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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  2005 Pathfinder is a disaster! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By thestizer - July 13 - 1:03 am

  I just recently leased my new 05 Pathfinder. The problem started with a constant (what I thought to be) "spark knock" sound coming from the engine. I immediately returned the vehicle to the dealer. They told me that they called Nissans tech line, and were told that there is an inherent defect in some of the 05 Pathfiner intake manifolds, thus they had to order the part, and they replaced it. I still get the knocking (at lower tones), the engine noise in inordinate, and it doesnt get a highway MPG better than 14 MPG! This experience has been a complete disaster!

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  Sweet ride - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Mario - July 12 - 5:10 pm

  I picked up a SE-R a couple of weeks ago, and Im loving it. It has good power, sweet handling, and looks sharp in the blackout color that I bought. The stock stereo system has a AUX in for your MP3 player which is a huge plus for me. An excellent car with some nice power for a low price.

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  Best-in-class performance @ lowest cost! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Steve - July 12 - 7:30 am

  Best mid-size SUV in features and performance, and at the lowest cost. Better standard features and innovations than Explorer (Used to own an Explorer) or Grand Cherokee. (Trailblazer was out due to sloppy suspension and handling!) Great suspension feel with minimal body roll. Engine & transmission are strong with plenty of reserve power. Transmission is smooth-shifting and very predictable, always giving power without elevating RPM too high. The combination of engine, transmission, suspension, and braking makes the truck not feel as large as it is. This is a great truck at a competitive price. Ive only driven it 700 miles, but I cant think of many things I would change.

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  2005 Murano - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Race Fan - July 11 - 10:20 pm

  We traded my 2003 350Z for the Murano when my husband had a serious heart attack in July of 2004. I wasnt sure I would be happy with this car because I have always driven sports cars. However, this has proven to be a wonderful car in town and on the road. We took our first trip from Atlanta to Cedar Key,FL. in March and it was a delight. I love all the space in the car which made packing so simple compared to a trunk.. I didnt want a big SUV that seems some women drivers have a problem driving but this size is perfect. I guess you can tell I REALLY like this Murano.

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  First 4 months - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By naysay - July 10 - 11:03 am

  Solid car for the price! The stock tires on it are no good!

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  SENORS SPENDER - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By JWilliams - July 10 - 12:06 am

  Had a good run with it until 80k then the check engine lights starting glowing bright. O2 and knock sensor failed. Knock sensor lives inside the engine so yeah, big repair bill. All said and done it was a $1200.00 bill to fix two stupid little "make your engine run fun" gadgets. I can out run it on the onramps but, Im not considering that a big deal. I finally got to where it needed brakes at 75k - I thought that was incredible! All in all, its been pretty good. Hope to get another 80k out of it. Truck still drives and rides like it did when it was new. No problems outside of what I mentioned earlier

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  enjoyed, but wonder now - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jwwilcox - July 8 - 4:26 am

  My vehicle has 93,000 miles, has seen mostly city 2x4 usage, snow 4x4 high, and little 4x4 low usage. Ive owned it for 60,000 of the miles and purchased it 2000 with few needed repairs. It has a great look to it, and 4wd mode is great in snow. The engine is a bit underpowered compared to other SUVs, but its a comfortable ride. Gas mileage is 16-18 mpg. Suddenly this vehicle seems to be falling apart. This year, Ive had to completely replace both muffler systems ($700), brakes ($120 ceramic), rotors ($300), right and left sway bar links ($240), struts, and mounts (estimate $800), and now my transmission (estimate $2800). Im now looking for a new car. When this car goes bad, its bad.

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  bad choice of wheels - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By jmmosley - July 7 - 10:00 am

  The overall appearance of the truck would be greatly improved by adding aluminum or chrome wheels to make the paint really stand out.. Ride is hard needs softening up.

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  Titanic - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By capturedword - July 7 - 10:00 am

  Great truck real head turner. Powerful Capable Comfortable

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  2001 Nissan Maxima - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - July 6 - 3:06 pm

  I thought Nissan was the better deal compared to a comparable Accord. Boy was I wrong. In the past year Ive had to replace the rear calipers and the check engine light comes on randomly. At the time it first came on, the car was covered under the factory warranty. The Nissan dealer replaced what they said was a faulty oxygen sensor. The check engine light came on about 3 months later. By that time the warranty had expired. I had another shop determine it was a catalytic convertor. For now Ill just live with it.