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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  OK - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By BeMore - May 18 - 3:36 am

  The ride is not as smooth as I thought it would be. The noise inside during riding is loud. Gas mileage is nothing to write home about.

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  Not a sports car-but okay - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By jeo - May 16 - 7:26 pm

  I have found ownership of my Altima having offsetting pluses & minuses. Yes its reliable and gas mileage around 25-28 mpg. But when parts wear out they are quite expensive. The seats are hard & uncomfortable, it has the turning radius of a truck, the stereo is no Bose.

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  2011 Silver Edition Pathfinder - 2011 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jtjnk - May 16 - 5:06 pm

  This is my 4th Pathfinder and my husband has an 06 Pathfinder SE. I traded in my 06 Sienna xle for the 11 Silver Edition. I wanted a 7 passenger 4x4. There are a lot of crossovers out there but I wanted a true 4x4 with the capacity to drive out of my driveway without me having to shovel, snow blow or plow it. I have 5 kids and I did have a Suburban but it was too big for everyday use for me, so back to the Pathfinder I went. The Pilot and the Durango were considered - Pilot was too plain inside and out and didnt seem as capable in the snow as a Pathfinder. The Durango was my second runner up but the Pathfinder was a better buy for the $$, reliability and 4x4 capability.

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  Exactly What I Expected - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Eric D - May 16 - 7:03 am

  The TV commercials are not the only good thing about the Nissan Maxima. This car is fast and fun to drive. The GLE model is loaded. The heated steering wheel with the Meridan package is a neat feature. The Xenon headlights are drastically better than convetional lights. With Nissan offering a $1000 cash back I got a great deal. I actually paid less than the TMV.

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  The Beast - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Elias60 - May 15 - 5:40 pm

  This truck has all the attributes I was looking for. It handles great, has great off the line acceleration. It has turn heads good looks, the drive train is very smooth for a truck. The interior is laid out very well, theres lots of room for 5 people. The gas milage is a little low to what I was expecting. The Brakes arent up to par to stop this big truck. This truck needs beefier brakes esspecially if your going to tow something.

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  Powerful - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JPham - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Bought this 2WD model used. V6 runs like a V8 and drinks fuel like it too. Pretty confortable and roomy too.

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  Raising the Bar - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Mr.E - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Three days/three hundred fifty miles and its exceeded expectations thus far. I purchased the leather even though the reviews were not favorable. I find the seats both supportive and comfortable. I did find a small screw pushing out from the side of the seat when I purchased. This was a little unnerving but I tested the seat thoroughly and have not had a problem. Gas mileage is what I expected. The steering wheel mounted controls/wireless headsets for the stereo and DVD have made driving more pleasant. Both family and friends have been impressed with the amount of room in the 2nd row. Acceleration and braking exceeded my high expectations.

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  The Mac Daddy of Family Cars - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By lghtskndymnla - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Nissan out did theirselves when the re- designed the Altima. The performance is excellent, Braking distance is outstanding, fuel economy could be better but is still better than that on the Accord. You get alot of great features for the money unlike Camry and Accord. This vehicle is fun to drive and can hold up to alot of daily driving abuse. THe only Problem I have is the shift boot that keeps coming aloose during swift shifting action.

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  Good, but needs design improvements - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By jkl458 - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Overall good car for the money, especially compared to others in class. Rides really well overall, but feels a little big around fast corners. Exterior design very nice, but interior needs improvement with materials, ie flimsy and too much plastic. Biggest issue is $8 headlight bulb burning out and not being able to fix it myself: Was quoted $120 by dealer because of labor involved. This is to fix a simple light bulb!

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  Nice, but always room for improvement - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By sfelten - May 15 - 10:00 am

  We bought our van one year ago and have 26000 miles on it. Overall it is fun to drive, very comfortable and really fits our lifestyle (2 kids, dog, active). Not so happy with the dealer, and when we bought the car (S model) they said we would be able to add a roof rack system later, as an accessory but this is in fact not true. We travel a lot and would never have bought the van if we knew it would never be available. Occasionally there seems to be wierd things going on with the transmission, the sliding doors rattle, the interior plastic trim is CHEAP and the air conditioner whistles on fan speed #2 (drives us crazy!) I also feel the paint is cheap.