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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  Great car - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Greg F. - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car mainly because I needed reliable transportation, and I have not been disappointed. I bought it new in 99 and it now has 75,000 miles. I havent yet had any problems with the car, other than a torn C/V boot. Ive replaced the front and rear brakes once, and the tires twice. Its very peppy for a 4 cyl non-turbo engine and it has a very stable ride on any type of road. The only downsides that Ive found so far is the iffy gas mileage and the excessive wind noise at highway speeds. Mostly I can barely get over 300 miles per tank with mixed city/highway driving, which is around 20 MPG. Other than that, its been a great car.

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  A few minor changes & it would be great! - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By J. Ro - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving my new 2003 Pathfinder LE for almost a year now and I love it. The overall exterior and interior styling is what attraced me to it most. Everything inside is easy to read and very easy on the eye. I also have a 17 foot Four Winns speed boat that it tows with ease. You can actually fold down the rear seats, tilt the front seats all the way back (right up to the rear seat) and you have yourself a very comfortable bed.

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  Altima: The 4-door sports car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Spitz82 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Being 21 years old I never expected Id be purchasing a 4-door car. After getting behind the wheel of a 3.5SE I knew I had to have one. I never realized a mid-priced 4-door could be so fun to drive and handle so well. I bought my Super Black 3.5SE the very night of my first test drive. Im proud to say that the Altima is my favorite car and Im not overly sad to let my Accord V6 go.

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  i love my type II pathy - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By nosrednuG99 - January 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Pathfinder in January of 02 from a dealership that I work for ina subarb of Chicago. When i purchased it, it had 93000 miles on it. i still bought it because it was a Nissan and it would run forever.and it was in extremely good shape.(also it had a grill guard, remote starter, bose htd leather) I love it, its fun to drive, looks great, great offroad capabilities, great ride, and looks more expensive then it is. I goto school in the mountains of Arizona and it takes the trails like any great 4x4 would.

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  2005 Nissan Frontier SE 4x2 - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Joe - January 12 - 2:46 pm

  I have put almost 13,000 miles on this truck since purchasing new in Aug. 2005. The milage is a good mix of highway and city driving. Overall the truck is a solid performer. I havent hauled anything really heavy but what I have hauled did not strain it in the least. The cockpit has a real nice feel with easy access to everything. Plenty of storage space for all the junk you would need to carry. Driving on the highway is great at higher speeds. It doesnt have a lack of get up and go. Short hauls with passengers is about all I would suggest. The seats are comfortable. Overall craftsmanship is top notch.

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  SO HAPPY!! - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By laurenxsaysx - January 10 - 2:28 pm

  I love my nissan. It has way more to offer for the price than the chev equinox. You definitely want the backup camara, it helps out a lot. Its prefect for my family. I have 2 large dogs whom fit just right in the hatchback space (a third medium dog fits too). A lot of legroom in the backseats (which fold down flat). If i could do it all over again, i would still buy this car but i would pay more for the AWD. The stock tires handle well in snow and rain from my past experience with a kia. However, rogue is very light weight so the wind can push it around pretty easily. I get 23 MPG city and 29-30 mpg highway.

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  29 mpg average - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By blackshadow - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I love the mpg that im getting with this car almos 29 mpg, and is pretty cool this is my first new car and it does pretty good. Doest compare to the power of a V-6 when catching up to speed of focus on a street, but when up to speed it really goes. Make shure you look for any ditails that might be wrong with the interior like stanis under carpet, or loose details inside

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  A Sporty Sport Utility - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Non-X-Terra-Driver - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Perfect if you want a SUV that can go off road without hurting its feelings and you want to feel like you are in something sporty. Drives like compact pickups (well that is what it is built off of). Plenty of places to tie down cargo inside and out. DonÂ’t get it if you plan to stay in the suburbs all your driving time. Perfect if you are into the outdoors like hiking, biking, camping, hunting, fishing, etc.

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  Ok Pathfinder - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By demuslee - January 7 - 9:50 am

  Had my pathfinder for 18 months now and have found the engine to be noisier than my dads Kia Sorento. There are a lot more rattles and squeaks coming from all over which is strange considering it doesnt go off road. Towing is good for my 17 ft boat and it is a fairly comfortable ride except for the noisy engine, rattles and squeaks. 3rd row seating is also hard to access. Ive been to 2 dealerships in Miami looking for good service, but havent found any yet - extremely disorganized and low service emphasis. The labor and oil changes are also expensive at $40 for an oil change. My wifes Toyota gets better service from Toyota dealership. Would buy a Toyota just because of the service.

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  Solid Crossover SUV - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By Vince B. - January 7 - 12:53 am

  This is a solid crossover. Its not super fancy or a high-performance car, but its not intended to be either. The ride is smooth and the SL premium features are convenient. I like the bright headlights and fig lights. This is a good vehicle for someone that wants AWD and an SUV feel while still getting decent fuel mileage and car- like handling.