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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  Great Mid-Sized SUV - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JAmiot - June 9 - 10:20 pm

  The new 2005 Storm Grey SE, 4X4 Pathfinder impresses me with something new every time I drive it. The smooth and powerful drivetrain, quiet ride, well-thought out interior features make for a quality SUV with "lots of bang for the buck!" The fit and finish is top notch and I predict this vehicle will be a big hit. People need to look at this ride before buying a new mid- sized SUV before they make a mistake and buy the wrong vehicle and pay too much.

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  GREAT CAR - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By JacariG - June 8 - 7:26 pm

  The SE-R Altima is a great car. I bought it used with 54k miles. It runs and drives like a brand new car. The engine has lots of power and torque, its almost vibration-free at idle, and the fuel economy isnt too bad if you drive with a light foot. It also makes nice sounds when you give it the boot. Steering is good without being too light and the front sport seats are very supportive. The two-tone leather is a nice touch and the 3 Z-like gauges set the inside apart from other Altimas. The worst about this car is the too firm suspension. It literally crashes over bumps and you feel every ripple in the pavement. If you can live with that then this car will not let you down.

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  Knocking Sound - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By hth3 - June 8 - 3:22 pm

  I bought the 2013 Pathfinder SL on 11/26/2012. I started experiencing the knocking sound when accelerate the vehicle. I took it in to service, but the Technician could not hear it very well because it was snowy day with road noise. He told me to take it back at another time. I am planning to take it in again on my first oil change. It has about 1700 miles on it now. The car already had the Transmission Control Module re-programmed. I traded my 2011 Altima to Toyota and traded my 2011 Quest for this new Pathfinder I thought I gave Nissan another chance, but so far very disappointed. If they cant get rid of the knocking sound, I will get rid of the car in 2 years or before its out of warranty and of course NO MORE NISSAN.

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever had - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By GKLCPA - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Up to this point, Ive never had any brand loyalty to any particular carm but that has changed with my purchase of a 1998 Maxima GLE. I have a 130 mile round trip daily commute and I wanted something reliable with power. The Maxima fits both bills more than adequately. For a car with so much power, its surprisingly miserly when it comes to fuel usage. I routinely get 26+ miles to the gallon. I am quite pleased with this purchase and will likely be a committed Maxima owner for years to come (although the new Infiniti G35 looks interesting as well!).

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  Best in its CLASS - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bhaveshandsonal - June 8 - 10:00 am

  This is the best SUV I test drove and bought. I tried various others like the rip off 4Runner - which has no power and the Grand Cherokee had no power either plus a bad consumer reliability report. The Pathfinder is awesome with a lot of power and great style plus a lot of fun to drive!!!

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  buyer beware!!! - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By me99 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  i have had nothing but problem after problem with this car--buyer beware!

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  My second Max - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Martini421 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  We just got our second Maxima. WOW!! What improvements they have made since 2000. The 255hp realy moves. The Titanium Package adds many of the extras we wanted, we also opted for the Meridian and Traction Control. The only thing we diddnt get was the Nav System. I have to say that this car is the best value for your dollar in the performance luxury market. This car is awesome to drive.

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  Fun To Drive - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By BrianN - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Great looks, good towing capacity and cargo room. This truck rides better than most, but its acceleration is not the best. Still the truck is very fun to drive. Gas Milage is a little dissapointing, but not the worst in its class. So far Im very happy and I would buy a Nissan again.

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  Excellent - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Bobby McInnis - June 8 - 8:33 am

  Good on gas very comfortable.drives smooth.very quick in speed.Brakes well.Stereo sound very good.Moon roof is very nice to use.

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  Titan "a truck to contend with" - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By MARTIN E ALBARRAN - June 8 - 7:20 am

  When applying the brakes firmly at speeds of 60-75 and over mph i felt the vehicle and steering wheel shaking badly. I reported it to the dealer and they did a complete brake system repair without questions asked. Now they work perfect. I have the 2004 crew cab with the tow package, fosgate speaker system that sounds great and 18" rims. You may want to check nissans recall which there are a couple that apply to only a certain vehicle batch numbers.