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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  Its what I wanted and expected... - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By supercab95 - December 28 - 11:43 pm

  I wasnt looking for a sports car or truck. I was looking for a small car with some extra features and thats exactly what I got. The CVT is smooth and driving is comfortable. I wanted something with good gas mileage and once again I am not disappointed. The car takes off and drives smoothly on the road and even seems to handle snow and sleet without any problem.

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  yeah baby - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By jh - December 27 - 11:46 am

  Well, after reading zillions of excellent reviews, finally purchased a 04 performance coupe from the orig. Selling dealer w/only 29k! On it. Has a stillen exhaust, cold air intake & 6 spd., wow! Dont wait like I did, just do it! Performance is awesome, everyone looks & it drives like its on rails. Much better than the Porsche boxter I had. Do it now, you wont regret. Had to Post this as all the reviews were so helpful to me.

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  Great car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Gus - December 27 - 11:46 am

  Great build quality and fun to drive. the V6 flies so be careful of speeding tickets!

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  Good except for two annoying problems - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By eriley1 - December 27 - 11:23 am

  The 6 CD changer quit working at 50k miles, and the automatic transmission started giving me trouble at 70k miles. Between 40 and 70 mph, it lurches sometimes and shifts hard into overdrive. The dealer recommended replacing it for $2900, but its still mostly OK so Im still driving it without the repair. Now Im at 80k miles. Ive been very pleased with the power. Rear passengers sometimes complain about the ride, but as the driver I love it. Very good sound system. I get 17 mpg overall with the 3.5 liter V6. One or both front brake rotors warped somewhere along the way, but I brake hard so it may be my fault. Other than these problems its been completely trouble free.

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  Infiniti, BMW and Lexus watch out! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Hokienut - December 27 - 6:10 am

  My wife and I just purchased the 3.5 SV premium fully loaded. The looks of this car are great inside and out. The engine and transmission are second to none for its class and there are enough gadgets on the car to make any “gadget freak” blush. There are 2 modes for driving: an automatic mode or an “aggressive” manual mode which we found impressive. We test drove the Infinity M35 AWD prior to our purchase and the Maxima gave it a run for its money; in some instances beating it. The car is roomy and comfortable, however if you’re a person over 6’ tall, I recommend not sitting in the back seat with the front seats all the way back. I would be surprised if this car didn’t win best car of 09.

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  What mid life crisis? - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By MichaelZ - December 27 - 4:30 am

  My Z is a daily driver. I chose it over the S2000 and RX8 because the Z has great power/torque without having to take it to redline. Acceleration is effortless. The automatic works well in stop and go and is still fun on the twistys with manual mode. Handling is amazing and that exhaust note... Pure testosterone. This is a beautiful car. The lines are great from all angles. The stock wheels on the 06 are gorgeous. Interior is comfortable and roomy. Whether I feel like a boy-racer or a businessman my Z delivers fun and grins everyday. I love my Z.

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  Love my Sentra! - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By snapdiggity - December 26 - 3:08 pm

  I leased my Sentra at the end of July and love it! I turned in 2010 Sentra I had, and do love this car more. My only complaint is the size of the center console, the 2010 model was much bigger which I loved. I love the LED accent lights inside and out. I am averaging about 35 MPG and my commute to work is only about 10 minutes mainly highway. The engine is extremely quiet, and love both the ECO and Sport features. I have the Black with Charcoal interior. Inside is easy to keep clean too. The leg room in both the back and front is roomy compared to my old Sentra. Would recommend!

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  Cream Puff - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Yeah!!! - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best value for a performance sedan. Its acceleration is great with an automatic or a stick shift. Ive owned both; the manual is much more powerful and fun.

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  03 MAX TITANIUM EDITION - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By CARLOS - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Apr 03, Really wanted a used 2001 Max SE because the design looked much better. Wanted very low miles (0 mi), so decided on a new 2003 Max SE. To my shock salesman told us they did not have anymore of the 03 Max SE and Nissan was not going to be making anymore 03 Maximas. All they had were the ugly 2004s. Told him were only in Apr 2003 and no more 03 Maximas??? Why was the 2004 Maxima introduced so early in the year.He said the redesigned Altimas sales were by far exceeding Maximas sales and Nissan had to do something, so they did. All I could do is wait for used 2003 Titanium Ed. Max.

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  STYLISH AND AWESOME - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Ken Harris - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE OWENED 4 MAXIMAS PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF 2001. This vehicle unbelievably reliable. The hadling and performance are out of this world. The 2001 body style makes the Maxima a real sports sedan especially with 17 inch wheels. The comfort and cabin space are execllent. This isnt any other vehicle that I would purchase. I plan to keep the 2001 for 10 years.