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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  My Nissan - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Rick - November 29 - 6:43 am

  We have had our Altima for almost 4 years. Since then, we have made several long distance trips...it was great on the highway as well as in town. It even did well on the Autobahn when we moved to Germany. We have owned many vehicles in the past, and have kept the Altima the longest. It has proven to be a reliable, dependable, and fun car to drive. Prior to the Nissan, we had never owned a Japanese car before...we had always owned GM. Never again.

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  A let down - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Scott D - November 28 - 11:13 pm

  Have owned other Maximas and have not been happy with my 2007 SL. Parks like a truck, have had ongoing problems with front struts, even after being replaced after 4 trips in. Have a co-worker with an 07 SE with the same issue yet deal claims they have not seen this before. Has nice speed and decent ride but handling is not great on the highway or on curves. Too much road noise in cabin.

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  Not quite as reliable as it predecessor - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Mikekai - November 28 - 5:13 am

  Previously had a 95 Pathfinder that lasted us 200K miles, this 01 seems it will last another 20-50K at best. It has a good strong 3.5 for hauling even decent loads. It is comfortable but a bit tight for a larger or taller person. Fuel economy is average for an SUV (always 15-16mpg). The inside is easy to use and get to. The 6-disc CD player was dead when we bought it at 45K miles and the dealership would not fix/replace it. This vehicle also eats through 60K mile tires every 30-35K miles even with perfect alignment and maintenance. The engine over 100K miles seems to be weakening, especially at higher RPMs (interstate). The front brakes have needed to be fixed 3 times in the past 40K miles.

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  Cheap to buy, cheap to own - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By robert_bell - November 27 - 3:36 am

  I bought this to tow our 3,500 lb Casita travel trailer. We added a Leer Cap. We have a 2013 crew cab SV with 4.0 2WD and 5-speed auto. The 265 HP is more than adequate and beats our old BMW X5 3.0 by at least 30 HP. Steering at highway speeds is vague and it wanders, but I noticed the tires are wearing on the inside and I believe the factory set the front-end with too much toe-out. The headlight aim needs adjusting, too. The sterro is OK, but the iPod starts by itself sometimes for no reason. We added add-a-leaf springs to the back for towing, as it sagged a bit when loaded. Overall, it was about what I expected for a $25,000 vehicle.

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  Good car...a bad experience is on you - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By kolib - November 27 - 3:04 am

  I have had my 2007 maxima for 2 years now, and minus the minor necessities, I have not had to put any serious money into the car. I think all these bad reviews go back to the individual. People fail to realize there driving habits, conditions, etc play a big part into the longivity of their vechile. Most of us wait until the last minuet to get our car inspected or sent in for a tune up. Personally I have had a great experience with my max - and I came from a 2006 volvo xc90 (a very nice and luxuries SUV). My maxima is smooth, roomy, above average on fuel for its size, and the SL interior is up to par. I think people were expecting an infiniti not realizing they were buying a nissan

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  So much better than my 1999 Windstar - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By bergolive - November 26 - 12:56 am

  Bought it new in 2006. We realy liked the style and we trusted Nissans reliability because we drove a 94 Altima all the way up to 250000kM with absolutely no trouble. We now have 150 000kM and had no major trouble. But everytime we had to go to the garage, repair were expensive due to lack of room around the motor. Cost 700$ to replace alternator a few months ago! The other annoying thing is that sliding doors freeze in winter. But overall, this van is so much better than our 99 Windstar that I cannot complain.

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  Proud Spec V owner - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Bear - November 24 - 5:26 am

  Ive owned the vehicle for a little less then a year. Its been fantastic. Mechanically sound even with a few mods added from previous owner. Absolutely fun to drive. Only gripe would be the torque steer when giving a modest amount of gas from the start. For a tuner fan like me though, it provides more fun. For already being a 6 year old vehicle the engine on this vehicle runs flawless with 85,000 miles. A warning to potential car buyers... you will want to drive this car aggressively, it begs for it.

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  Still have my Max- follow up review - 2012 Nissan Maxima
  By maxmus12 - November 24 - 3:30 am

  Following up from my last review April 2012. Today the car has 45k miles & still loving it. The wear and tear is holding up well. Leather seats still in great shape. In my first review I mentioned bad gas mileage. Honestly it is no different than the average V6 sedan with 3.5L engine. I took the car on a 570 mile one way road trip and gas mileage was not that bad. In my latest ratings, I knocked value score down. At 45k miles this car should be worth more than 19k. Still dealing with knock noise at 30mph. When running AC sitting at stop light or traffic the RPM idles lower than normal. Dealership said that is normal with compressor kicking in. Um..yeah. Still love my Maxima though.

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  Severly lacking in power - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Dave - November 22 - 1:16 pm

  Wow... after getting beat by pickup trucks, dodge neons, honda civics, and nearly every other car on the road, I can honestly say I am starting to hate this car. You dont pay $30,000 for a car to get spanked by a $10,000 car. Its embarrassing. Forget about passing anyone and just take your place in line behind half the cars on the road. If someone wants to pass you, I suggest you go ahead and let em unless their car is blowing smoke out the exhaust, then you might have a chance to accelerate past them.

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  Exciting family car! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Narcis Gulan - November 22 - 1:50 am

  Excellent maintenance.