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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  Youre crazy if you dont buy a maxima - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By felix183333 - November 26 - 4:20 pm

  Im a long time Nissan buyer and this 2006 maxima is one of my best buys from Nissan. I love the power and the handling. Most vehicles with this power and options are very costly. Nissan, as always has found away to put the best of all cars in a Maxima. If you dont understand, test drive a Maxima and other cars in its class and Your heart will tell you to buy Nissan.

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  Watchout Blue Oval and Bow Tie - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By rdstoy - November 26 - 1:37 pm

  My last few trucks have been Ford F-150s but with the spark plug issues plaguing 5.4L Triton I decided to look elsewhere. Tried Chevrolet and was not impressed, Dodge was not considered, Toyota too pricy. One of my friends talked me into trying the Titan and I was very impressed with performance, fit and finish and comfort of the Titan. Found a 2010 LE with less than 10,000 miles and thus far it is everything I expected and more. My first trip, about 300 miles round trip, got about 19 MPG with the A/C running the entire time. Not bad for a four wheel drive truck.

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  AWESOME 97 MAXIMA GLE - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By tan5 - November 26 - 11:33 am

  ...bought my 97 Maxima GLE in Sep of 97, 14.3 years ago, and it has been the best car ever! There have been no major expenses/repairs outside of basic maintenance and minor wear & tear part replacement. The engine light didnt even go on until my 13th year of owning it and, even then, the repair cost was minimal. ...am about to hit 232,000 miles and had the goal to see if it could make 400,000 (had heard of an owner that did hit 400K). However, the 0% financing Nissan is currently offering drew me in so I am now selling my Maxima. Tears will be shed when "she" is driven away.

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  Great little car - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By Madhan - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I am driving a 200SX SE with 150K and drives just fine. Its a great car, the mileage is pretty good topping above 40mpg in hghways and a reliable little one. Engine is little sluggish when aircon is one , but its a dependable car.

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  No thanks, Id rather have my GMC back - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By botran - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Comfort is lacking. Front seats are lousy. Rear seat needs more room. Sound system sounds cheap. At first I liked the ride, but once you inflate the tires to an appropriate level the ride goes all jiggly on you due to chassis flimsiness. Replaced shocks with decent ones which helped but still sucks. Nissan cant fix driveshaft issue after 3 tries, common problem Im told. Runs out of breath on the frreway.

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  Awesome Z - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By HappyTony - November 26 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is awsome. The handling and power is subperb. I love the exterior. This car turns a LOT of heads. The sound system is very good. The interior is very attactive and functional. There is a nice amount of leg room.

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  Bad Nissan Experience - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Carlos Chiari - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I read before I purchased the car issues regarding "vibrations at high speeds". When I test drove it, it seemed fine, so I purchased it. After 3,000 miles the shake developed and i took it into the dealership. Conveniently, they "werent able to reproduce the shake;" hence, unable to fix it. After 3 visits, they still cant "replicate it". Ugh! Second gear also shifts rough - another thing they cant fix. Now my engines making a "metallic scratching noise", which - yup you guessed it - they cant replicate. This is my first and last Nissan. Im going back to overpriced Hondas....

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  Combination of Comfort and Performance - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By JEB 2003 - November 26 - 10:00 am

  The Maxima is not for everyone but for drivers who want performance and comfort at a reasonable price, it is a great choice. With 255 horsepower, 17 inch wheels, xenon headlights and an extremely comforable interior, it compares better with BMW and Acura than Toyota and Honda. I will not argue that a BMW 330 handles better and that an Acura 3.2 TL offers more luxury but both will cost at least $6,000 more than the Maxima. The Maxima is also faster than either of them. If you dont want another boring family sedan (Accord or Camry) and you dont want to spend the money for a BMW, you need to test drive a Maxima.

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  Gotta Love It - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By AE SEoulchild - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I considered several other cars before purchasing this one. Some of the cars that I thought about were the Infiniti I30/I35, Lexus ES300, and the BMW 528i. I chose the Max because for the money I got everything I wanted plus more and I saved thousands by not buying the others. The car is fun to drive, has a great stereo system, and looks awesome. With the AE my max stands out from other Maxima owners because of the subtle extra features such as the ground effects kit and 20th Anniversary badges. Both of my roommates have Lexus GS400s and I have their approval with the Max, and they are the hardest critics I know!

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  I LOVE MY MURANO!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By TVESTAL - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I drove it and had to have it. Bot back in January and between all the creature comforts and stylish looks its hard to beat. NAV is fun and has gotten me out of a jam a couple times. Drove from Colorado to Florida and back and was very comfortable. Noisy with back windows down, the rattle. Got home from FL with a TRANSMISSION LEAK..dealer doesnt know how to fix GREAT.. now what?