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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  Gross Disappointment - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Vern - May 20 - 7:20 pm

  Great, looking car! Fun to drive! I love the looks and performance, so does my wife in fact she asked if she could have it for her daily driver and you know how that went... Unfortunately this car is always in the service drive for something which is never resolved! Little things continue to ad up to big things. Never buy a first year model. maybe future models will boad better. heat shield x3 strut x3 tires(road noise)x4 at $330 each bose stereo x2 brakes x2 transmission slipage x2 all in only two years of service. Not what a flagship should be. great car but far to many minor problems that are unresolved in the service drive. All you ever hear is well take care of it sir

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  Missing my Xterra - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By moharv - May 20 - 8:23 am

  Bought this beautiful SUV used with 40k miles on it. Never had a single problem with it. I loved this car. I say loved because someone ran a red light and broadsided me last week. I rolled 1 1/2 times and came to stop on the drivers side. Climbed out of the passenger door without a scratch. The side door beams did their job - you would never have known someone hit me going 40mph.

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  Good "Sport Sedan" - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Red Thunder - May 19 - 8:40 am

  On the day of the delivery I experienced steering wheel "shimmy" or vibration at all speeds and despite 5 trips to the dealership, some improvement but not complete elimination of the problem. I love the car, the room, the VQ engine (plenty of upgrades...), reliability and this is my 3 maxima. My first is still on the road (a friend drives it now) with over 300000 miles. I really dislike the service I experienced though. And they still promise to fix the issue and Im still waiting...

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  less than expected - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Fotojoe - May 19 - 8:03 am

  This is our third Quest and we expected this new Quest to be as good as the others and we have been very disappointed. Right off the lot the van has needed repairs for vibrations, rattling doors, seats....too many to go on. Perhaps that is why Nissan increased the bumper to bumper warranty. We love the space and it is great on the road but it just has not lived up to being a Nissan.

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  A great, practical car - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By star2007 - May 19 - 4:20 am

  Ive had my 2010 Nissan Sentra for about two years now and I love it! I previously owned a used 1995 Nissan Maxima, which had 200,000 miles and served me well, but I was ready for something new. This is a very practical car -- good gas mileage, big trunk (good for golf clubs), and nice features (auxiliary input for Ipod). The feel of a CVT took some getting used to but now I really like it. The car has more power than other compact cars Ive driven that are rather gutless. Ive had no major issues in the past two years -- just needed a replacement of one sun visor while still under warranty.

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  Still Not Sure... - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By RB - May 18 - 2:43 pm

  I bought my Maxima SE new back in March 01. I like the car overall, but here is my experience so far: 1)Had to replace the front shocks at 40K 2)The exhaust pipe had to be replaced at 53K 3) Replaced original Potenza tires after 53K 4)New front brakes at 36K 5) New rear brakes at 52K. My experience with the service department at the dealership has been very good, they know what theyre doing. I will go with a Honda or Acura for my next car.

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  Turns Heads - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By RPM - May 18 - 3:40 am

  I got my 2007 Grand Touring Roadster (convertible) just about 5 months ago, and overall, Im really happy with my purchase. I bought this as a second car (couldnt part with my BMW 325i), and thought Id primarily drive it on weekends and when the weather is nice. Well, I havent driven the Beemer but maybe 5 times since getting my Z. Ill garage the Z when the winter comes, but until then, Im in it with the top down.

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  Martin - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Grtplan - May 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is dependable you can get up with confidence that you will get where you are going. The car has exceptional turning ratio for excellent manuvering in tight spots such as parking or making a u turn in a limited area.The interior is durable and with minimal care will maintain a fresh look for years. The only short fall I find with the body is the exterior is of soft metal that is easy to ding if touched by another vehicle door.

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  You get what you pay for - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By asnb3ar - May 17 - 11:23 am

  Pros: cheap car, roomy interior, pretty cute exterior. Cons: too many cupholders but nowhere to put change. My tire pressure light came on TWICE and Ive only owned the car for 1 year and half even though my car is well maintained (regularly serviced & 15k done). Really loud engine noise when you gas it to go uphill. Its not as gas efficient as I thought, since Im only getting about 27-28 mpg even when I first purchased the car. Also, something smells weird when I turn on the fan, and its been like that since I first bought the car.

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  Maxima Heaven - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By mojo - May 17 - 10:00 am

  My 1995 Nissan Maxima is the best car I have ever owned. I havent had a single problem with it since I bought it new in 1995. I am almost afraid to part with it and purchase a different dealer brand or even model. What more can i say. WOW thanks Nissan for such a GREAT car!