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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  Rocket Ship - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By pashey - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I have had two Maximas since 1990, the first one saved my life in an accident. It had 88K miles on it without a major repair. Its sister, nicknamed "the rocket ship" now has 174+k miles on it and I expect it to go to 250k, it still runs great. I love this car, no major repairs (just brakes, tires and the power steering belt). I dont think you could kill that engine if you wanted to.

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  Solid and Fun - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By TheTrev - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This is an older car, but there are no squeeks or rattles even after five years. The trim has held up extremely well (leather seats). It looks new on the inside. The car handles well for a family sedan and the engine is silky smooth and exciting. The fuel economy is bad - about 14mpg city. Part of the problem is my lead foot. Highway mileage is good at 29mpg. The real problem is that it requires premium fuel (92 octane or better). I will buy another maxima when this one gets tired.

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  Xstatic - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By SPJ - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Recently took my Xterra out to Death Valley and it performed great! Took it on an 86 mi. washboard dirt road over a mountain range and it performed like a winner! Plenty of power and torque at lower speeds and for towing. My Xterra has proven very reliable and I like its rugged good looks. Gas mileage could use a little boost as I am only averaging about 17 - 18MPG. I would consider buying another, but I think this ones going to be around for a while.

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  Not to Shabby - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JarHed - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Very happy with the overall performance of my P-finder. 6 disc indash player is great and fairly easy to operate. Stereo sounds great right from the factory. Plenty of power to spare. Only bads, head room. Im 63 and my head scrapes the top. When you really get on it, it doesnt know what gear to find.

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  murano pleases - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By zwanter - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Acceleration is smooth & effortless. It accelerates & revs with the amount of pressure you put on the pedal with no annoying shifts. Interior is very spacious and comfortable. The leather seats are buttery smooth, soft and cushy, yet enough firmness to prevent fatigue. The rear bottom seat cushions travel forward & back with the reclining of the seats for increased back passenger comfort. The look...impressive! When it drives down the road, it looks like art in motion. Ride & handling are smooth & quiet while also being precise & accurate. Fuel economy, first tank, 20.1mpg (Canadian) 16.7mpg(US Gallon)city.

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  drive it to believe it! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By camile - October 7 - 2:00 am

  My new nissan murano is more than expected! I chose this new vehilce over the lexus rx300 and the mercedes ml320. It is truly in the luxury class. The salesperson was so adamant about test driving it and once I drove it, everything he said about it was absolutely correct. Nissan has out done themselves with the Murano!

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  2001 XTERRA - I Like it! - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard C. - October 6 - 10:36 am

  Plain Macho SUV. No frills, just clean practical design. Very reliable so far. Substantial power with V6, but needs a 6th speed for overdrive. 3000 RPM at 65 is too costly with fuel. But around the city it is fun and peppy to drive. Good value for the buck overall. But wont impress those yuppie friends of yours, my kids really like it though. Hell with the yuppie SUVs, enjoy it yourself with your family and all their loaded gear. Id buy another new XTERRA if gas wasnt going up so much these days. RLC

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  Nice Exterior/Poor Quality - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jason - October 6 - 6:06 am

  Ive owned four Nissans in the last five years including a 99.5 Pathfinder SE 4WD, and went out immediately and bought the 2005 new body style when it came out. This SUV has a rugged, great looking exterior. However, the vehicle is plagued with quality issues. The fuel gauge is not working (bad fuel level sending unit). The CD player is not working. The rear driver passenger window is not working. Also, there are gaps in the upholstery where seems are not sewn together properly and foam is pushing through. All of these malfunctions hit right after the 36,000 warranty expired (if you get one, get the extended warranty). Also, dont expect any assistance from Nissan

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  Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Steph - October 6 - 5:06 am

  Love the car, never had any trouble from it. Had a variety of vechicles, must say without a doubt this is the best in preformance, make, you name it.

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  Great Value For The Money - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By AAJ - October 6 - 5:00 am

  Three days ago I bought a 1.8S special edition for only 11988 at a local dealer and so far its been a wonderful car. The drive is average to slightly above average for economy standards. With all the features I got such as a six cd changer and 9 speaker sound system with subwoofer it just seems like a too good to be true deal. Even though the sticker price was 16870 local dealers had it for 11988.Features on the car included the floor mats, splash gaurds, microfilter, 16" alloy wheels, spoiler, 300 watt sound system, keyless entry and even a leather wrapped steering wheel. To compare, it would take 6k more to have a civic with the same features(ex model) and 3k more for the Corolla LE.