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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  98 Sentra GLE - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By SentraFan - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Best value for the $$ at the time - new ones appear to be as well. Handles Great in the snow - very reliable car - just feed it and its happy! Not very hungry either!

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  Under Rated - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By Mark G - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Although this may not be the best Mini-Van ever made, it is a darn good one! It has a very quiet and solid ride. Very good ergonomics. The engine has enough power. The criticisms about not having enough passing power are stupid. This is a “Mini-Van" not a racecar. The worst thing about this vehicle is the rear bench seat folds up and slides forward, but you cannot take it out. The captain’s chairs in the middle do come out. This leaves a pretty screwy arrangement for the carpet.

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  2002 LE - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Moondog3662 - October 8 - 2:00 am

  I have the super black with charcoal interior. It handles great in adverse weather conditions. The All Mode 4 wheel drive works great. The ride is very smooth with a great feel of the road. The engine is very responsive.

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  Greatest Sentra yet - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By BLUEBYU2 - October 8 - 2:00 am

  I have two now. 01 SE 2.0 and the new Spec V. this has been the most fun car that i have ever owned. What a great price too. you cant get this kind of performance and looks in any other car in its price range.

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  One year review - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By gvdp - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Well,the mileage is approaching 15K. So far this SUV is performing very well. The body is still very tight and completely rattle free. Tires noticeably wear fast. Engine runs fine on a regular gas but a premium gas is highly recommended to take advantage of 240 hp.

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  The best family sport sedan under $30K - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Nostoc - October 8 - 2:00 am

  After driving this car for a year, heres what a test drive wont tell you: 1. The suspension is not so stiff as it might first appear. Over time I have found the ride to be quite smooth. 2. Ergonomics of the console are a marvel. 3. Design of the cabin is very airy and inviting. 4. 200 watt Bose sound system is wonderful. 5. Steering feel a bit heavy. 6. Look forward every day to driving. Dont regret passing over the Passat.

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  Lo ve this car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By ajahearn - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for 3 months. Performance is exceptional. Braking is good. Turning radius a little wide. Suspension could be firmer. Stock tires have bad wet traction. 6 speed is nice. The interior is very nice, easily seats 5. The trunk is big but opening a little small. Seats great but could use better side support. Interior lighting, sunroof, auto-dim rearview good. Dash display gets washed out at dusk but good at night. The Bose radio good but SCV is useless, bass is bit muddy. HID lights great. I like the styling. My 89 was very reliable. I have not had one problem with my 02 and I expect none for many years.

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  Solid Car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By kevin - October 8 - 2:00 am

  The 02 Maxima SE rides very stiff. Much stiffer than I expected for a car this size. My 01 Maxima GXE is much more comforable with the softer suspension. However, the stiffness of the SE makes cornering much nicer without tire squeal. Ive also noticed the back end of the car tends to skip or hop over rough surfaces in a straight line. This is probably due to the lack of independant rear suspension. My gas mileage for city driving has been about 18mpg. Overall, I love the car. Its got excellent space, all the features I need (except good stereo speakers), and plenty of horsepower. This is a very solid car, and no where near as bland as the camry or accord.

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  Out of A Lincoln TC and into a fun car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By HLH - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Traded in a 95 Linc Town Car for my 2.5 S with AT. It was the beautiful design that seduced me. I kept the price down by not getting leather or a sunroof (never used it in my Town Car). I like the interior design but am having a brushed aluminum interior trim kit put in to make the interior look really hi-tech. It goes on in the same places as the wood trim. It looks great with the gray interior. I may put leather in later. I enjoy the response & handling. Great job, Nissan! Only problem I have is some kind of cord or wire harness hits against the back side of the glove box every time I take off, stop, speed up or slow down. I hope they dont have to pull the dash.

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  Chucks praise - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By perrydawg - October 8 - 2:00 am

  My wife got rid of her 2000 Toyota Camry just one year after purchasing it because she had seen the new Nissan Altima. Although, I think that I drive it more than she does and Im more of an SUV person. I am really glad that I pushed her to test drive this vehicle especially the 3.5 V6 model. Its taking a little while to get used to all of the looks from everyone on the highways and at restaurants. I cant wait to see what Nissan does to top this vehicle or can they?