surprisingly powerful and gets up to highway speeds quickly enough. The front is roomy enough. Im 62" 200lbs and it is comfortable to ride it. My only disappointment has been with the gas mileage. I drive a lot of highway and the best Ive ever done is slightly over 30. Usual is 28 or so I think the mileage suffers more than most cars at speeds above 55 and for cold temperatures. The AC is also good for a small car. Overall it was a good purchase. Ive never owned a Toyota or Honda, so I dont know if they would be worth the extra money. For me, I cant imagine they would.

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  Best Nissan I ever owned! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Mav63 - December 1 - 6:40 am

  Ive had the X for 4 years now and couldnt be more pleased with it. The seats are very comfortable on long drives. The Supercharger gives it enough oomph to push you back in your seat. The paint has held up extremely well. People who have driven it are surprised on how nice it handles and how straight it drives. It is a bit rough, but what do you expect? I havent had any problems mechanically. I replaced the stock stereo with aftermarket since stock sounds, well, stock! I take it in for service religiously and the service dept is always surprised how clean and new it still looks. I detail it A LOT! Just like they say, "everything you need, nothing you dont!"

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  Reliable - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Xy San - December 1 - 6:25 am

  Got this car from my mom in 2013 with 120,000 miles. She purchased this brand new in 2005. it now has 180,000 miles on it. I drive so far to and from work everyday. Still running great and only had to do maintenance. Didnt have to replace anything prematurely.

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  Super - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By sil - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Reliability is amazing, +130,000km, without a problem, truck needs more HP and torque. There is just not enough power behind the wheel.

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  Super - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Sil - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Reliability is amazing, +130,000km, without a problem, truck needs more HP and torque. There is just not enough power behind the wheel.