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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  DISSAPOINTED - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MAPA - May 13 - 5:50 am

  I have this suv for only 2 weeks, but Im all ready dissapointed. the outside is great, but the interior is to narrow, as a passenger I dont have enough space to put my purse beside my feet, if I do i feel crumpy. If somebody sits behind me I have to move my seat forward, and then I am uncomfortable; in order for my back passenger to be comfortable. When I get in I have to be careful not to hit my head. I plan to exchange my pathfinder as soon as I can.

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  problems after 75000 miles - 2000 Nissan Quest
  By wik - May 12 - 10:16 pm

  we had minor problems after purchase and during warranty such as replace vcr unit twice and driver window motor replaced, all covered by warranty but makes you wonder what else will go wrong. Our dealer service was great. We got the extended warranty at 75000 miles. At 77,000 the front end had major problems such as axle and tie rods etc all not covered. Now we are told it will need about anoth $1000 in repairs. We are thinking of trading it in. I expected better from a Japanese car when we bought it new. It was cheaper then the honda and toyota and now I know why.

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  Great Truck but - Beware of Brakes - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Kent - May 12 - 9:43 am

  We bought this SUV the day before Houston was in full evac for Hurricane Rita. It got us out of town and all the way to Dallas without a fuel stop, which was good since there was no fuel! We love the truck and have since moved to Denver. Wish we had 4WD now, but will have to make the best of it. Beware, as many other posts have noted, the rotors will warp at 5K miles. Nissan will fix it, but it is a problem. If youre buying a new 05, make them fix it before delivery. Other than that, it is a fine truck.

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  My bad a** xterra - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By jjabb - May 12 - 2:03 am

  Loving my xterra out here in the Arizona desert. It is the SUV you want. Nice clearance and great power to get you through any terrain.

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  Very Nice - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By eagleman1963 - May 11 - 7:13 pm

  The Rogue is a very attractive SUV we traded our 2005 Pathfinder in for the Rogue mainly for better gas mileage We have now owned our Rogue for about 3 weeks during this time we took it on a 800 mile road trip it seemed to perform and handle quite well we did notice that on rougher stretches of highway we had some vibration and rattling not what we were use to on the way to our destination we averaged about 22 MPG due to heavy winds part of the way and on the way home about 26.5 MPG not bad but I was hoping for a little better mileage.

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  Great Road Car - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Chester Morrison - May 8 - 7:30 am

  I bought the 2006 Nissan Sentra five speed manual after the great experience with my wifes 2002 Pathfinder. I having been driving the car 280 miles a day since October in a new job. I average about 31 miles to the gallon. The car is fun to drive: very responsive and handles great in traffic. The interior is not luxurious but ample enough for my needs. The CD player came standard and the speaker system is great. Its the cheapest car I have ever purchased and I am quite pleased.

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  A Great SUV - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By T O - May 8 - 4:30 am

  I love it. There are 2 things it need: an extra USB port & auto start. I loooove my Rogue!

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  This Dog Can Hunt! - 2011 Nissan Cube
  By allan27 - May 7 - 7:45 pm

  I purchased my 2011 Nissan Cube a year ago and put over 60000 kilometers in that time. I have performed meticulous preventative maintenance and use symthetic oil. The car has been extremely reliable thus far and gets excellent fuel mileage! The Cube is very comfortable with thick padded seats and has plenty of headroom for tall people. My SL model is fully loaded with the likes of heated front seats, Navigation, Back-up camera, climate control and a Rockford Fosgate sound system mounted on the rear door. My only complaint is that the interior plastic paneling scratches very easily :(

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  36000 mile ownership experience - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By rmf - May 7 - 7:20 am

  Interior room is excellent. Engine handles all loads, tows boat like its not even there. Great comfort for trips. Design/functionality issues - seat belt retraction system barely works, constantly asking passengers to make sure belts/buckles are not slammed in doors. Steering wheel controls need lighting. Seat belt latch, front seats are way down between seat and console under armrests, difficult to buckle. Stereo is poor for a $38k vehicle! Quality issues - hatch window leaking, replaced. Power mirrors stopped working, replaced twice. Front seat came unstitched 6k mi., replaced. Front windows rattle, could not solve! Exhaust replaced 35k, rotted out. Air leaks front windows, new gaskets.

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  Would buy another - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Skeete G - May 7 - 2:43 am

  The Nissan Maxima is has power beyond power. Unless you are going on a real racing track you are supplied with all the power you need out the gate. Its handling is decent and its pick up is phenominal. I would recommend this vehicle for anyone on an average middle income budget. Performance, realiabilty and looks.