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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  Better than a 4runner - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Happy Pathfinder Guy - April 11 - 9:36 am

  I just traded in my 1996 limited 4runner on a new 2006 pathfinder se and boy I am happy. I am a dedicated Toyota fan but when I compared the new 4runner to the pathfinder it was an easy choice. The interior design of the pathfinder is totally superior, especially if you need a third row. What was toyota thinking with the fold up seats? Also the performance of the pathfinder is like a sports car vs toyotas sluggish performance. The overall value of the SE with the comfort and perfomance package just is awesome - just check out the bose 10 speaker stereo...

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  consumer - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By kathryn - April 11 - 3:53 am

  i just purchased a 2007 Nissan Sentra best car made for the money ever.

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  2016 Maxima - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Debby - April 11 - 1:46 am

  This is my fourth Maxima and will be my last. Have never been so disappointed in my life! Pat Peck in Gulfport lied; no more vehicles from them!! Hate this car.

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  2016 Maxima Platinum - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - April 10 - 7:31 pm

  I planned on waiting for the 2016 Honda Accord Touring to arrive, but fell in love with the Maxima as soon as I saw it. This is a beautiful car with plenty of technology inside and out. They spent a lot of time redesigning this car and hit the nail on the head on almost everything. The only real complaint I have is leg room. Im a big guy (61", 235 lbs) and like more room than the Maxima offers, but Im not uncomfortable at all. I got a good price, because I used Truecar to get a good price. I paid $37,500 for the Platinum model.

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  Great Car Fun to drive - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Gregory J Strzelecki - April 10 - 6:51 pm

  I loved this car. Owned it for 3 years and drove 70,000 miles. I sold it for just 3,000 less then I paid for it. I only had one mechanical issue with this car, it went into sleeper mode a few times. It was easy to fix with no out of pocket expense. this car was very fast handled great no complaints. I would love to own one again. By Gregory J Strzelecki

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  Happy Owner - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By englishauto - April 10 - 4:16 pm

  From the first test drive I fell in love with this machine. It will go anywhere and delivers unexpected comfort on road and off.

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  Best SUV ever - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Ivan - April 10 - 3:10 pm

  This 2006 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year boasts a powerful 4.0-liter, 265-horsepower DOHC V-6 engine that puts out 284 pound-feet of torque and is fun to get dirty. The Xterra will suffer most at the gas pump. The car gets an EPA-tested 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway, but those who haul heavy stuff or play a lot off-road will see those numbers go even lower. Front-passenger seats have decent support and are large enough to accommodate most adults, but the backseat in particular is small and cramped, and it offers little legroom. The most disappointing thing about the 2006 Nissan Xterra by far is its gas mileage.

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  Great Daily Driver - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By NissanFan4Life - April 10 - 3:06 pm

  Bought the car as a daily driver due to extensive travel for work. Car has low price, many features, decent fuel economy, room and Nissan reliability. Couldnt ask for a better car for the money.

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  Its great - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By John Diaz - April 10 - 1:25 pm

  Overall great car. Love everything about it and cant complain. Only minor set back is the CVT but used to it due to the fact that my other two nissans i had and most cars have CVT now. Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a small crossover.

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  Never Again - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By neverNISSANagain - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Got rid of a 98 Jetta VR6 because I was having a ton of problems with it. I figured you cant go wrong with a Nissan. I was completely wrong. So far, the car has left me stranded 8 times. Sometimes, out of no where, the car just wont start. It gets towed back to the dealership, they dont know whats wrong with it, then they try to charge me for the tow because they cant find the problem. Crank position sensor replaced twice, radio melts cds, almost starts a fire. New radio stops working after 2 months. Everytime someone gets in the passenger seat and pulls the door shut, the door handle comes off in their hand. Terrible gas milage, 5-8mpg under stated #s