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 Car - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Victor - October 6 - 2:50 pm

  I bought this car on 8/2001. So far, so good. The only repair has been the power windows (recall). Mileage is excellent up to 33 per gallon (combined). So far 65K miles and no brakes changed. It is very reliable, I love my car and my plan is to keep my car at least 6 years more. The only thing I do not like is the hubcups and noise from wind against the car.

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  "The 4-Door Sports car" - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By anewdimnsion - October 6 - 7:36 am

  Nissan has the right formula for a stylish sporty sedan with a whole lot of performance. The xtronic cvt has been refined and the interior is quiet and extremely comfortable. The Nissan Maxima is head and shoulders above the rest: Accord, Camry, Gallant, etc.

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  Nine Tenths There - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By MaximaOwner - October 6 - 12:13 am

  Very nice to drive and very good deal for the price paid. Plenty of power with very slight steering pull on quick acceleration. Very good tech content.

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  Just Shy of Perfect - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By RollTide981 - October 5 - 8:33 pm

  This car has always been just shy of everything I was looking for. I bought it when it was one year old. I wanted a manual - but settled for an automatic. I wanted a sunroof - but settled for none. I wanted great power and handling. I got both, but they were coupled with a bulky body and a curious modesty thats crept into Maximas since my 94 model. I wanted a good traveling car, and I got it - except for the annoying headrests. I wanted good gas mileage, and its there - but at premium fuel prices. With all this said, I still love my Maxima. Id buy it over again. This car is like a relationship - a work in progress.

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  Solid, low maintenance truck - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Ryan - October 5 - 7:40 pm

  I dont expect much from a vehicle, getting me where I need to go without much drama is all I require, and the Frontier did that in spades. It was reliable, handled well and offered a smooth ride. I purchased it in 2005 with 55,000 on the clock, and traded it in for a 2005 Ford in Oct. 09, Frontier had 117,000 on the clock then. During my ownership, the only thing other than basic maintenance items (tires, shocks, exhaust, bulbs) that it needed was a blower speed control module, which was a $20 part at the local parts store. I traded it in because I wanted something new and wanted to make a run with a domestic brand , time will tell if I made a wise choice.

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  My Maxima - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Paula - October 5 - 9:46 am

  I purchased my Maxima in June 2005. It is a nice car. The only thing that I dont care for is the gas mileage. Mine has a 20 gallon tank, and costs about $65.00 everytime I fill it up.

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  It depends what youre used to... - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By jvisalli - October 5 - 8:06 am

  I traded in my 97 Hyundai Elantra which was a very dependable car but not exactly luxury! By comparison the Versa is a Cadillac. Point is: your satisfaction depends on what youre used to and how much you expect for $13,000 or so. For the money I think the Versa is a steal compared to whats out there. Its roomy, comfortable, peppy, good gas mileage (average 33mpg), quiet ride, good suspension, cute and its NEW! I never realized how bad my headlights and windshield wipers were on the old car! I also never had a CD player, so you see Im not hard to please! I would never spend what most new cars cost, so Im very happy with my Versa.

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  Good economical transportation - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By voncarlton - October 5 - 6:59 am

  This car is not sexy, but it does the job it was intended to do. I have the S model with the CVT transmission and I am pleased with the interior room which easily fits me 6 240, my wife, daughter, mother in law and luggage for the weekend. I like having the roll up windows but the pass door does not have a keyed entry & without power door locks this can be a pain. One feature that came in handy a few weeks ago is the tire pressure sensor. I picked up a nail and the dash warned me that a tire was low in air pressure. I do not like the seat material on the S version but I bought some seat covers that are better. Overall the car is an excellent value & there is not much to complain about.

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  All good at first - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By acuralegend95 - October 5 - 4:36 am

  The first few years were great, it was fast, clean, and a great car all around. Then around 100k the air bag light turned on and the bose 6 disk changer stopped working and taking cds, took it to the dealer and they checked and said everything was and about to charge me 200+ for a new radio, only fm radio for me. around the same time they said my 02 sensor was bad, it was replaced. No problems for about 20k and then it started to need oil like it was disappearing about a quart every two week. After that started it rattled like crazy. Changed all the spark plugs 3 times and about 5 pairs of brakes. now at 160k i replaced radiator and now sits in the yard in need of a thermostat, and heads...

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  03SE Ti Goes Like Stink! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Maxim(a)Serj - October 5 - 2:23 am

  This car has been a lovely companion. The interior materials sing of quality and despite some cheaper parts (no true aluminum inserts) I find myself criticizing other cars interiors for not being as good. The Car will Surge and accelerate like a Bat from Hades all the way past 120 (even in the auto!) and if you can be gentle on the pedal; MPG can go from 26-32MPG (use premium for best results) The rear headroom is a bit tight for 6+ footers; thus the 9 on interior. I also downmarked the performance only because stock handling is harsh with too much lean. Selectable shocks and Performance swaybar WILL solve this. The Interior is also too noisy for me(prolly the Michelin Pilots I put on)anymore