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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  buy one - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By pathfinder owner - November 18 - 9:10 am

  my 2wd pathfinder le is faster than my friend honda civic lol

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  most pleasant car so far driven - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - November 17 - 9:03 pm

  Currently leasing 2016 Maxima SR. So far the most enjoyable car Ive driven (as a field engineer travel 40 weeks per year, renting all type of cars). Ill start with Cons first : poor fuel economy in manual mode (7 - 12 mpg in suburb with many stop signs, not using sport mode), average ticket for fueling went from 32 bucks on sentra to 55 bucks on maxima (it uses 91 gas). hard to get out of a car (seating is very low, need to pay attention not to headbump the roof) comparing to altima, sentra, murano as well as challenger, comaro and mustang. Only 370z was even harder to get out. Also nissan connect does poor tracking of traffic, car keeps telling youll be in place in 20 minutes for 1 hour. Thats all i have for cons. Pros : press 1 button to start cruise control, press second button to adjust desirable distance between car in front of you and set maximum speed. Now kick back, relax, lazysteer it for 50 miles of trip. (wish to test on longer distance, i had rental maxima for that without dpcc) Not usable in traffic jams since it disengages once you stop. increases mpg from 7 to 28 combined as well. You want to switch the lanes - show signal - it accelerates just the right amount not to cut buddy behind you on the road. You can place hands on 4.5 - 7.5 oclock , rest them on handrests and car will never wiggle / strafe / whatever even in wind (sentra was swinging like hell), place them 2 - 10 oclock and you have perfect sharp control for maneuvers. D shaped steering wheel provides extra grip for those u-turns you often make in california. I can compare this car to S trim 2016 maximas I had for half a year and can feel traction enhancers really work, far less body roll, higher cornering speeds, no understeer / torquesteer. Acceleration and CVT : 4 seconds of fun and ticket. It can make it, you cant afford to make it. Switching to an empty lane on a highway is now no problem. Paddle shifters can be engaged even in Drive mode to give extra acceleration, after you are done - switch gears D - Ds - D and relax again. blind spot sensor a bit paranoic, beeps even when you can see car in it, but never kept silent when bikes / cars were there, pretty reliable. Of course if you use turn signals. Front collision warning - you feel cars are going to stop, maxima makes beep sound, cars indeed start stoping. Remote launch. pros - it just works. return to a cool car in summer and warm in winter. cons - you always forget to push the start button once inside, start moving the stick - car shuts down (so breaking the window and stealing car while you are away will not happen) , but still pretty annoying. Front seats can be indeed cooled during those hot days, but make tickle feeling on your back. If your passanger used cooling and today you drive alone - youll spend 10 minutes figuring out where that hissing comes from (captain obvious - from the passanger seat, but feels like not closed window). Last but not the least - seat belt stops stretching and fixes its position once you start maneuvering heavily (not necessarily breaking) , keeps you away from swinging inside car (Ive seen it only on dodge challenger so far) . Now what makes a difference - big, no, HUGE and tactile buttons both on the steering wheel and on console, matte finish not leaving fingerprints, you always know you have pressed the button. For me that counts. No idea what else to add. Summary - not an economy car , get ready to spend buck for gas and for car itself, not a true sports car - front wheel drive feels worse than awd on subaru, except that - fun and pleasant to drive, sexy and comfortable, obedient and nimble, and dont listen to those saying cvt is not sporty - it is, just prepare to fix it once warranty ends.

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  Love it! - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Bobby G - November 17 - 12:13 am

  I have had this car a couple of months. I was concerned about the CVT trans but am delighted to report that it is smooth and a good fit for the Maxima. It is a 290 horse engine that snaps and still gets almost 24 MPG on my routes . I am a long time Nissan owner but this is the first NEW Maxima and I couldnt be happier. This thing turns heads everywhere I go. I traded an 06 Altima that I also bought new. Its not even close.I love the new body design and everything about the car. If your looking, stop now and own the Maxima. You wont be sorry.........

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  Fas Kiwi - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Aaron - November 16 - 10:56 pm

  handles like a dream, I love the drive quality, not too firm but enough to use as a day track car. stops on a dime with the Brembo brakes. Its a beautiful car.

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  Thin paint - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By n25ks - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I very much enjoy driving this car. It rides smoothly and has punch when you hit the accelerator.

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  work truck - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By danny harrington - November 15 - 9:56 pm

  the engine puts out excellent power, i routinely carry about 600 pounds of equipment and i dont even notice it, gas mileage is decent, around 17 in the city and 20 on the highway(driving around 80 mph) between las vegas and visalia california. going up the mountains it drops out of overdrive but no big deal.

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  I love this car! - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Cat - November 15 - 6:00 pm

  I have owned this car since early 1999, I bought it with only 35 miles on it and I now have 125000, its been the most reliable car I have ever owned.

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  Nissan all the way - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Mike - November 15 - 5:53 pm

  I went from a brand new 1999 Oldsmobile Alero to 2001 Lincon Navigator to a brand new 2004 Cadillac SRX to the latest brand new 2007 Nissan Altima. Its THE best car Ive owned to date hands down!! No more expensive SUVs for me.

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  Early Maximas rock - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Peter Williams - November 15 - 4:08 pm

  The cars were comfortable, powerful, felt like they were glued to the road, or on rails. The sound system was great, I had two, I think a 2000 and 2003 GLE, and I loved them. I got a few $800 or $900 repairs when the mileage was in the 1403. The repairs were the coils an an oil leak.

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  The Swiss Army Knife of SUVs - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Kendall - November 15 - 2:33 pm

  In comparison to my previous SUV purchases, 1) Jeep: The worst automotive experience Ive ever had, and 2) Mitsubishi Montero: A mediocre performer, the 2006 Xterra is the perfect blend of performance and comfort for thousands less. The 265 HP engine makes freeway blending a breeze and provides smooth power for backcountry exploration here at the Grand Canyon. There are dozens of easy and inexpensive add-on racks, nets and carriers for every toy I want to strap on, plus a 5000 lb. towing capacity.