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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  Fun Machine - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By TMRST - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I have put 1,000 miles on the Armada - city and highway driving - and it is averaging a little over 20 miles to the gallon; why does the editors review state that mileage is dismal? This is better mileage than the other large utes. The seats in my Armada are leather; and again I disagree with the editor in that my wife and I find the seats very comfortable. This is a fun vehicle to drive.

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  thre right stuff - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By griff graham - December 17 - 10:00 am

  another awsome nissan.....one key is that the vehicle is manufactured in japan

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  350z review - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By mhoweoffices - December 17 - 10:00 am

  the most fun driving since high School. Like driving a high performance go cart. Performance is unbelievably smooth and quick. ease of control is only surpassed by the incredibly great look of the car

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  Good Small Family Car - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Melissa Kieffer - December 17 - 5:43 am

  The 2005 Nissan Murano has a smoother ride than most SUVs. It took a while to get use to the transmission, but after I got use to it, I liked it. It rides a lot better than my old 2001 Lincoln Navigator did, but it is a lot smaller.

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  You chose a Good car at a Great price - 2016 Nissan Versa
  By Richard Groh - December 17 - 4:49 am

  "You get what you pay for" is certainly true with the Nissan Versa. When you buy basically the lowest price car sold in the US, you are not expecting luxury or high quality in every component or system of the car. But you DO get what you pay for! You get a good, reliable car at a great price! One annoying negative for me: I knew the car did not have power locks or power windows, but only the drivers door has a lock for the key --- if you return to the car on the passenger side , you have to walk all the way around the car to unlock it, get in, then unlock the passenger door if you want or need to open it.

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  4 Stars to 2 Stars - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By kartdad805 - December 16 - 11:52 pm

  After 2 years of owning my 2006 Pathfinder, I had nothing but good things to say. After 4-5 years of owing...it is another story. After the reliability of my parents Datsun/Nissan products, I figured I would see 250,000 trouble free miles. In the last 12 months, I have spent over $5K replacing two cat converters, u-joints, shocks, ECU relay. Today, check engine light is on again! I am afraid of the ticking time bomb of the transmission I read about. Carlos Goshen may have "saved" Nissan...but as with many short-term thinking cost cuttiing "businessmen", it is at the sacrifice of Nissans reputation of quality products. This will likely be the last Nissan product I ever buy! RIP Nissan

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  WOW!!! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Nissan guy forever - December 16 - 10:43 pm

  This is my first Maxima, I love it! Its fast, fun, and sexy, its got hips. The Premium pack and I love the double sunroof, just wish the rear one opened. There is an endless power feeling with the CVT trans. With front wheel drive it doesnt feels so much like a sports car, but it handles at a top notch level. On and off ramps can be a lot of fun. If you want the balls to the wall sports car, drop the kids off at grandmas, and buy the 370Z. MPH is not the greatest, but its a big V6. All in all, Ill buy another one when it comes time.

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  Good truck, but not all expected - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By storm2rain4 - December 16 - 4:26 pm

  As most people, I do spend some time on the highway, but as a forester, this truck sees substantial 4-wheel drive time. This ranges from 6-18" of "old- growth" dust on most of our haul roads in August to driving on 12-24" of fresh snow in December. After driving about 7,000 miles, this truck is getting between 12-16 mpg, but I consider that pretty fair after 3/4-ton GMC & Ford 4x4s getting between 10-13 mpg. Truck has plenty of power, but a transmission that shifts down two gears at the slightest nod to want to pass someone on the highway ...trying to get used to this! Annoying factors include windshield wiper proximity to wheel, powertrain hum at 55+, poor A/C controls and poor 4x4 tires.

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  This is any easy fix - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By critical2 - December 16 - 9:42 am

  Guys this problem is easy to fix. I have a 2006 maxima and had the same problems with the tranny as everyone else here described. All you have to do is change your 3 linear solenoids in your valve body to so new after market ones made by a company called Rostra. it cost $240.00 for the parts and roughly 300 for labor. My are runs perfectly, just like new and thats all I did. You will be very satisfied with the results. Best,

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  Pathfinder = Reliable - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ricky C - December 15 - 10:33 pm

  I bought my pathfinder with 28,000 miles on it and I have never ever had a problem with it. I love the interior, exterior and the way it handles. Small enough to fit into tight spots but big enough to get a true SUV feel. Gas is decent, I have a short so I dont get hit as much.