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 - until after 100K - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By nomaddriver - November 27 - 1:13 am

  Bought my 2006 Xterra new... LOVED IT. The design was awesome. It was a bit rough (its a truck after all) but comfortable overall. Powerful engine, though hard on gas. All sweet for first 3 yrs/ 65K miles. After that things started to all apart. Fuel sensor crapped out so I couldnt tell how much gas is left based on the fuel gauge. The driver windows stopped working. U-joints went. By the time I passed 100K, the transmission fluid leaked into the radiator and vice versa. Spent $1500 to replace the radiator and flushed the trans. only to have them tell me that I need a new transmission - $4-$5K (at 110K I wasnt able to go in reverse). Couldnt afford it so traded it at a loss.

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  Much more than meets the eye - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By awm - November 26 - 9:23 am

  I bought it 10 months ago mainly because I liked the extremely roomy interior and it was a great value for the price. Overall Ive liked it, its been good basic transportation with no major faults. It now has over 15k miles on it and still holding up well. Fuel economy has been decent. We get about 400 miles per tank on the highway, 320ish per tank with just in-town driving. Ride and handling are good, road noise noticeable but not terrible. I dont think its as stylish as a VW Golf/Rabbit or the upcoming 09 Fit, but its not bad looking either. Beware that the price can go from reasonable to expensive with options.

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  good suv - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By ewaller - November 22 - 10:00 am

  great suv i will buy another one looking forward to the 2005 great for work or play

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  My 2nd Opinion from review 5/29/03 - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By WdnUlik2no - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I got tired of the car so I sold it to a private buyer. The 04 Maxima is a very powerful car, it has smoked a lot of cars that have challenged it. This car is just has fast if not a bit faster than my 01 Mustang GT. The sound system is a great one for one coming right out of the factory. The leather seats are ok, but nothing compared to luxury models. The interior which I liked at first got old real fast. My biggest gripe is the FWD which causes a lot of torque steer when flooring it. If you never had a FWD be warned, its a totally different ride. I should have gotten the G35.

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  Love my car but... - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By msl60 - November 21 - 7:29 pm

  I love my sentra its the color I want the design I love and the gas economy I need. Although my car is 8 months old the transmission went out on it and is being replaced. I hope this is all I run into for quality of the build of this car. Lemon law says I have 18 months or 18,000 miles so hopefully this is the only issue with the car.... I am looking for other issues these 2013 Sentras may have as well to have them checked out before it happens .. I did see the stalling issue which I shall address at the dealership.

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  Drove4ever - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By LUVMYPATHFINDER - November 21 - 2:06 am

  This SUV was given to me by my father and I love it. I have had it since 1998 and it currently has 138,000 miles and still rolling strong. Snow is never a problem and the highway is a great cruise. Changed the stereo needed a cd player and did some minor work like brakes, tires, oil changes, tune-ups, but nothing major. Gas milage could be better since I drive it to work and it only gets 15 miles/gallon but If you need a work horse this is your car. I expect it to get me to 200,000 miles easy.

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  Even Better - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By cmgmd01 - November 20 - 3:23 pm

  Where the 2006 was good, the 2009 is great. Super comfy on long drives, better sound insulation, higher quality fit and finish all around. Cross shopped against Lexus RX (too expensive) and Infiniti EX (too small). This should be on your short list if you need a 5-seat vehicle.

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  Value Car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By kzitikat - November 18 - 3:53 am

  Bought the car to drive back and forth from work. I plan on keeping it until it dies or 300,000 miles - whichever comes first. I like the ride and quality feel which isnt what I expected in a subcompact. I wish the gas mileage was better compared to my last car (my Corolla was getting 38), but I am getting between 32-34 which isnt terribly disappointing. The air conditioner is making a disconcerting grinding noise when I first turn it on. I plan to have it checked by the dealer. Otherwise the quality has been excellent. The engine in the car is not very powerful. I like to call it a sewing machine engine. It is sufficient for my usage though.

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  Family Man Fun - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By MR. E - November 17 - 12:56 pm

  Purchased new SE as a demo with 7k miles. There werent many choices for a sporty 4 door with a manual tranny. The newly lengthened 00 was bigger than an A6 or 5xx BMW and cost much less. It has lots of legroom and the leather interior is still holding up even with two kids. After 8 years it is still fun to drive and comfy on road trips. With 100k miles I get 24/28 running 89 fuel. I drive more gently now. The exterior has held up pretty well even with occasional modifications in the parking lot. Because of the reliability, I wont consider a new Maxima to replace my 00 unless they include a FREE 100k bumper to bumper warranty.

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  Family Man Fun (not so much anymore) - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Mr. E - November 17 - 5:06 am

  This is a follow-up to a report from a year ago. Since then I have replaced the brake pads and rotors (again), the O2 sensors (again), and the clutch hydraulic line. And again the engine light is telling me to be prepared to spend lots of money come inspection time. Well, the die has been cast and the Maxima will have a new home by then. It will NOT be replaced by another Nissan product.