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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  350Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Jim Z - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding vehicle, exceeded my expectations in all measurable areas. Fun to drive, everyone admires it, best car Ive ever bought! (Better than previous favorites (BMW 320i, Alfa Romeo Spider).

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  Autoway/Clearwater Altima Purchase - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By AW102 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Shortly after buying my Altima, I drove it several hundred miles on vacation. It drove well, was very comfortable, and got great gas mileage right away. After 4 months, I am very satisfied with my Altima, however, I would not return to Autoway Nissan/Clearwater because of poor treatment by the sales manager there.My salesperson was great, but the sales manager was the typical "slick car salesman" who was quite disrespectful once the negotiations began. Autoway Nissan got the sale by default. Too bad because Nissan makes a quality product.

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  Fantastic addition to the Maxima legacy - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By TylerJ5425 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Maxima (previosuly having owned a 2000 SE) and the new one is just a great, with more power to boot!

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  I bought a Headache - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By george_ok - April 16 - 3:51 am

  Recently I bought a 2005 Maxima without enough prior research (In fact I went to the dealership to buy a Honda and the Salesman convinced me to buying this one instead.) Now, after reading all these horrible reviews about 2004-06 Maxima, everyday I start the car fearing that the transmission is going to fail......it is a real pain to drive a car that we cannot trust....

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  Discouraging - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By Kurt Glover - April 15 - 9:33 pm

  I bought my Maxima August of 2004. I just traded it in (November 2004). I thought I was buying my wife a dependable car but wasnt. After 100,000 miles it starts hard, plus there is a very loud noise coming from the front end that no one can figure out what it is. Keep in mind, you must use premium gas for this engine...This car did not live up to its expectations.

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  Best of my Nissans - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Great Car - April 15 - 12:43 am

  I have owned several Nissans most of them being various models of the Z car. I find this car to drive and handle better than all of them. I fell in love with this car the first time that I saw it and purchased the same day eventually driving it from Arizona to Texas. It really performed well and was very comfortable in driving cross country.

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  OK, but not great in bad weather - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Aravis - April 14 - 4:06 pm

  Ive owned this car for 4 years now. The engine seems kind of thrashy... doesnt shift smoothly. This car is HORRIBLE in any weather other than bone dry. I even put really nice all season Michelin tires on it and I hydroplane on everything from snow to rain to leaves, even going slow. Its a great first car, but I dont feel safe in it

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  Lemon mobile - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Robert Y. - April 14 - 10:46 am

  I was initially excited about purchasing a 2006 Titan; however, on my way home from the dealership the vehicle started to experience brake problems and a vibrating steering wheel. This vehicle has already been in the shop three times, all four rotors and pads have been replaced--to no avail. Nissan has been uncooperative and the dealership is incompetent. On paper, the specs look great, but Im seriously concerned about the safety and reliability of this truck. Ive also started experiencing engine hesitation and rattling from underneath the bed. This is my second and last Nissan. I performed some research on the internet and these problems appear somewhat common.

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  Odometer - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By RAJESHKUMAR - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I had 100k warranty, my odometer went down at 85,000 mile and seat heater also Nissan did not stand for this, my seat heater and odometer still not work, I will never buy any Nissan car any more, it is not only me but many of Nissan quest owner are complaining about odometer this must be an recall

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  Good commuter car, Faulty Head Gasket - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Idaho Commuter - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Used as as commuter car, it has done really pretty well until the head gasket issue hit us. Nissan should have recalled these vehicles since it is a known defect. It sure seems like every 2005 Sentra WILL eventually have to have the head gasket repaired at $1000+ ($1200 in our region). Shame on Nissan. It has performed admirably other than this major issue. Nice mileage (Avg 36 mpg), and a work horse for us commuting long distances. With the defective head gasket on these cars, we cannot recommend them. We feel our loyalty to Nissan is forever damaged since they have shown no loyalty back to us by not recalling a known major issue. Buyer beware if the head gasket has not been replaced!