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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  Sell before 160K - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By achy braky car - June 16 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I have been very happy with my Maxima. In recent times, however, it has been a disapointment. Once it reached 160000 miles, everything seemed programmed to break. In a two month period of time, I have had to replace the calipers, rotors, struts, strut mounts, coil springs, battery, tires, front and rear axles and catalytic converter. The only thing that remains unfixed is the engine and the transmission. Before this time, I was generally fine with replacing worn out struts every 15K miles, but now at 165K the brakes and struts are going again.

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  great car! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By sooner12 - June 16 - 2:00 am

  great all around car, ill probably buy another altima when i am ready to purchase another car.

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  Add this SUV to your list - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By chuntmd - June 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought this SUV for trips in and out of state. In three weeks we have put on 1600+ miles. The Armada is very comfortable and easy to drive on long trips. Will be towing w/car trailer and Jeep in April

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  nissan x trail - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By buddie - June 16 - 2:00 am

  nissan xtrail 2.5 litres petrol is a faultless machine and has given me no trouble. Ihave driven it non stop for 500 km on a very hot day 100 degrees and arrived home and the engine was purring like a pussy cat. An excellant small 4x4.

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  GR8 Dive - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By happymom - June 16 - 2:00 am

  After a 12 months and 12K miles, this SUV contiues to delight my family. Its been absolutely reliable. The ride is firm and sporty, high seating postion offers good sight line for easy manuvering on the freeway. Ample ground clearance takes the worry out of exploring that dirt lane or that rough pavement, yet step in height is easy. The seating and interior space are very comfortable, and the leg room in back is surprising. The Murano is bigger on the inside than it looks. The kids dont get cramped on long car rides and there is even room for the dogs in the back. Speed, handling, looks, creature comforts and carrying capacity, this SUV is very versatile.

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  Love this Quest! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By framedcraig1 - June 16 - 2:00 am

  We have just purchased our fifth Quest. This one is amazing. The last one we owned (2000) was a little dissapointing compared to the previous models, But Nissan got this one perfect.Drives like a dream and the styling is a knockout. My wife drives it most of the time, and I drive a 2002 Honda SI. I am always surprised to get as many "looks" in the Quest as I do in the SI. If youre thinking van...check this one out. If youre thinking suv.... check this van out!

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  Not refined - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By rjenk - June 16 - 12:40 am

  Went from a Chrysler T&C to the Quest. Overall, the T&C was a much better vehicle. The Quest is nice but there are too many rattles and interior noise. There have been several problems with noisy rear doors and several other minor problems. While the Quest is visually striking, once you get past the looks and put it on the road you find out there needs to be more there than just looks. It just needs to be refined. It should not rattle like a panel van when driving. Also have issues with the armrest...if you sit with the seat fairly straight up, the armrest is angled downward and is useless. There is also window glare from the angle of the dash. Will be trading it for another T&C.

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  Excellent !!!! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Malyadri Suram - June 15 - 6:43 pm

  I am driving 2007 Altima 2.5SL and feel excellent to drive. It is packed with all the features.

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  Tough rig - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By swmiller - June 15 - 3:50 pm

  I drive my cars til they die. Im 50 years old and this is my favorite vehicle. Whether driving around town, going skiing or heading out camping this is the best rig. Of course I wish it got 25 MPG, but Ill settle for 19- 20. Seats are great. Hate the 2006+ models..uncomfortable. Powerful engine. Ive had it five years, drive 25k per year and very few issues.

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  Great Truck - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By rbagnate - June 15 - 7:26 am

  Just purchased the crew cab and its perfect! I did my research and test drove the Toyota Tacoma, another truck I like as well. But when it came down to numbers/pricing, Frontier won.