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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  So Far So Good - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By PHISH - March 20 - 10:16 am

  We came within days of buying a Jeep Commander before I just happened to notice this Xterra on a dealers website. We Test drove it and bought it. The first block of the test drive I forgot about the Jeep and never looked back.My wife loves it because she feels safe and likes the look of the truck. I like the fact that it has an endless amount of speed when you need it and handles amazingly well on turns.Were really happy with it. Paid $12,500 for a 2006 with 25,000 miles miles on it. How could we pass that up? We traded in our Montero with all the bells and whistles for the plain jane Xterra. We couldnt be happier!!!!

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  Nice car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By J M - March 20 - 6:03 am

  I have it for 1 week. I The back seat fits three adults comfortably. The turning radius is unbelievable. Although the seats are extra wide, they are too cushy. The driver seat is already indented and I have it for 1 week. Im looking for a rebuilder that will redo the seat for a few hundred dollars.

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  Fun To Drive - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By MC Hammer - March 20 - 4:43 am

  Bought this car from another Maxima enthusiast. Have some upgrades. Sway bars on the front and back. 2004 Maxima front brakes which gave it larger rotors. KN intake system. Love the 5 speed. Smokes both front tires for along as I want. Face it, I got a good one!! Cruises nicely at 100 mph and has plenty left. I replaced the front struts and tinted the windows. With proper maintenance this car will last. I did replace 2 coils and a starter but so what. No problem with anything else. I have seen some very expensive repair bills. I believe some of the people need to shop around because they are paying WAY TOO much.

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  Great MPG - 2008 Nissan Quest
  By ed - March 20 - 2:13 am

  We needed larger transportation so we checked out Honda, Toyota and Nissan. The Nissan had what we needed and at the right price. We drove 300 miles to the shore the next week and got 29.6 mpg all highway with cruse control. Mixed driving is 21 mpg. Love the tinted glass on the base model. It carries everything you need to take the family on vacation. It is also great for getting on the highway, very good acceleration.

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  Almost 8 years and over 75k miles - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By darmonx - March 19 - 10:41 am

  Never thought Id keep one vehicle for more than four years. Still driving it after almost eight years and still loving it. Just added k&n air filter and upgraded to a magnaflow exhaust which made a significant difference on the daily driving experience (wish Ive done that sooner). Getting 17mpg right now with mixed hwy/city driving. No major engine repairs and still runs pretty smooth. Power conveniences (windows, locks, side mirrors) are all still working. The original CD player system did jam and wont eject at year six so i replaced the whole thing.

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  Fantastic First Car! - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Shea - March 19 - 10:00 am

  My great uncle sold this car to me cheap soon after I got my license last December. Now, it was in great condition mostly thanks to my uncle treating it like his firstborn son since he bought it in 97, but what a great car he chose! Ive had it for almost a year and its required shockingly little maintenance for a 13-year-old car. 130,000 miles hasnt slowed it down a bit. It drives great, even in bad storms and intense heat. My parents and I feel safe knowing that I have a sturdy reliable car to get around with. I was definitely dealt a good hand with my first car compared to some clunkers my friends were landed with. My compliments to Nissan, this suckers going to last me for years.

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  Still going strong after 8.5 years - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By DesignerX - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Im very happy with the Xterra 138k miles and 8.5 years later. All Ive done is regular maintenance (including replacing the timing belt at 105k miles.) Occasionally during the last couple of years Ive had an itch for something new(er) or different but its hard to rationalize giving up the X when it performs without complaints, still looks good and feels just as tight as it did at 65k miles. I do need to get an upholstery shop to fix the headliner, but the seats dont show signs of wear after being a daily driver. This is a followup from my review on 05/18/2007 (same user name).

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  Fun car to drive, with caveats - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By 350Z - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive on back roads, esp. along the Calif coastline. Just be aware of maint costs. I drive it easy, only 7K a year, and still replaced 6 tires, tranny, the top, clutch pedal, clutch and flywheel. Clutch chatter is embarrassing! But, she has power and hugs the roads nicely. Stops on a dime and accelerates briskly. I think the traction control is about to go--what happened to Japanese engineering? Oh and subwoofer failed twice (note I owned 2 other Nissans but not sports cars and loved them)

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  Be aware of Transmission/Fuel Problems - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By karenlincoln - March 19 - 10:00 am

  We are having a problem with our radiator coolant leaking into our transmission just like most 2005 yr models are having and also had to replace fuel sending unit (like other also). Both of which are a design flaw on Nissans part and they are trying to get away with it and not own up to their responsibility. This is a costly repair- 471 for fuel sending unit and 6000 for new transmission/ 1200 for new radiator. So as you can see you can go out a purchase a very good used car for that. Nissan take care of your customers!

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  Impressive - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By DT - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Just traded a 2007 Infiniti G35X for the Max (no Infiniti dealer near to get a 2010 G37), so initially I thought I was taking a slight step backwards. I missed the intelligent cruise control in the Infiniti line, but overall, I have been impressed with the car. Mileage is 26+ on the highway in hills, which is better than the G. Its a bit bigger car and has a larger trunk than the G (but it is still small). Have all the toys on it. Very satisfied.