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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  Smooth Ride - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By lexluthier - June 16 - 7:50 am

  My 2011 Quest LE is the finest family vehicle I have ever had, and I own a Mercedes and a Lexus. The CVT and time tested engine do not have the hesitations of the Odyssey and the interior is the most plush of any of the vans, The kids love the dual sunroofs and Mom likes the XM radio, traffic, and weather alerts. I love the sound system and even with its weight, the tight handling. Go for the LE. It is worth the extra cost.

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  No Mechanical Problems - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By 08LasVenturas - June 16 - 7:06 am

  Weve owned our Altima since March of 2008 and havent had one mechanical problem. It rides smoothly and quietly, especially with the CVT transmission. The exterior is sporty looking but the paint chips easily. The Key has been nothing but problems. One of the buttons is already missing while the paint chipped on another one. Not to mention it always sets off the car alarm unintentionally. The interior is nice looking and the dash is well laid-out. It also looks nice lit up at night. There are plenty of cup holders, but the plastics are cheap especially on the doors, where they are all scratched and damaged after only a year.

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  Amazing - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Seabass - June 16 - 3:43 am

  Came back from vacation and went directly to the dealership. I purchased the car Jan 5th 2009 and Ive been loving it ever since. I was told I was the first in Florida and one of the youngest at only 18. The driving and pick up is amazing, and the look just makes it all the greater car. I highly suggest the purchase of this car.

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  Huge Bang for the Buck - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Redline_Red_N_TN - June 15 - 11:40 am

  Bought this car brand new and have loved every mile. Do not buy this car if you have a lead foot or if you dont like attention. Its FAST and only made for two people. Long trips get a little tiring but the mileage is great for a sports coupe with this much power. Easy to make this car really custom with bigger rims and tires and small style touches. Dont buy this car if you dont know how to drive, its 100% a drivers car.

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  Mouse in the house - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Canadian Rogue Owner - June 15 - 6:30 am

  We love this car. The clearance and fuel economy were the deciding factors for buying it. We live on a farm and have experienced in the seven months that weve owned it: two separate mouse nests in the heater fan, dirt and ice build up in the wheels and grinding noise from the front end (which is now on going). We didnt have problems like this with the Oldsmobile we used as a trade in. We also added a spoiler to reduce the dust and snow build- up on the back window, but it didnt do that. The spoiler did help the fuel economy somewhat though. We are getting the stated fuel economy and it is fun to drive.

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  My Perfect Max!!! - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By krissyc30 - June 14 - 2:13 pm

  I recently purchased this vehicle about a month ago, and am absolutely delighted. NO disappointments. A beautiful, luxurious, smooth ride. I will keep this car until the wheels fall off! Only 139,000 miles and plenty of life left! Ive owned many foreign cars and plan to stay with the Maxima. No leaks anywhere on my driveway! This car doesnt leak a thing! Maximas are built to last and Id recommend anyone looking for a smooth-running, reliable, reasonably- priced sedan. They never die!!!!!

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  Nice Secret - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Happy Camper - June 14 - 10:26 am

  Bought this 05 model in 12/05 preowned with 16K miles, in immaculate condition. No brake problems at all. We have had it 18 months and it now has 39,500 miles. It literally has never been in the shop, and it still drives perfect. Wifes daily car and she loves it. I am impressed every time I drive it, to the point that I want one also. Were considering a new 08 with all the extra options (roof, 4X4, DVD, nav). I loaded it with 4 adults, 2 kids, too much luggage, roof luggage rack, trailer hitch rack and drove it 80+ mph on West Texas Interstates for 1,200+ miles round trip to NM. It surprised me how smooth, powerful, and stable it was. Still got 17.3 mpg

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  2nd Quest - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By Hot Tamale - June 14 - 2:00 am

  This is our second Quest and I believe this is the best van for the money. The Toyota and Honda are priced much higher for the same package and the touted resale value of both is more lip service than reality. We had a 1997 Quest and we were very happy with the resale value. The only problem is that our 8 year-old has a hard time getting into the back seat with two infant seats in the captains chairs.

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  Why get something more expensive - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By guymaxima - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I have driven a Nissan Altima and a Nissan Maxima which I still own. These 2 cars have proven to be very reliable while they offered a lot more options for the money (more value). I dont understand people who buy a Honda Accord instead of a Maxima. They probably dont do their homework before buying. For me and my family it is Nissan...nothing else. And to prove my point, my son just purchased his first car...a brand new Nissan Sentra EX R which he chose above such competitors such as Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Tiburon.

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  Gimme traction - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By MG - June 14 - 2:00 am

  After 9 mos and 7000 miles on my 6spd SE I am pretty unhappy with the car. The shifter is extremely stiff and notchy. You have to work quickly to jam the shifter into gear or the revs drop too low and the car jerks into the next gear. The low and midrange torque is excellent. You never need to rev it up that high which is a good thing because the traction is hands down the worst Ive ever experienced. Dont even THINK about flooring this car in a turn because it will produce a lot of white smoke and very little forward motion. My overall impression is what good is all this power when the car just simply isnt fun to drive hard?