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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  My second Nissan Pickup - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Off road package - October 4 - 4:40 am

  I owned a 1995 Nissan, 4 wheel drive for over 10 years, so there was no question what my new truck was going to be. The quality, dependability, and comfort couldnt have been better. Being 5 foot 2 inches, the step sides are a great help. The visibility and control of the vehicle is the best I have driven. From experience, I know that they work hard and have been able to handle anything I have asked. The 4 wheel drive is a must where I live, and having no more hubs to lock is an added bonus. This truck has just about everything that anyone could want as a work horse, plus comfort and style! The only difficulty is adjusting to the interior differences from my truck of 10 years.

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  Dependability - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Don - October 3 - 11:06 pm

  We needed a replacement for our ageing `81 Toyota pickup. We liked the garagability and featured laden Nissan Crew Cab SE. We honestly enjoy driving the SE more than our `03 Honda CR-V, which we thought would never happen. The CR-V had set a safety president in our minds which our new Nissan has surpassed. The Nissans head rests are leveraged in the event of a rear-end collision and low air pressure sensors are included in each tire. Side air bag curtains and posi-traction are options on our truck. We also like the fact that power windows remain working after the ignition key is removed. Now we have lots of confidence inspiring horsepower with which to merge our California freeways.

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  The Best - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By The Mad Yaker - October 3 - 4:30 pm

  I own a 2000 Nissan Xterra. I have 160,000 miles on it . Those are over the road, hill and dale and back. I do understand this is for later Xterras, but my plan is to take it to 250,000 then I ll write another rev iew. We have towed with it, camped with it, we have slept in it. We came up with another reason to have flashing lights and horns to lock the doors, bear repellent, it works. We are planning to buy another one when we hit 250,000 miles. My kayaks also love the roof, they spend alot of time up there traveling. For the money you cant go wrong, it rides smooth, handles like a go kart. We have totally enjoyed it. Like the new step in the bumpers also.

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  10,000 Mile Follow Up - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By fratomdev - October 3 - 12:30 pm

  No complaints. Still get over 30mpg combined highway and city. No rattles or repairs. Tires are not good in the snow - in fact look to replace them for Winter driving. Other than that I like the car and would consider Nissan when I buy a mid sized car in a few years. Nice trunk.

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  My 2004 Se-R - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By gail - October 3 - 10:26 am

  I purchased my 2004 SE-R in 11/2003. I have had a few problems with it. The sensor was acting up and the vehicle kept stalling out. Turns out it was a recall after I paid for the repair. I have extended warranty so Nissan retuned the money I paid for the repair. I also had to have the radio replaced- there was a CD stuck in it and the dealership I deal with could not repair it so they replaced it- go figure. The gas mileage is great- this is my 2nd Nissan and wouldnt purchase anything else. Im having a problem with the brake light coming on at the moment and will take the car in for a check up. May be trading off for a newer model Nissan. I hate to do it because I love this car !!!

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  Cubing - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Greta427 - October 3 - 9:16 am

  I recently purchased the new Nissan Cube for my 1.5 hour each way commuter vehicle. The Cube replaced my much loved VW New Beetle. I had researched quite a few smaller commuter cars and this is the only one I found that had any SPUNK! Spending 3 hours a day in my car it has to be something that I like to drive. I looked at so many other small car entrys and the all lacked personality, they were all very boring. My first reaction to this was, eew...what is that? But then, it grew on me. I decided it deserved a test drive. I got so many looks on the test drive and the car held its own on the highway passing easily and nimble handling. Auto tranny kept up fine. Love this car!!! SL Pref pack A+.

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  Finally - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Adam - October 2 - 2:50 am

  This car has it all, speed, looks,and true quality. Why purchase a BMW 5 or any other brand when you could ave 15K and have a better car. This is an all new maxima, so much so that they should have re named it.

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  Wonderful car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Ol Hokie - October 1 - 6:03 pm

  I bought the car used seven years ago with 45,000 miles on it; it now has nearly 209,000 and I have spent no money on it except for routine maintenance and service, gasoline, tires, and new CV joints at about 190,000 miles. It still has the original clutch (its a 5 speed manual). It is the eighth Nissan that I have owned. All have been great!

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  the best - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By chunphun - October 1 - 3:03 am

  This car has everything i need without any options

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  98 Pathfinder to 08 Armada - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By Armada - September 30 - 5:46 am

  Put 180k miles on a Pathfinder without ever having one major issue in 10 yrs. Nissan reliability is simply amazing. More than a quarter of those miles were in 4x4 mode on dirt and snow covered roads living in Colorado. After test driving several other large SUVs, I couldnt find anything that was comparable in terms of ride and extras. The engine has good torque for driving up steep grades while carring several people and loads of ski gear. The extra leg room in the back makes for a very comfortable ride for everyone on long road trips. I plan on having this vehicle for a long time.