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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  Man I love these cars! - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Daniel Richardson - July 22 - 7:26 pm

  I have always loved the Maxima. Ever since I was 16 and got my first 85. This car is great at handling, quick accleration, instant throttle response, great braking system, transmission shifts seamlessly. Plenty of leg in the back. Four doors makes it family but the rest of the car makes is sporty and a blast to drive. I love this thing and I jump out of bed so I can drive it to work and hate when I pull in at home cause I have to turn it off. I just love this thing and I dont know what more I can say.

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  That engine... the only reason I bought it. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By booth1986 - July 22 - 8:35 am

  The engine in this thing ... dayyum! It was a very fast car! It was also superbly comfortable on long drives, and did surprisingly well on gas. I bought this used for a really good price. I was disappointed however in the transmission failures and overall build quality. The car was in good shape but felt like it was 10 years older than it was.

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  I love my " X" - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By ethanjenher - July 22 - 2:53 am

  I love my "x". i will continue to buy an x-terra for as long as they make them. I am going on 40,xxx and it is still the best choice I made. Even with gas prices jumping i will take out a loan to cont. driving my "x".

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  Truly Dissappointed - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By bigmixx - July 22 - 1:36 am

  I bought an 05 SE in Jan and now 8 mon. later Im looking to get rid of it. The build quality of this car is horrible. Im getting a clucking noise in the front everytime I take off, stop or turn. Dealer says they cant duplicate it but I hear it all the time. Entire dash squeaks, rattles, & cracks everytime the weight of the car shifts. Dealer wants to charge me to fix this as "adjustments" arent covered under warranty after 12,000 mi. Theres a vibration in the tranny when I shift from reverse to drive that the dealer says is normal (yeah right). Rotors have warped 3 times within 16,000 mi. wheel shimmies at 60 mph. Im in the process now of trading it in on an 07 Camry.

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  Never Again - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DL - July 21 - 8:56 pm

  Various sensors always seem to be burning out, especially O2 sensors. Ive gone thru 5 in the last 2 years. I also had the CD changer replaced 4 times. If youre going to buy one of these get the extended warranty! I wish I had splurged and bought the MDX. At 35,000 I got backed into by a dump truck and it has never ridden right since. Cant really blame the vehicle for this, but after 8 trips you would think the dealer could fix the horrible vibration. Ill keep this as a beater and buy a fun car to drive.

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  Love This Car!! - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By MD - July 21 - 3:40 pm

  This car is the best...I love it!! Sporty looks, nice colors to choose from, love the keyless entry/start, storage, cup holders, auto windows up/down & more, the 4 cyl has plenty of pep and I feel like I have a little bit of a luxury vehicle but at a great price! I compared to Honda Accord but it was kind of boring...I just kept thinkin about the Altima and Im so happy I went with my gut feeling and chose this over the Honda. I have a child so needed a sedan for practical reasons, but I still wanted something a lil sporty too and this is it..the two pipes out the back add to the fun look and I got the rear spoiler which is nice. Only wish I could get the fog lights.

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  the best - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By carguel - July 21 - 10:00 am

  The Nissan Maxima is an awesome car and cant be beat for the price. My car came loaded with all the features you would expect from a luxury car except the price. The BOse sound system is second to none. I even prefer it to the Mark Levinson on the new Lexus. For a reliable car that is fun to drive the Maxima is the perfect choice.

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  Nissan Pathfinder has faulty clutches. - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Greg Sippel - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Having owned this Pathfinder for the past 4+ years, weve put 4 clutches into it and the dealership insist that driver-error is to blame. This is the far from the truth. Also Pathfinder has a tendancy to rock over 55 mph. Dealer claims the tire wear is to blame. I have difficult time believing their solution.

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  stuck in the middle again - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PhilG - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This is the best riding of all mid? size SUVs. Handles fair, plenty of power, and very comfortable seating. Short on luggage capacity, and light on build quality, it is nonetheless the best of a dying breed of 5 passenger (really 4) SUVs. Transmission and window operation are its biggest quirks. The Automatic likes to upshift at inapropriat times and in my estimation is dangerous.

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  My dream car! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By jemathew - July 21 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! Its stylish, zippy, yet larger than the average sports car. Theres plenty of room for 4 (or even 5) adults -- lots of legroom in the backseat. The trunk is huge, the interior is beautiful. It gets pretty good gas mileage for a car its size (I probably drive 60% city/ 40% highway on average and get about 23 mpg). And its so much fun to drive!