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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  Love it, but there are problems. - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jgj3010 - January 22 - 1:06 am

  Ive had this car about 11 months, after selling my 04 Volvo S60 because I wanted something more useful for biking, kayaking, etc. I absolutely love this car for the utility, and the fact that it feels as nice and comfortable as my Volvo did for taking out clients, colleagues and such. I still sometimes surprise myself with its power when I pull out into Atlanta traffic. the V6 has plenty of power, dont regret not getting the V8. Overall, I love this car until I have to fill it up! Ill probably go back to a smaller car or wagon next time given the price of gas.

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  2006 Xterra - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Mike - January 20 - 4:13 pm

  Find this a great ride. Didnt realize the rear windows only went 1/2 way down because of the design of the door. Love the response off the lights and the ride off road. I put a set of LT tires on when I bought it and they are harder riding than the stock P tires that came on it, knew this at the start. Dealer is 28 miles away from my home so I had to buy 10 Nissan oil filters and let the local Jiffy Lube do the changes. Jiffy lube was 15 bucks cheaper also. The performance is exceptional even when compared to my 02 Tacoma I traded in .

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  "A drivers car" - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By bed21 - January 19 - 6:00 pm

  I bought the Altima because it is very exciting to drive. There is never a dull moment, even with the four-cylinder. It accelerates very quickly, some would say fast, and I can really FEEL the torque that Nissan has squeezed into the engine. The engine BEGS me to drive it hard and fast and it has a race-car like sound to it when I open it up. The handling is tight, not spectacular in corners, but fun enough and the steering is light and fairly responsive. Overall, the designers of the Altima had performance and excitement in mind, not Camry-like ride quality and comfort. It drives as sporty as it looks and I am so glad I own this car. If you enjoy to drive, give the Altima a look!

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  This truck ROCKS! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Joe M - January 19 - 2:46 am

  I have had my 2004 Nissan Titan since July. Now it is Jan 23, 2005, a huge snow storm hit four days ago, and another pounds down now! Am I worried? NO WAY! I drove this truck through snowbanks headlight high, drifts 3+ feet deep, no problem! I slid once on an angle, stopped, hit the diff lock, then I was off no problem! This is a great ruck, rugged, roomy, a must in Northern Maine! I just had a buddy buy a new F-150, paid $8,000 more then me, and after four days it didnt start because of the cold! Overall, this truck is great, I get excited each time I drive it, not excited about the gas mileage, but that was expected! I feel very safe on or off road with my daughter in tow as well, I have a 4X4, Off Road, Big Tow, SE!!!

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  Just bought our Second Juke - 2016 Nissan Juke
  By Marty - January 18 - 7:06 pm

  Jukes are an absolute blast to drive, so we just purchased our second, a 2016 new with 1000 dealer miles on it. We didnt even take it for a test drive, since it is essentially the same car as our 2012 Juke. BIG MISTAKE!!! For some reason, this one is a DOG when you step on the gas. We alerted the dealer and they are going to take a look. We suspect possibly bad gas from sitting on the lot for so long, but unsure until they check it out. Crossing our fingers that this car will be as fun and worry free as our first Juke, once we get this initial hiccup straightened out.

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  Still having fun - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Bob - January 16 - 3:50 pm

  Had the base model now for 6 months and loving it. The take off is astounding clean shifts and comfy interior. Gas mileage Ive been getting is around 24 mpg half highway half city. The interior on the 06 is a nice improvement over the 05. It feels far more solid. Trunk space is fine for me and I can accommodate a lot it only takes a while to organize the trunk if I do a big shopping trip. Very roomy for 2 people and road noise is low unless you run at high revs then the engine loves to growl. Passing power great even in 5th gear 6th for cruising mainly. Havent had anything break or make funny noises. Cant get a hold of an appointment at the dealership for maint to save my life.

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  average car with few problems - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By fuji - January 16 - 10:33 am

  head gasket went @ 127k miles. cd stop working @ 80k miles. The back seat door handle keep falling out. The cat. convector been replace twice, first under 36k miles warranty, second times @80k miles replaced from nissan recall.Other than those problem,the car works good. It get 33 mpg on highway. The battery, head light & ac still original.The clutch was replace @ 110k miles have to tow the car to transmission shop. But i was teaching my daughter the stick shift. Overall i think still a good car.

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  I like my sentra! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Lil Kim - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Thes sentra is a very reliable, good car. I have had it for about two months and I drive it a lot because I like my new car. About a week ago, I crashed it though because the brakes (which arent ABS) skidded in the rain. My fault, but I hope when it is fixed (with a new bumper, hood, headlights, and radiator) that it is still as good as when it went in the shop.

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  Great car, some annoying bugs - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By bdrury - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Very much like the drive and look of this minivan. Best of the ones we drove. Would absolutely love it if the build quality were better. Squeaking overhead console has been "fixed" 4 times in 6 months. Passenger side sliding door rattles and no solution available for that.

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  Cant Beat it for the Price - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Thebigv21 - January 13 - 5:10 am

  I bought this truck after comparing with the Tacoma. The Tacoma is 5 grand more money and the Nissan has the power. The truck has a real solid feel. The utility track system in the bed is a great idea and I am looking forward to the first time I have to tie something down. When the truck is idling, you can tell it is a powerhouse. I havent owned it that long to encounter any problems. I havent had any so far. Hopefully, I wont. Fuel economy could be better, but you cant have it both ways. I had a Matrix. 32mpg, but no power or size. This truck has some weight to it and is a real powerhouse