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:

• 

  1999.5 One of the Few - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Barbara - August 6 - 12:13 pm

  We bought this new in 1999 and the models ran out, so Nissan created a 1999.5 with a brochure and everything, but it is a 2000 model SE with the 16 inch wheels.Its gold and with the pipe step racks. Never had any serious repairs, i.e. no timing belts, struts, etc. Change the oil every 5000 miles with the filter and purchased new tires only once in 77,000 miles. Great room in the back and seats 5 comfortably. Extremely comfortable inside and not as big overall as the new ones that look and drive like tanks. The mileage is 18 to 20 on the highway, but 16 around town, but regular gas. Its been a great SUV with a Bose system thrown in when we bought it at no charge.

• 

  Update Review - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Hiker / Camper - August 6 - 11:03 am

  My Xterra now has 36,000 miles on it. At 29,500 miles the fuel level sending unit and tank seal had to be replaced as the gas gauge stopped functioning. At 35,000 miles the original battery was replaced and toe-in adjusted. The original BF Goodrich Long Trail tires are approaching replacement time as are the brake pads. My Xterra has performed well, continues to handle well, gets expected gas mileage, and continues to be a reliable vehicle. Handles back roads well, although it still has not been tested by anything exceptionally rugged. I have diligently followed the maintenance schedule, including filter and fluid replacement as required on time. Happy Xterra owner so far.

• 

  Absolutely Awesome Maxima - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By duke_wa - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased this 2000 Maxima GXE used with fairly high mileage and I am so impressed about the quality, power, smoothness and ride of this car! I never realized how beautiful these 2000 models are.

• 

  Id do it again! - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By critch - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The truck has run without issue for 3 years. No maintenance other than wear and tear. Nissan has been great covering any recall issues and has gone above and beyond by replacing a window motor ($400) free with the window regulator recall. Kudos to Nissan. Ive 4 wheeled in snow, mud, and sand, and its performed very well. Ive gained a high level of confidence in the 4 wheel drive capabilities of this vehicle. SuperCharger makes it fun to drive but the downside is fuel consumption. Getting expensive these days.

• 

  quadcamperformance - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By eriktucker - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I have a Nissan Maxima 2001 SE 5 speed black on black, with a few up grades such as stillen intake, crank pullies, stillen exhaust, progess springs, akebono brakes, stillen strut bars, and advanced timming. I had it up to 152mph at 6100 rpms and it wanted more. I had before this car an Acura Legend 5 speed. I also had a 1990 BMW 525 I automatic. I like the Nissan Maxima by far.

• 

  Cup holders? - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By mikek - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car from my dad, who purchased it new. Its got a nice ride, but a bit light feeling in rain. I did have to replace the "cam sensor" 2 weeks after taking it home. It simply stalled on the way to dinner. A tow, and $198.00 later it was running fine. I really enjoy the exterior the most. The interior is a bit cheap.. but its not a $30K pricetag.

• 

  Awesome Ride - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By cvflowe - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I am a first time Nissan Maxima owner and I must say out of all the vehicles I have ever owned this machine is the hottest. The lines are perfect, design is good and the performance makes it one hot family sedan. I can easily become one of those loyal Maxima owners if Nissan keeps pumping them out like this.

• 

  Happy with my purchase - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By majape - August 6 - 9:20 am

  I test drove the HR-V, Rav4, Forester, Tuscon, and CX-5 before choosing the Nissan Rogue. I purchased the SL w/ Platinum Package. The deciding factor was the intelligent cruise control feature with 0mpg stop & go. This feature is a life changer in big city stop & go traffic. Of the vehicles I test-drove, the forester was the only other vehicle with this feature. The Rav4, and CX-5 had a version of it, but it disabled below 20mph, and the Tuscon & HR-V didnt offer it at all. Overall I am very happy with the quality of my Rogue. The interior seems high-end and comfortable, way more so than the Forester. Nissan needs to look closer at the Owners Manual because the "how to" on the Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, and the Blind-Spot monitoring System doesnt match up with how it actually works in the car, which has caused me some frustrations. Memory seats, heated steering wheel, Siri-Hands-free are some of my favorite features, as well as the remote control start. The navigation system is ok, not terrible, but like most car navigation systems, its not great with traffic and requires a few too many "clicks" to get what you need. I traded to the Rogue from an Acura RDX, and so far the Rogue seems on par with the quality I was used to.. The only downside is its a bit more sluggish than Id like.

• 

  One Great Truck - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Rock - August 6 - 6:36 am

  So Far I have absolutely no complaints. Best truck Ive ever owned. More power than I could have imagined. Stereo blew me away. Car-like ride and comfort. To say that I am pleased with my purchase would be the understatement of the year.

• 

  Dont Believe Gas Mileage Ratings - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Ginger - August 6 - 4:13 am

  When we purchased the our 2006 Nissan Murano, one of our major considerations was gas mileage. We were impressed with the manufacturers ratings of 19 city and 24 highway. Well, we have driven our Murano for 5000 miles, changed the oil at 3000 and the best mileage we have gotten on a trip (using cruise control whenever possible) was 17. Around town we are only getting 13-14! I took it back to the dealership today and they told me there is nothing wrong with it-that cars can vary, the ratings are just an estimate, and everyone doesnt get that mileage. I dont feel I drive excessively fast and dont do quick starts or stops, so I just dont understand. Dont trust the mileage Nissan claims!