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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  GO FRONTIER! - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By gotmilk - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I really like my Frontier. Its great for short trips in town or long vacation trips. The crew cab works out great for small to medium size children. I highly recommend the crew cab. It hauls kids, groceries, and a full load in the cargo bed. Would I buy another Frontier? YES!

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  A few detailed changes for a perfect 10 - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Marty T - May 24 - 6:10 am

  Absolutely love to drive this SUV with car like features. Handling is great, quiet ride and ok fuel comsumption. Definetly needs rear hatch release instead of glass release only or ability to open glass from back of vehicle without using driver side release.

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  Im glad I give the Quest a look. - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By texas_daddy - May 23 - 5:29 pm

  After spending nearly 3 months on and off test driving both used and every new minivan currently on the market, I finally drove the Nissan Quest. Without realizing it, I saved the best for last. My wife and I were both unexcited about purchasing a new van to replace our 10 year old MPV. But after driving the Quest we were finally able stay goodbye and sign on the dotted line. The Sienna, Odyssey just didnt have the same quiet and refined ride that the Quest has. Nor did they have the same level of quality materials used on the interior of the Quest. We were impressed.

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  Overall Satisfied, but not blown away - 2014 Nissan Xterra
  By bgebsxterra - May 22 - 4:24 pm

  I bought this truck because I wanted an SUV with 4WD or AWD that also had a manual transmission. Ive only had it for 4 months and havent had a chance to really test the off road capabilities. It is comfortable enough, but the interior is pretty cheap looking. For 2014 the Xterra Pro-4X gets the new Nissan Connect Infotainment system which works flawlessly. The Rofkford-Fosgate stereo is a little bit too bassy but overall sounds very good. Fuel economy is disappointing. Overall, I do enjoy driving it, and I at least have the feeling that I could take it anywhere. For the price, and the options this truck is difficult to beat.

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  Good Alternative to Accord and Camry - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Donna (TX) - May 22 - 3:16 pm

  For less money than the Accord and Camry, youre getting a car with similar reliability and build quality. I owned this car for 5 years and never had any, even minor, problems. Service only involved regular oil changes and such. The car did have a horrible turning radius for its size.

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  Faulty Evaporator - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By JeffG - May 21 - 9:40 pm

  Outside of the engine and the premium sound system, I would not buy this truck again! Apparently, theres a waiting list from Nissan, including myself, for a known problem with the AC evaporator unit, which is behind the dashboard, that when it dies, they currently do not have a replacement and youll have to wait for several months/year for one. Never buy a Nissan again!

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  TITAN CREWCAB SE - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Kevin - May 20 - 12:33 pm

  I bought my Titan Dec 03 , its been good truck. Had master cylinder failure , door moulding peeling off,other than that no other issues. Gas mileage bites about 13mpg to 14 avg. Rockford-Fosgate 6 cd player is a must thing cranks. I got dark blue paint it seems to scratch easily

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  Too Big, Too Expensive, Too Much like.. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By comparo - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The Altima!! Looks like an oversized Altima. Even though it has 10 more hp its slower than the 2002/2003 model because it gained 150+ pounds! $35K for a FWD V6 Nissan Maxima??? The G35 would make more sense. 2004 Maxima lost its uniqueness as a flagship. For less, you can get an Altima, for the same price, get the G35

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  Great Car but beware of certain Dealers - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Hurricane - May 19 - 11:36 pm

  After buying the car in Apr. 1998 for $13k I am happy i have put 140K miles on the car to a total of 174K miles. As with some reviews my car has dash gremlins which can be obnoxious. In the past month I have had the shock joints changed and the battery cables replaced. Carriage Nissans service has been very unsatisfactory. The car has had electrical problems since the replacement of the battery cables. Leaving me stranded twice. I hop after the fourth set of battery cables that it is fixed. Other than that every thing seems to working great.

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  Best Value Sports Sedan - 2013 Nissan Maxima
  By jermax1 - May 13 - 3:48 pm

  This is my fourth Maxima. I had an 03, 08 & 10. I now own the 2013. For the price to content and performance ratio this is the best sedan out on the market! Take it from someone who knows and has searched for better. The VQ series engine is one of the best dont take my word for believe wards engine review. The mileage is terrific for the level of performance and luxury that you get. The exterior styling reminds people of a Porsche or a jag! The interior is as close to a sports car as you can get. Considering its a Nissan and a Japanese model you know youre getting top quality and high reliability. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone considering a sports performance sedan.