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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  Dont Mind Making the Payment - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By flowerlover3 - September 18 - 3:19 pm

  Other than the battery issue we had to begin with, the van has been great. It feels like a Mercedes inside, nice and cushy, and drives like a luxury sedan. It doesnt hurt that I got a great deal on a left-over 2011.

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  My Last Maxima - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By kempro - September 18 - 12:16 pm

  After owning 5 Maximas (1990, 1991, 2001, 2003, and 2006) I am sadly looking in other directions. I have loved every aspect of the previous models but the 2006 has put me off. My favorite aspect of the Maxima was the joy in driving it. Its fast and responsive and fun to drive. Unfortunately, the build quality of the 06 is very poor. I had to replace tires at 36000 miles, battery at 46000, brakes and rotors at 50,000, headlight ($285) at 51000, and the top of the adjustable arm rest came off which the dealer wanted $485 to replace. All of these problems are common as I have a friend who also owns an 06 and has had similar repairs.

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  Nissan Maxima - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By timee - September 18 - 10:00 am

  have 200,000 and it runs great.....never have had a major problem

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  Good Stuff - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By ktklev - September 18 - 10:00 am

  This car is reliable, quiet, and handles well. A little pricey, but then again you get what you pay for. Love all the options. Ive got em all. Heated seats, roof, BOSE, leather, etc..

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  Not a TL, but good - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By G. Charles - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Comfortable, fast, handles well; whar more ciould I want?

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  First Car - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By ccallaghan - September 17 - 6:03 am

  I bought this car in August 2012 with 96,000kms, and I had it until September 2014 at 123,000kms when it was stolen and totalled. This is one of the best first cars ever. Not enough power to kill anyone but I was able to get my first speeding ticket in this beauty. She handles with ease, transports my friends no problems at all, and can transport all my camping gear. I wish she never got stolen but time to move on sadly enough.

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  Nissan Rogue S with 360 package - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By jimmy - September 15 - 7:00 pm

  Have had the car only a week but love it so far. The variable transmission is just great. The ride is quite and comfortable.The car came with 48 lbs of air in the tires and after I adjusted them to the recommended 33 lbs the car seems to ride even smoother. The backup camera is a nice feature but is very wide angle and things seem very far away when actually they are close. You have to use common sense and not rely on just the camera when backing. Some little things that I did not realize when purchasing the car was no front bumper and the gas fill is on the right passenger side and has no lock on fuel door. I am afraid of the damage if I hit something with the no bumper front end.

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  What a great little ride! - 2011 Nissan Cube
  By cubedriver - September 15 - 1:28 pm

  We just got our cube a couple of weeks ago. We could not possibly be more pleased. For the price, this is the best car on the market. If you can live with the styling, you get so much comfort, ease of access, mpg, and functionality in a well-designed package.

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  28,000 MISTAKE - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By in2tv - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I beleive I made a 28,000.00 mistake. After test driving the truck on a smooth highway, I decided, well it a little stiff but power makes up for it. But now I am driving it everyday on the 10 FWY in the San Gabriel Valley and I am practically being tossed out of my seat. The ride is extremely rough and harsh. Yes I have already checked the tire pressure!!

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  One thing after another - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By OneThingAfterAnother - September 15 - 7:00 am

  Problems encountered since purchase: 1) ABS actuator failed at 28,000kms 2) Alternator failed at just over 60,000kms 3) Wiper motor failed 69,000kms 4) Electronic fuel gauge and odometer sometimes becomes faint to the point where it is not legible