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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  Ya Really Have to Wonder About Nissan - 2001 Nissan Quest
  By DoubleNissan - February 4 - 3:20 am

  The van is actually built by Ford, and although I have never associated true quality to Nissan, the product is more of a black eye to them, which probably explains their choice to cancel the joint project (Mercury Villager/Nissan Quest) with Ford Motor Co. The Quest was a great product in its first incarnation, but the second generation (this model) that started in 99 was ill prepared and obviously not given much attention, especially in the engine and transmission department. It has decent power, fairly good handling (at least the SE does), and offers decent room. The engine has held up quite well with nearly 190,000 miles on it, and the only major problem was a broken tranny oil pan.

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  Best midsize pickup, period - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By abby - February 4 - 12:50 am

  I love this truck! The six-speed transmission feels good and the engine gets wound up quick. A K&N kit gave the V6 a deeper note that sounds awesome. The exterior looks like a functional truck, not some toy. Theres just the right amount of chrome. The wheels look good. The seats are comfortable and the ride is smooth enough for long highway rides, even with the stiffer Nismo suspension. Dash layout is intuitive, although they could have done with a few less buttons on the radio. Overall, its just a really nice-looking, well-powered, functional midsize truck. You cant beat it.

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  Xterra Rocks - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By TYLARS X - February 3 - 9:13 pm

  I just purchased my 2007 Xterra S 4X4 and love everything about it. It is roomy, comfy and rides great. My only qualm about the vehicle is the lack of an MP3 play jack. I just got a snowboard rack and bike rack. This SUV rocks.

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  Great Power - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By PTNLGR - February 3 - 9:03 pm

  I drove BMWs, Mercedes Benzs and the new ES 300 and for the money, you can not beat the Maxima. None of the more expensive cars had as much power, and the Maxima had all of the options, and more, that the big bucks cars. You owe it to yourself to drive this car if your in the market for a $30K or more auto. Not as much snob appeal, but easier on the wallet.

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  Fun MPG - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By LarryB - February 3 - 8:10 pm

  The Corolla, Mazda3, Civic and Kia were all examined closely or test driven before I decided to purchase the Sentra S. And those high MPG on the Sentra are not boring miles, as it is a very pleasant car to drive. In this economic recession, the Sentra delivered the most value and bang for my hard earned buck. Thank you Nissan.

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  just dependable baby - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By harshad - February 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought my altima new in july 99 at a great price of 14500. It just runs good. I have replaced tires, front brake pads, and recently drivers power window switch..I just moved from CA to minnesota..it did great in sub zero temps.. hope to drive my baby for a long time to come..wish I would have bought it with 5 speed manual..though the automatic is great

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  Major problem right from factory! - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DMY1973 - February 2 - 2:00 am

  The day I picked up the Pathfinder I experienced a stalling/idling problem. The problem continued to get worse and the first time I used it on the highway, the vehicle would not upshift forcing the engine to redline at 65 mph. The dealer made $1500 worth of torque converter warranty repairs. The parts took a month to come in and the vehicle was completely unreliable to drive. This appears to be fixed now but the windshield stress cracked at 6 mos due to improper installation. I enjoy driving this Pathfinder I am very concerned about its long term reliability. I have another 30 months on my lease and that scares me.

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  unsafe on steep downgrades. - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Ed Brenneman - February 2 - 2:00 am

  We love and hate our new Quest 3.5S. The problem is the transmission. In low gear, on a 10% downgrade,from a complete stop, the car will accelerate to 50 mph in 0.3 of a mile without ever using the gas pedal. I have since test driven one other Quest 3.5S and a 3.5SL they both performed the same way. If you think it is unsafe please write the NHTSA to get it recalled.

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  Rattle Trap! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By T in T-Town - February 2 - 2:00 am

  Like other reviewers, we were initially attracted to the Quests sleek body style and "non-minivan" appeal; indeed, every day we get comments from admirers. Unfortunately, though, the vehicles integrity does not match its style. Weve had it back to the dealer 3 times for interior/side door shudders, rattles, and other mechanical malfunction, and for starting failure during cold weather. Generally, we receive inconclusive answers from the service department. We would love to keep it but need it to just WORK!!!

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  Great car. Cant rave enough about it - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Marilyn Schulz - February 2 - 2:00 am

  Between the people stopping me to ask about the car, the people that turn and look as I pass, just the attention the car generates is only the beginning. It is so much fun to drive. Ive never been happier with a car.