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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  SE-R Spec V - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By JCave126 - August 5 - 1:20 am

  I bought the SE-R Spec V over the 2.0 due to the performance and interior styling of the car. Unlike the base model Sentra, it has ABS, remote entry, height adjustable seats, and who can complain about the 200 horsepower stock coming from the QR25DE. Not to mention 26 MPG city and 33 highway.

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  Dont mess with Titan - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Byron - August 4 - 10:30 pm

  Wow! Awesome truck! Blows away Ford, Chevy and Dodge. Handles like a sports car and has more than enough power. Love getting this truck on the open highway. Cruise at 85 miles an hour and only running 2000 rpm! Smooth and solid ride, quiet interior with nice V8 rumble. Interior well thought out and comfortable. No rattles or vibration at all. Plenty of room inside. Nissan did a great job with this truck. They have exceeded my expectations for a pickup. Very pleased thus far with purchase. Love watching the competition trying to catch me!

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  Love the Car - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Larry - August 4 - 10:23 pm

  Superior acceleration, ride. Real highway cruiser in the best sense of the term. Drivetrain is a pleasure (world class VQ + new CVT = even better). The breaking in process gives me an excuse to modify acceleration, but I think Ill be doing it just for fun for a long time (swoops up nicely from 50-80+ without effort). The CVT, in my humble opinion, gives this car a performance advantage, as well as a nice aesthetic. Speaking of aesthetics, this Nissan provides what is too lacking in most competitors: an actually good looking car that you can connect to on an emotional level, in addition to being a fine machine. The 07 interior much better than 06.

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  Recommend it to Everyone - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Kelly - August 4 - 8:50 pm

  I love my Nissan Rogue. Its a great sporty car, that has plenty of room for me and all of my friends, but it definitely isnt a gas guzzler. It drives nice, looks great and gets great gas mileage. In my opinion it is definitely the best crossover that I test drove and Im so glad I decided on the Rogue. I was concerned that it was only a 4 cylinder but it has great pick up and I dont miss my old V6 one bit. I would recommend this car to everyone, its fantastic!

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  love it - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By pordy - August 4 - 10:00 am

  I wanted a mid-size 4-door, manual transmission vehicle with lots of options- there are no alternatives even close to the Maxima in this price range (~$16 - $18K in 2004). Car is comfortable, fast, large, loaded with options, and comes with Nissans rock solid reliablity. I drove a 4-dr G35 with a manual that felt confined and the interior looked/felt cheap.

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  Maxima WOW!!! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By lockja - August 4 - 10:00 am

  My wife wanted to look at the maxima, but I was leaning towards honda. I got in to test drive and was impressed. After I stomped on it a little bit... I fell in love!!! What an engine!!! You sneeze on the gas pedal and it jumps!!! My parents just bought a new 04 Lexus and they are even jealous. I promise... you cant go wrong with this years Maxima!

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  Great car - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By iog - August 3 - 1:36 am

  Love my Nissy. I did not have with it any troubles at all.

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  2006 Nissan Altima 2.5S - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Joe - August 3 - 1:03 am

  The car has been very good so far. We purchased the Special Edition which has power drivers seat and steering wheel controlls. The ride is almost sporty with a firm suspension that will jostle you on bumpy roads. We traded in an Avalanche to get a car with good gas mileage, no complaints this far. No mileage data yet, as engine is barely broken in. Should be updating this posting in a few months to include actual mileage. The back seat is very large for such a small car. The black dashboard really cuts down on glare from the sun. Interior storage compartments are cavernous. Overall fit and finish is excellent. Great car that is fun to drive. Hope to keep it a long time.

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  Pathfinder 2000 SE 4X4 - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Sonani Onassis - August 1 - 2:00 am

  I have loved my Pathfiner ever since I bought it. If you dont like powerful, fast engines, pathfinders (2000 model and below) are excellent SUVs, very reliable. I feel safe and secure in them no matter what the weather conditions, though in slippery snowy and icy conditions, pathfinders have a lot of limitations when engaging 4X4, especially in turns and uphill.

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  2003 Maxima - THE GREATEST EVER !!! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By sillysal - August 1 - 2:00 am

  Have owned 4 previous Nissan/Datsun products. This is the Best Ever!!! Fun, comfortable, spacious, and lots of power. Carried three grand children (one in a car seat) in the back with no problem. Good trunk size. Fair highway miles of about 25.5 on a 600 mile trip. Conveneint controls while driving. Have had great luck with previous products, Datsun 210 (15yrs 235,000mi), a 300ZX (Used-drove 5 yrs 160,000mi), King Cab Long Bed Pickup (18yrs 175,000mi), and currently own a Pathfinder (3yrs 70,000mi). All great. Expect great future performance with my new Maxima too.