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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  Altima - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Altima - February 23 - 9:13 pm

  I was considering the Camry and Altima. After test driving, the Altima was the hands down winner. With just over 1k Im averging 27 mpg. The 4 cylinder has plenty of power.

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  Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jeff - February 23 - 6:10 pm

  This is the best truck around. I have driven in Chevies, Dodges, and Fords and they do not compare. The Tundra is less powerful, smaller, and less sporty inside and out (current model). As far as other complaints about gas mileage, I get as good or better than my friends in domestic full size trucks. Nissan put in all the features on their first try with a full size truck.

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  Great SUV, rear vision problem found - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Zack - February 23 - 5:20 pm

  Great SUV and good consumer report rating. Had a Pathfinder but this SUV has all I want at a much lower price. Good HP and fun to drive. Some people say the rear visibility is poor; I put those small mirrors (buy at auto stores) on the outside mirrors and if you take out the rear headrests you will see fine ( kids dont try this at home (<" )

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  LOVIN it to the MAX - 2012 Nissan Maxima
  By soccerman1313 - February 23 - 6:44 am

  Have about 2000k on my 2012 Maxima. Traded it for a 10 Altima. Boy what a quality difference. Max is much more solid and quiet, faster, comfy, bose is amazing, and just a great car. Looked at similar cars in the class Infinity, BMW, Mercedes but all wouldnt deal much on price. Rolled out with Tech Package and premium for 37k oto. We will see long term how things go but my last 3 rides have been nissans Titan, Altima, now max. Been reliable and great vehicles. Read almost 100 reviews before buying and so far most the complaints I havent noticed.

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  My Maxima - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Louisiana Girl - February 22 - 11:33 pm

  The design of the new Maxima caught my eye. Upon a closer inspection I fell in love with it. The interior is very roomy for my children. I am in my 20s and I do not feel as though I am driving a granny car, but rather a sophisticated and stylish one. The safety features such as the quick release latch in the truck are a bonus among others. The only complaint I have would be the touchy gas pedal.

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  Quest for Excellence...Keep looking! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By hjr - February 22 - 5:46 pm

  If you are looking for a high quality vehicle with great reliability look somewhere else. Our van has been into the shop too many times to count since we purchased it. The majority of the problems have been with rattles and creaks on the doors as well as the front doors not opening from the inside when you pull on the handle. There was also a problem with the transmission not shifting. The airbag light was also flashing which required two trips to fix. First was the wiring harness followed by the controller. The dealership was far less than helpful in getting these problems resolved. There basic mode of operation is that this is normal and we are too picky. Argh!!!

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  My path led to The Pathfinder - 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Joe Piergrossi - February 22 - 2:58 pm

  So far, I really love the vehicle. Lots of room and storage. Drives well, great Boise sound system, climate controls are great. Liked it better than the Honda Pilot and KIA Sorento. My 1st preference was an ML350 but overpriced and The Pathfinder is a great alternative. Hope I continue to like it ! So far, so good!!!

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  2011 Versa - 2011 Nissan Versa
  By jimsullivan2 - February 22 - 2:00 am

  This car moves quicker and handles better than the Impala that I drove previous to this vehicle. Gas mileage averages at 31 at mostly highway driving but I like to drive close to 80mph. If you are thinking that this car is too small, take a test drive. There is more interior room than most cars out there.

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  Better than the Altima - 2011 Nissan Maxima
  By Yankeeriz - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I was driving an Altima coupe 3.5, for two years before someone hit it. I enjoyed that car a great deal. I always believed the drive btween the Altima 3.5 and the Maxima 3.5 was similar.. Wow far from the truth. The Maxima feels stronger, drives stronger and the engine sound is wonderful.. The tech features in the Maxima looks and feels leaps and bounds beyond the Altima fully loaded. The Altima is a great car but its no Maxima. Neither is the Accord, Camary, Avalon, 2.0 Sonata, which I test drove before driving the Maxima.. What a car... Maxima SV with Sports Package.. you cant go wrong.

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  New 2k2 GLE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By pasquale/pscarponi - February 21 - 11:30 pm

  As a previous Nissan owner, 95 Maxima, and 88 Pulsar, I was impressed by the reliability of my Nissans. Having been an owner of Fords, Chevys and Plymouths I was easy to impress. My new 2k2 GLE appears to be as good as or better than my 95 GLX. I have not had any problems, defects, or quality defects (but I only have 1700 mi on it).