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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  i love my maxima - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By evm912 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 1997 Nissan Maxima GLE almost 1 year ago and I am so happy with my decision. I had a 4 cylinder honda and the maxima is a 6, i will never go back to a 4 after this maxima. I purchased tme max with 38,000 miles, the car was like new. It runs amazing, drives very well, great acceleration and handling.I love everything about the car, the mechanics and also the interior... the leather, heated seats, moonroof, BOSE stereo (great quality sound system).

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  Reliable, fast, and clean SUV - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dr. Web - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall the Pathfinder was a good buy. Its strong, fast, and feels good to drive. The styling is a bit understated, and the extra exterior options (grillguard $399, skirack $100, rear wind buffer $78, taillight guards $168) can add up quick. Of these, the grillguard and the rear wind buffer add the most to the appearence of the vehicle. The main reasons I chose this vehicle over the other competitors (I had owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee) was the excellent reliability, and the lower price.

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  You get what You pay for - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Mr. Vern - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Actually, my Nissan is a 2002 purchased in oct 2002. So, 2 yrs and 5 months reveals much about the car, and that is; reliable, reliable, reliable. The 3.5 still provides a lot of giddyup. My 63" friend remarked that he had more than ample head and leg room in the rear seat ! The trunk is more than spacious and fuel economy is still exceptional. All, things being equal pricing beat out camry (significantly) in final decision to buy

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  2004 Altima SE 5 Speed - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By nosajc - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I got an 04 SE 5 speed with floormats as my only option. Great car, very fast, lots of room, and handles decently. Even the gas mileage hovers around 27-28 when commuting at 75mph, which I am more than happy with. True, Nissan cut some costs on the interior, especially the door panels, and there is a good amount of torque steer when you gun it from a stop, but the build quality is excellent and I am very pleased so far. If you are looking for a new fairly inexpensive sedan with a powerful, flexible, and extremely reliable V6 and dont need a bunch of extra options, this car is tough to beat.

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  love my car! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By ownerof my car - October 21 - 2:00 am

  best car I have ever owned....

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  1500 Miles problems already - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By minsane - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I have 1500 miles on my Murano and four problems already! A pillar is rattling, drivers seat shifts during acel/decel, gas door actuator buzzing, alignment off. Took it back to the dealer and they can only fix 2 of the four problems. Technical service bulltins were given to them and still they cant duplicate the problem. Nissan/Infiniti has lost a customer for life. This car has alot of stupid little problems.

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  THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN.....THE WORST - 2015 Nissan NV200
  By Robb G - October 20 - 9:29 pm

  This van does not belong on the road and Nissan should be ashamed of them selves for putting it on the road. I have 12,000 miles on mine and have hated every mile. Its so slow, tires are garbage(way to small for highway travel)...need new tires at 12,000 miles(worn out already), VERY unstable at highway speeds...anything over 60MPH you better hang on for your life. The back door is already off alignment(doesnt close right). The transmission is dull....you cant get out of your own way...forget about passing anyone. The engine light came on at 7 miles on the odometer....the fuel mileage sucks!! I can go on and on....FYI....its a company vehicle not my own

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  Great Car - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By kenny - October 20 - 6:16 pm

  Before I bought it, I shopped hard and the negative things I read about gas mileage scared me but still bought one. Well, the mileage is very good for the size of the car and it comes down to how you drive. If you use cruise control and drive the speed limit, I get 25-28 hwy. miles.I dont do much city driving so I dont know what I would get but I am happy with this car overall. Lots of go if you want it. I have just over 12,000 miles on it since May 2008.

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  DONT EVER BUY A VERSA! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By horriableversa - October 20 - 6:06 pm

  My mom got this car brand new in 2007 with less than 20 miles on it. I got the car when I was 16. It was an ok car at first than my mom hit a tire busted the oil pan and transmission pan. After that I lost two hub caps, my key was stuck in the ignition, my front bumper had fallen off numerous of times. Its made of pure plastic I will say that much. The 3 button on the radio fell off, my dash got stuck shut, the car sucks in the rain, it eats tires on the front two, sucks gas, you need to change the oil more often than usual. Some guy backed into my front end the other week tore it plum off. insurance says their is no way the car was in park, I would say more but their is not enough room!

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  Car of my Dreams - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By Wareagle - October 20 - 10:00 am

  A great road car, just running through the five speed gear box just makes you think of Le Mans. I hate to sell this car of my dreams, but health conditions will not allow me to drive in the future. Whomever buys this car complete with a bumper to bumper warranty to 84000 miles. It was the car of my dreams!!!!