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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  review - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Bryan Garrison - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Nice lines, great ride. Performs very well. Lots of interior room for a "mid- sized" classed car.

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  Love it - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Dayle - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Bought the Maxima in June....it has been great! Everything about it - looks, comfort and the sound system....it is a great car to own!

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  Overpriced, but good SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Sean - July 10 - 4:33 am

  My friends have a Pathfinder and I still wonder why they paid what they did for it considering the other options out there at the same price at the time. This is a nice SUV, dont get me wrong, but the interior is not spacious, especially the back seat... I sat in a Hyundai Tuscon once and the rear seat was roomier. I know Nissan has since redesigned the Pathfinder, so these issues are probably moot. The engine is powerful and the cabin controls arent bad. For the price I would have considered a Durango, Pilot, or Explorer though. And now theyre even more money!

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  This car is way under-rated - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By nissanman - July 10 - 2:00 am

  I am a huge Nissan fan (my last 5 cars have been Nissan). My last car was an 02 Maxima 6spd, and I loved it. This car is every bit as nice, and cost me $2k less. Nissan made huge improvements on the interior for 05. If this interior would have been in the 02 model, I would have bought it instead of the Maxima. The engine is powerful, refined, and nice to listen to when revved. The design if very attractive (I have the Sonoma Sunset with dark smoke tint windows) and gets lots of looks. On the rare occasion that I let my wife drive it, she doesnt want to give it back. Nissan did a great job on this one. So far quality has been excellent (as I knew it would be).

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By charles hamilton - July 9 - 4:03 pm

  As a Nissan owner for over 20 years, the vehicle is an excellent choice. It rides smooth, excellent handling. However, the seats are very hard and do not give in, making a person with a back problem, very uncomfortable.

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  Worth for Money - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By akshay2 - July 9 - 11:43 am

  I have 2004 Nissan Quest, i got it from private party and being 3 owner it still run like charm. Its been almost year and i havent had single problem. The build quality and feature makes it worth for money.

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  Super Reliable Small Truck - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Mark - July 9 - 6:56 am

  I have 210,000 miles on it. I changed the brakes and clutch at 180,000 - thats it. The A/C failed at 190,000. The A/C compressor works, but I couldnt find the leak, so I decided not to repair it. Ive never had any vehicle run this well.

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  First Mini-Van - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By Jimbo_810 - July 8 - 11:20 pm

  With an expanding family it was time to upgrade from the Murano and the Quest was a no-brainer. Lots of room, fold flat seats and the special edition SL has all the options that a family of 7 requires. I do wish Nissan Canada had a little more information available with regards to the Sattleite radio availablility, but other than that its been a dream.

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  Great little car - 2012 Nissan Leaf
  By carguy161 - July 8 - 10:14 pm

  We purchased this car so that we could park our van and only use it for long trips. We use the Leaf in all our around town running. I was pleasantly surprised upon driving the car. It is very quite and rides very good. It seats 5 has all the latest technology and many luxury features such as rear heated seats, heated steering wheel, and heated exterior mirrors. We get around 85 miles per charge. We do not use the 220v charge, but, instead using the 120v charger that came with the car. This isnt an issue for us as we plug it in around 7pm and leave it until 8am which is plenty of charge time.

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  Cat Converter Break Down-NEW ENGINE 2.5 - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By BUYER BEWARE - July 8 - 6:00 pm

  Loved when car when I 1st bought it. Owned for 18 months and now they will not back their products. My oil has been changed every 2500 miles all necessary maintenance. Now my check engine light went on 2 weeks ago. I take 2 Auto Zone and receive the infamous P0420 Code! I change spark plugs thinking its minor. Nope I need an entire new engine for 4500.00. Catalytic broke down & as this happened the pieces were sucked into the engine and it ruined the rings inside the engine. SERVICE ENGINE SOON light came on 2 weeks ago! Also causing the oil consumption Problem. "Regional Specialist" NO HELP. I take care of my car.