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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  simply the best - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By goldy - June 4 - 12:20 pm

  This is the best riding car I have ever owned. It is actually a joy to get in and take for a long drive on the highway. There is almost no wind noise which many of the competition can not say (atleast every one I test drove). I have owned 4 Maximas over the years and this it the best one by far. I test drove several other cars but for the money, performance, and comfort the Maxima won hands down. I would have bought the 350Z but need a backseat for the kids.

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  Great SUV - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By F DC - June 4 - 12:37 am

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  Sharp looking and fun to drive - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Rob - June 3 - 10:00 pm

  This is my first import and so far I am very impressed with the style and ride of the titan. The small features like the tail gate, back compartment and large driver controled real window with the fantastic sound system are great touches. The speed of response with the engine is very good and it sounds great.

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  Great Mileage - After 15k - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Nissan - June 3 - 8:23 pm

  Great highway miles after 15k miles - suddenly mileage went up 3 - 4 mpg. Now averages 34 - 36 on highway at 67 mph (about 2,000 rpm) Love bluetooth, quiet ride, & CVT - no gear lurching and slight hum isnt noticeable unless your foot is on the floor. Hate the absolutely terrible plastic interior - look sideways at it and it mars - completely ruins the great design.

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  Close, but not quite - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Matthew - June 3 - 5:53 pm

  Only a year later and Im seeing lots of rust in the bed seams and in some of the bed bolts. Also, significant corrosion of some trim pieces. Lots of squeaks that the dealership has been very helpful to fix...but it is a major pain to keep on returning to the dealership for these kinds of repairs. Seats are not that comforatable.

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  So far, so good - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Skierdude - June 3 - 7:16 am

  I was a little leery of buying a Japanese SUV after 4 good years in a Durango 4x4 but weve been pleasantly surprised. The car has better pickup with its V6 than the Durango had with its V8 with about the same interior room. The styling is a head turner especially in the Canteen Green. We especially like the ease of reconfiguring the interior and have been abole to get a 9 6" surfboard in the car and still seat three people. The only negative is that the suspension doesnt seem to have enough travel, bottoming out with only moderate loads on moderate dips. So far, so good!

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  Worthed! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By bargainsbuyer - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I wasnt sure which car to get. My choices were narrowed down to Camry, Accord and Altima. I have test driven the stick version of all of them and to my surprise Altima superseded by far the other two. Though it can be a little noisy I really like the fast response and the low maintenance required. Except the tires, Firestone, which do not live up to the claimed treadware of 500.

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  What a way to learn to drive a stick! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By FreeThinkerNJ - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I recently learned to drive a manual transmission due to my new job at Flemington Nissan. I learned on the Spec V and loved it so much, I bought one! The car handles incredibly well. Acceleration is very good and the ride is sporty. Having 6 speeds is nice for all the highway driving I do on my commute.

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  The Almost Perfect Pathfinder - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Nidgie2000 - June 2 - 2:00 am

  My 1990 Pathfinder is a stick shift with 225,000 miles. I had taken very good care of it and had just replaced the A/C and timeing belt. I thought it could go at least another 100,000miles but I really was getting tired of the stick shift so I finally decided to let my son have it and get another car. I got another Pathfinder, 2003 4WD SE, cloth seats, Popular Package. This car is absolutly superb in everyway. The comfort level is outstanding. The performance is fabulous. I cant say enough about this car!!!

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  4DSC - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By mhorn325is - June 2 - 1:33 am

  I bought my 97 SE with a 5 speed manual trans in 2006 with approximately 90K miles. The car appealed to me for a variety of reasons: silky 3.0 liter V6, plush creature comforts, impressive factory Bose unit and the relative ease of finding a reasonably priced variant with a proper 3rd pedal. I certainly indulged in a bit of wrench time - Koni struts, Eibach springs, Centerforce clutch, front/rear Brembo cross drilled rotors and a few Stillen add-ons - that greatly increased the pleasure of being behind the wheel, but the car was a solid, quick-ish workhorse even with the OEM equipment. Be mindful of rust and leaks (oil, coolant, etc.), but Ill miss the old girl when I trade her in this week