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:

• 

  This is one HOT SUV!!!! - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Paulo356 - October 11 - 10:00 am

  Ive driven my new black Armada 4x4 LE for about a week now and theres only one word to describe this SUV - its a BEAST! Depressing the accelerator pedal is like opening up a can of whup- ass on the road - this baby definitely has a lot of get-up-and-go. My friends can hear this thing coming down the road 4 blocks away! Also, the Nav system is one of the easiest to use and the seats are very comfortable. The DVD screen is a little too small at 7" for such a cavernous cabin - audience in the third row has to squint to see dvd image.

• 

  Transmission - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Daniel Piper - October 10 - 8:30 am

  Transmission is not the best slips in hot weather and gas mileage dropped from 32 miles a gallon 26 and or less terrible in the mountains transmission must cool if too hot driving on hilly ground

• 

  Fun car - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Don - October 8 - 11:40 pm

  Great little car. I downsized from a 2005 Maxima. It is fun to drive and has quite a bit of power. I havent seen great fuel eco. though. I get around 22 in the city and 27 on the hwy. Hopefully that will improve.

• 

  Very Reliable. - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Seba - October 8 - 2:33 pm

  We have owned the Rogue for almost a year and have 12200 miles on it. We have not been in the dealer once except for the regular scheduled maintenance and 3 recalls but all were done at once and during a regular visit so it wasnt a pain at all. This car is very reliable the AWD is great and handles well in snow or rain the ride is pretty comfortable, we take lots of road trips our longest trip was about 450 miles round trip and no problems at all, more room would be nice but it is a crossover. We are very happy with this car.

• 

  Xstatic - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By SPJ - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Recently took my Xterra out to Death Valley and it performed great! Took it on an 86 mi. washboard dirt road over a mountain range and it performed like a winner! Plenty of power and torque at lower speeds and for towing. My Xterra has proven very reliable and I like its rugged good looks. Gas mileage could use a little boost as I am only averaging about 17 - 18MPG. I would consider buying another, but I think this ones going to be around for a while.

• 

  Not to Shabby - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JarHed - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Very happy with the overall performance of my P-finder. 6 disc indash player is great and fairly easy to operate. Stereo sounds great right from the factory. Plenty of power to spare. Only bads, head room. Im 63 and my head scrapes the top. When you really get on it, it doesnt know what gear to find.

• 

  2001 XTERRA - I Like it! - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard C. - October 6 - 10:36 am

  Plain Macho SUV. No frills, just clean practical design. Very reliable so far. Substantial power with V6, but needs a 6th speed for overdrive. 3000 RPM at 65 is too costly with fuel. But around the city it is fun and peppy to drive. Good value for the buck overall. But wont impress those yuppie friends of yours, my kids really like it though. Hell with the yuppie SUVs, enjoy it yourself with your family and all their loaded gear. Id buy another new XTERRA if gas wasnt going up so much these days. RLC

• 

  Nice Exterior/Poor Quality - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jason - October 6 - 6:06 am

  Ive owned four Nissans in the last five years including a 99.5 Pathfinder SE 4WD, and went out immediately and bought the 2005 new body style when it came out. This SUV has a rugged, great looking exterior. However, the vehicle is plagued with quality issues. The fuel gauge is not working (bad fuel level sending unit). The CD player is not working. The rear driver passenger window is not working. Also, there are gaps in the upholstery where seems are not sewn together properly and foam is pushing through. All of these malfunctions hit right after the 36,000 warranty expired (if you get one, get the extended warranty). Also, dont expect any assistance from Nissan

• 

  Great Truck - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By DESRNNR - October 5 - 1:53 pm

  Bought from private seller in Venice Beach Ca. Only had 58,000 miles on it, was in great shape. Had to replace right exhaust manifold ($400). And 1st gear synchro fragmented ($1700). And cat manifolds rattle. Going to remove those. Put BFG All-Terrain T/A KO tires, and american racing outlaw II rims. Other than a few minor problems it has been my fav truck so far.

• 

  Another Xterra Fan - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Huntress - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I think that the seats are fine. I do long highway drives (17 hours straight) often and rarely have to stop except for gas. However, I have to stop too often for gas.... Room inside for two bikes, camping equipment and people. Disappointed at depreciation rate. Seems much higher than comparable vehicles. Even without 4WD it handles great in snow on fairly steep rodes.