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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  Pretty Decent - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Tom - January 12 - 3:50 am

  Ive had my car for about 8 months now. It replaced a 1990 Ford Escort so by comparison I love it. Its only given me a few small problems, dipstick breaking, not the best power windows, and a rattling noise that my mechanic tells me is nothing serious, just an unimportant loose part. I dont usually drive around that many people so the lack of room in the back isnt that big of a deal for me. The people that have ridden back there are usually fine as long as the person in front of them is forgiving.

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  Great car....bad tires. - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Grooveguy - January 11 - 3:36 pm

  This car is an eye-catcher and gets all sorts of inquiries...."How fast have you had it?" being the front- runner. The only problem Ive had in the 8 mos. Ive owned, the front tire noise. Had it shipped from TX and right off the truck, it sounded like the rotors were grinding gravel and destroying the brakes. Dealer recommended switching the tires from the initial Potenzas to Mich Pilots (like the Infiniti G35 coupe uses) ... presto! ... problem went away and the drive was 10x better. Cost $230/tire plus labor, fortunately Nissan issued a recall and reimbursed me for this issue.

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  Small But With a Punch - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By TheRussian - January 11 - 10:36 am

  What can I say that would truly state what I think about this car? Small but fun! I got this car over my 200sx (1.6l engine). Reliable car, safe (well unless the driver makes it not so safe). The paint job is pretty good, I like the nice blue color of this car. Front looks good except for the grill, which is new for 1999 model. This car has nice stock rims and side skirts, looks great! I stuck a cold air intake, made the car sound like a v8 mustang :). I would like sticking more stuff in so that people would be surprised at what this "grandma car" can do. It could use a little more horses, but it will still take any civic/corolla :). Highly suggested car!

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  Gas Mileage - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By kzanne109 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Quest after a long time driving a suburban.....The drive doesnt compare of course to that but its a great vehicle for the cost..It had a lot of neat features and i enjoyed it alot.....however i bought the van mostly for fuel economy and it doesnt get what its supposed to get....i repeatedly asked the dealer to check to see if there was something wrong that was causing it to get low fuel mileage and they said it has to be broken in.......i think they just missed the boat on what they rated it...

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  All4 Xterra - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Brithgr8 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Since I have bought the Xterra I have been nothing but Xtactic with it....

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  Nissan Cant Determine Cause of Problem - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By cathy8 - January 10 - 1:53 am

  Ive owned my Versa for almost 1 1/2 years and my problems began almost immediately. During cold weather the car will occasionally start in safe mode where no gas goes to the engine. The car will only drive 20 KM/hr. Another problem is that the engine will begin to race and rev higher than normal and the car will speed up on its own. I love so much about the car but could really do without the problems no one seems able to fix.

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  Nice All Around Car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By crawl731 - January 10 - 1:23 am

  I have owned this car for about 3 1/2 years now and I still like driving it. It has very nice power and is comfortable to drive. What I liked about when I bought it is that it is practical and sporty at the same time. Nice HP and can seat 5 with a fold down seat for trunk access. I have had a few problems with the exhaust lately but I am at 90,000 miles now and that is to be accepted. No problems with the transmission and engine at all. Very reliable so far.

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  Original Owner - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By John - January 9 - 5:13 am

  While the initial experience with the dealership has never been forgotten, the car has been very good to me. Good acceleration, and fun to drive. 52,000 miles and have changed tyres and oil... and nothing else (no brake pads, belts, O2 sensors, coils etc). The car does get a workout though. Owning a Nissan I keep up with www.Nissan.com, and this website tells you a lot about the company. I have not been tempted to buy a new model; my 1999 model will last me a long time I believe.

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  Thought I had a great SUV - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By mck111 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Until I hit 100K on the odometer I thought I owned the best SUV available for the price. Snapped a timing belt at 100,300. Nissan has given me no releif, owners manual calls for replacement of belt at 105K. Replaced engine with a 30k used engine. Both engines had cracks in exhaust manifold. A lemon of an engine. Some engine parts a clearly sub-standard

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  opinion - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By fernandez - January 8 - 5:46 am

  car performance good.excellent for snow driving. turns easily. compares to others cars. poor gas mileage.