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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  Fun family car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By WRJ - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Looked at Acura TL, G35x, and 04 Max. All great cars but Max won out on best value, dealership, ability to carry 4 people most comfortability. This car can move. Torque steer is present but not a major issue.

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  jeffs sentra - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By jefgil - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Very solidly built. Suspension is stiff, which minimizes a soft ride, but gives a very secure feeling of safety. Great pep in the motor. Ample room for tall (6) person in rear.

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  Still a great value - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By jeng - December 24 - 10:00 am

  The Maxima is a great all around car. It has the performance of a sports car in acceleration and handling and the refinement of a luxury sedan with ample room and amenities. The six speed manual is a blast to drive and it is great on gas (close to 28 mpg in mixed driving). What more could you ask for for a price in the mid 20s.

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  Hard to beat at this price - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Chaz - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2002 Max SE for $29K drive- out, completely loaded. The interior is great, complete w/ very useful Nav system. The build quality seems impeccable and rock-solid. Love the xenon headlights. The engine is the smoothest engine I have ever driven, with loads of torque. The car is very fast for an automatic. The seats are a little hard though.

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  My X - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By lboughie - December 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a great all round "real" SUV. "REAL" as in built on a truck design and not a car or car-like desing like the other mini-suvs out there. Fun to drive and even more enjoyable when shifting into 4x4 and putting the X to good use.

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  Extremely Pleased - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By ElwoodTheCat - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Nissan seems to be working hard to try and overcome Honda and its other competitors. Offering more features standard than Honda and stylish body designs, the Nissan Altima appeals to both young and old. Spacious enough for the family or just a group of college friends, the Altima is open to a wide range of buyers. The 4 cylinder, 175 hp, S and SL models pack plenty of punch, but if that isnt enough for you they offer the 3.5L V6 250 hp SE model. Both engines offer more horsepower than the competing Accord and Camry, 150 and 157 hp respectively. The Altima is simply revolutionizing the mid-size sedan.

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  Saving $150/month and loving it - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By familyman3kids - December 24 - 8:30 am

  When I leased my pathfinder 3 years ago gas was at $2 per gallon and I never paid attention to my fuel economy. With gas over $3 I realized I was only getting 14 MPG and something had to change. We have a family of 3 little ones and are constantly taking 5-10 mile trips that involve a lot of starting and stopping. When the light changes we are usually in a rush and dont have time to drive this car conservatively - we hit the gas. We have put 985 miles on the car and are still on our second tank of gas, I have a bit less than 1/4 tank. On my first tank we averaged 28 MPG and I think we are at 30 right now. This translates to over $150/month savings on gas alone.

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  Awesome Car!!! - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Heather - December 23 - 12:03 pm

  Ive owned a Lexus and it doesnt compare to my Nissan. Its roomy, its comfortable, and it can pass anyone on the road!, there nothing bad I can say about it.

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  The best mid size truck - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By ADAM - December 22 - 5:40 am

  This truck has everything, you cant ask for more..the most v6 power than any other midsize truck, even topping out the V8 in the dodge dakota and being less cheaper in price...moreover i prefer the tacomas old look design over their new 2005 look and their base prices are more than the frontiers which is beyond me considering their truck does not offer anything more than the frontier does, in fact nissans V6 engine out performs their top v6 engine by almost 30 horsepower...

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  2002 pathfinder SE 4x2 - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By David M - December 22 - 12:23 am

  Great looks. Smooth ride and not top heavy. Great power.