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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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By DonsMax - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Maxima...owned from new an 88, 95 and this 97. Just normal maintenance was performed and very, very, minimal repairs on the 88. No problems ever with the 95 and this 97. All have been a true pleasure to drive under all conditions. My wife has had two Infiniti I-30s--a 9 97 and 99 (virtually the same car as the Maxima). Not a single problem with either of them! So, to sum up: Nissan makes a terrific, fun, super-reliable auto.

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  Nissan Sentra 2001 - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By vroom vroom - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I have really enjoyed my Nissan Sentra. I think it is also a relatively good deal in comparison with most competitors such as the Toyota Corolla or the Mazda Protege. Handling is very nice and engine performance is very much to my satisfaction. That engine purrs like a kitten when it idles and growls like a leopard when performance is needed. Even in higher gears this car easily pulls you up on most gradients.

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  2001 Sentra GXE Review - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By lpborst - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I have found this vehicle to be comfortable, well built and fun to drive. So much better than my last 2000 Corolla.

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  Wouldnt hesitate to get another - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By LoneStar - August 7 - 10:00 am

  My first Nissan experience was a bust...Quest van had so many problems I swore never look at another Nissan. Then I sold them for a time and drove them everyday. Renault has turned Nissan around. I no longer sell Nissans but I have no reservation of going back for another Maxima when this lease is up. It is far and away the best car on the road. The SE manual is a blast to drive. I got luxury car and sports car rolled into one.

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  Xterra, safe, reliable TRUCK - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Bobmazda - August 7 - 10:00 am

  As with many trucks the consideration of height and roll over has to be considered. I gave the Xterra the hard test and it passed as well as did well in ratings. Driver error, drivers thinking they have a MAC truck to push others around and maneuver in traffic like a Miata ISNT the Xterra. Drive carefully and youre fine! Having said that, the Xterra is awesome....DONT BUY A MAZDA TRIBUTE, I OWNED A 2001 LEMON LAW JUNK.

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  Altima V6 - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By BVersoy - August 7 - 6:10 am

  This car is an extraordinary pleasure and alot of fun to drive. Zero to 60 in 6 seconds should be 4 seconds---it moves. It is comfortable and I feel very safe in this car. Unless something changes I will continue to buy the Altima. PS: My husband perfers my Altima over his V6 Camry.

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  Excelent Choice!!!!! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By NRF - August 6 - 8:00 pm

  I had a 2004 Nissan Murano. It was an excelent car but I decided to change it for a new one. I looked at others SUV from different brands like Lexus RX350, Volvo XC60, Mazda CX-7, and Audi Q5. I tested all of them(excellent SUVs)and The Murano SL 360 was the winner. For $30,000 (you can get it at this price) you get a lot of excellent features paying less money than the others brands I mentioned before (except CX-7 which is inferior in quality) The Murano has an excellent interior design with blue tooth, leather, rear view camera, 6 cds charge, Ipod conexion, moonroof, etc. The exterior design is stunning. Acceleration and stability are amazing. Try it you will enjoy it. I think Nissan is Quality

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  Would you expect anything less - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By sprintn - August 6 - 7:46 pm

  Inital mileage appealed me! 3,500 Miles now. 4x4 SE Off Road package....11MPG mixed driving!?! Gotten better with break-in. Aver. 13 in town and 17 on hwy! My 02 Frontier v-6 4x4 5sp averaged 17.5 hwy or city. The lower finnal gear on the off road package contributes to lower MPG but adds tons for towing! Smaller wheels and taller tires increase ride comfort. I bought the soft tonneau cover......skip it! Poor quality. streatches, sags and leaks! Look for another bed cover! Lots of features standard/ not available on others. For the money, the best mid level 1/2 ton on the market! All considered, money well spent!

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  Best vehicle, best value for me - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By eschool - August 6 - 3:26 pm

  Very impressed with this vehicle. V8 is powerful and surprisingly economical. Interstate Hwy driving at 78 mph at barely 2000 RPM and getting 18.6 mpg is great for me. I pulled a trailer home at a safer slower 70 mph and still got 17.5 mpg. Nimble as my 2001 Cherokee and as powerful as my 2005 Titan. I would not have bought if the Pathfinder SE did not have the V8. I found one of the last ones they made in the SE model. Im 65 and have seen gas prices go up and down many times. This is a good time to buy.

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  Not Reliable - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Not Reliable - August 6 - 5:23 am

  Only 85k miles. Sentra has mechanical problems. Recent dealer service quote: “will need to replace head gasket, valve cover seal, front crank seal, exhaust manifold gasket, and the intake gasket and all spark plugs. Drive belts are heavily cracked. Timing chain stretched needs tensioner and guides.” Past issues: Oil dip stick broke resulting in removal of oil pan with NTB and dealer service pointing fingers. Brake calipers malfunctioning causing abnormal pad wear and short rotor life on left front. After +$2,000 in repairs, the Sentra just is not worth it. Have owned a Geo Storm, Honda Accord, Chevy Blazer, Ford Mustang, and Jeep Cherokee. All lasted +130k miles.