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:

• 

  Excellent SUV - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Chemie - September 22 - 5:46 am

  Perfect for my lifestyle of kayaking/mountain biking while living in the city. I get 20 mpg in the city with 25 on the highway. Comfortable seats and fun driving with excellent stability.

• 

  Love my Titan!!!! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By gumby1995 - September 22 - 4:22 am

  This is my 4th Nissan, first 1/2 ton truck. 2005 model, 117,000 miles. Easy to drive, great acceleration, very comfortable, has held up well on interior and exterior. Have had left rear differential start leaking - caught it before it turned into major problem. Tow hitch plug was faulty - losing contact-brake lights werent working on trailer. Inexpensive fix. Have tow package - tow 2 horse aluminum trailer with ease (after installing larger transmission cooler). Engine was getting a little hot on steep inclines (hauling 2 horses and alot of gear) with factory one.

• 

  Excellent - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By MATTHEW - September 22 - 12:53 am

  Overall this has been a great truck. My only complaint is I have never been able to get the highway fuel economy stated on the window sticker. I was never expecting hybrid mileage but it would be nice to at least get what Nissan is claiming. I am one that trades autos very often but am thinking this will be one I will keep for some time.

• 

  2009 Maxima 3.5 S - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By artie - September 21 - 3:26 pm

  The time had come to part with my 2006 Mustang GT because I needed a four season driver. I looked at Altima, Malibu, Fusion, Passat and Accord. They were all great automoblies, but none of them were distinctive enough to lure me into making the move. My wife suggested I look at the Maxima. I did not think I could afford the car, but the trade/purchase numbers allowed me to get into the 3.5S and I am quite impressed with this automobile. The build quality is top notch. The engine/CVT transmission combination is smooth and powerful. I have read some negative reviews of the body style and I am surprised. The body style of this vehicle is one of the main reasons I purchased it. So far, a winner!

• 

  Great Car to buy - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By monjoor - September 21 - 12:06 pm

  I brought this car used (100K) in 04 and put on over 80K. I am still driving it and still drives great. Thus I had to replace the muffler, the tie rods and the front axle, other than that no major trouble. Still very reliable, still drives very smooth, still has the pwr to pass any car in the hwy even with 180K miles on it. All the functions in the car still works. Overall, great car to buy. I had own 4 nisssan maxima so far, and they were all great and this is the best of all 4. Overall a great car to buy. I recommend it to any one.

• 

  Taking some getting used to - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By KNEECY1 - September 21 - 3:00 am

  Had a 04 Maxima that was fully loaded for 1yr 9 mos, major problems with it so traded for 08 Pathfinder. Loved the Maxima but Pathfinder is getting there. Went on vacation to IL from MS a day after I purchased. Drove great, gas mileage was awesome, and looks great. My son complained bc he had to ride in the 2nd row and he is 62, very noisy when you rolled the back windows down, and there was some hard switch over after you lifted your foot off the accelerator. The pricing was sufficient for the package

• 

  Rogue Runner - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Howard - September 20 - 11:43 pm

  Had vehicle about 2 months and satisfied. Was concerned about the CVT but so far no problem. Drove up to Yellowstone and back and got an amazing 34 mpg. Usually get about 26-27 driving around our local area. Paid between 25 and 26K for a loaded awd SL. Leather, Bose, sunroof, Intellikey etc. Very comfortable and large enough to do the job but small enough to be fuel efficient. We have a 3/4 ton 4WD suburban also but it only gets about 13-14 mpg so it sits in the back yard most of the time now. I have been a Honda liker and tried the CRV. Did not like the way the CRV handled, it seemed rather squirrelly to me at highway speeds whereas the Rogue runs straight and true.

• 

  One of the best - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By capitolcars - September 20 - 4:16 pm

  Bought this car with 75K miles for commuting, and also for occasional off-road use. With regular maintenance, this car held up through mud, rain, snow, ice, and more off-roading than I expected. Very few problems with this car, the transmission started slipping around 160,000 miles, but it just kind of corrected itself? Also, since I bought it, the back passenger-side window wont roll down on its own, you have to operate it from the drivers seat. Today, this car just passed 200,000 and still no real, major problems.

• 

  the BEST car out there! - 2010 Nissan Cube
  By colbs - September 20 - 10:33 am

  I just got my new cube today! ABSOLUTELY in love. Its so fun, easy, comfortable, cutesy... all the good things you want in a car can be found in the CUBE. I admit at first, it looked a bit odd, but when I "discovered" all the different features that it comes with, my jaw dropped. It has a lot of features in such a small car. Im 6 feet tall and I can fit in the front and back seat, comfortably. I love all the storage in the back and in the glove compartment. Plus, all the extra lighting is awesome. You dont expect much from it, but it surprises me as each minute passes.

• 

  First one - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By LaEmperor - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Nissan truck (had a 300zx and a 510 before).I took a chance a bought a repo and I love it.The truck is perfect for what I need it to do which is light to medium hauling and tooling around. I am very satisfied with this truck