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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  Awesome - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By William - November 24 - 8:43 pm

  I traded in my 2005 Toyota camry because I got a better deal and I must say WOW. This car is a blast to drive. I really opened it up the other day and that 2.5 liter engine really packs some power. It performs just like a v6. Im getting 26mpg right now with everyday driving. The Altima is bigger and faster then my camry was and still has a good reliability record. Reliability is the key point I look for when purchasing a car. Now I have a sports sedan with the reliability of a Honda or Toyota.

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  A fine, reliable car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By dinoman - November 24 - 7:33 pm

  Bought the car new for its huge interior and exciting acceleration. It won out over the current Accord (much smaller interior, bland) and Camry (boring, slow, awful brake feel). Have had to replace the hood prop rod catch and took it to dealer for drive belt squeal when started cold. That is it. Pretty good for 92,000 miles and eight years!

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  Disappointed - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Disappointed - November 24 - 4:46 pm

  I have just over 99,000 miles on my Xterra, and I have already had to replace a cracked exhaust manifold and the supercharger. Now I am being told that the head gasket is leaking. I love the styling and capability of the Xterra, but I have been very disappointed by the reliability. I dont know if the 3.3 liter engine was not properly designed for the stresses associated with the supercharger, but it has definitely not lived up to my expectations.

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  Just a fun car - 2010 Nissan 370Z
  By Peter - November 24 - 4:40 pm

  I grew up in Germany, last car I had there was a 325i Coupe, manual, and loved it, but have stopped searching for the bang for the buck that BMW used to have in the 80s. Reliability has been questionable - my mechanic loves the 2000+ 3 series. :-) I was going to buy a 2003Z new when they came out, but due to kids almost got me an Infiniti G35 6MT, drove home with a 2003 M45, which I love and still have. Kids are grown up, and the 2010 Z 6speed with performance package in black/black is in the garage. I love this car. I looked at a 335i Coupe 6sp manual as well, very nice, but wasnt that impressed, especially when considering the price differential...

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  FIrst time Nissan owner - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Jozeph1074 - November 24 - 1:56 pm

  Being my first time as with a Nissan, I have been brand loyal to Toyota for over 15 yrs. But comparing what the 04 Maxima had to offer over the Camry at what I consider equal build quality, it was no comparison. The six speed transmission mated with the smooth 265HP V6 is just a example of how Nissan is listening to the market. Horsepower wars are back with all brands and Nissan has shown they are not going to be left behind.

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  first opinion - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By wrench1 - November 24 - 6:50 am

  Car drove terrific, was hard to keep it at 70 MPH. 2.5 Engine also got 30 mpg during break-in. This is my 5th Nissan product, first car. Had 1 pathfinder, 1 frontier, 2 xterras. I purchased the vehicle with the replaced engine and extended warranty.more rebate. This car is fun to drive everyday to work and pleasant to look at. I have a lot of options that enhance the appaerance like woodgrain interior, rear spoiler,Billet grille,Spec Edition pkg etc.

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  decent - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By atorreon - November 24 - 12:59 am

  decent car....got one with all the toys. the oem tires suck in the winter and the car never got better than 17mpg. options and car build were great though. lots of comfor and decent performance

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  Third Times the Charm - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By shk1123 - November 23 - 9:00 pm

  This is my third Maxima, and the 2007 model is by far the nicest, most exciting model ever produced. The CVT (whose effect does not change even when using the manual option of the automatic transmission) is a great option, and I think provides more consistent power. It looks quite a bit like the Lexus on the outside, but not close on the inside, and performance is not markedly different from what I could tell. Price is. A great car, as Maximas have long tended to be.

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  Not happy with Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By ch - November 23 - 11:56 am

  This Nissan will probably be our last. We have had 4 sensors go out, the shifter assembly went out and needed to be replaced, the brake rotors were warped when we picked the car up new from the dealer. This car has been nothing but problems.

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Eyo - November 23 - 9:46 am

  I love the car. really reliable. Great design, nice interior, and fun to drive.