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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  A Keeper! - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By bjb - June 4 - 11:43 pm

  Quality ride with great performance, excellent pick-up, handles great. Decent gas mileage. Reliable and fun to drive. I like my SE, but wish it was a quieter ride--too much road noise even when all windows are up. ALSO...be careful of driver side blind spot and wide turning radius--I adjust side view mirror carefully, and must plan ahead for VERY wide U turns.

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  Love my Xterra - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By xterraguy - June 4 - 10:54 pm

  Got my 07 Xterra used in April 2010 and has 38K miles on it as of now, if its possible to actually be in love with a vehicle - I am! Love it, fun to drive, feels solid and so far has been very reliable. I live in Arizona, so we have pretty extreme weather here, from broiling heat to freezin cold. Only thing done has been battery replaced (thats normal for AZ as batteries do not last more than a couple years here) and the front sway bar gaskets replaced. Otherwise, this truck is just awesome. Ive owned many vehicles and this is the first one that make me feel like I can drive it for the rest of my life.

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  Solid and fun - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Spaz - June 4 - 10:33 pm

  This car is a whole lot of fun to drive and has been super reliable. All Ive had to do is scheduled maintenance. It had no problems on a 2k mile round trip through the Tahoe mountains through the high desert of Nevada and Utah and the mountains of Colorado in the middle of the 2006 heat wave. Totally fun and enough pick up for merging on LA highways.

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  Love my nissan - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Lynda Clark - June 4 - 1:53 pm

  I love this vehicle. When I wrecked my minivan and had to get a rental, we got a pathfinder. I instantly fell in love with it. It was comfortable, stylish, great on gas, and I felt safe.

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  Lost Its Value - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By vroom vroom - June 4 - 2:13 am

  I bought my 01 Nissan Maxima brand-new. I have loved it up to now, it has recently gone out of warranty, and has had some problems. I had problems with the starter..etc. I also slide around in the snow, . Lving in Chicago I need to drive my husbands Jeep around. This car has good looks and a lot of power. I now have 40,000 miles on it and it is worth only $11,000. It has deprectiated very quickly. Also my friends Lexus SUV gets better gas mileage than my Maxima.

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  2007 Nissan Sentra - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Karl - June 4 - 1:20 am

  The cars ok. Its too bad the cvt does not save as much gas as advertised. I only get 25-28 per gallon. The only good thing is the tech package, Bluetooth keyless stuff, etc. Other than that, the engines crying with high RPM which takes most of the gas.

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  Love my Max! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Cathie - June 3 - 11:56 pm

  We have owned Nissans since 1987. Each year they get better. This one is the best by far. So comfortable! Great features and fun to drive~

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  2010 Pathfinder - 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mandylouwho - June 3 - 3:03 pm

  I bought my Pathfinder after buying an Xterra that I wasnt happy with. The Pathfinder has none of that plastic trim around the bumbers. It has a wondeful amount of space. The gas mileage is not the best but that is to be expected from an SUV of this size. The third row seating easily folds down into the floor. The interior dashboard (radio area )is somewhat plain and could use some updating and sprucing up a bit.

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  Good Car at Good Price - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By valceanu - June 3 - 10:19 am

  Ive had this car and driven it daily for for two years now. Ive put 34,000 miles on it in that time. Ive had no problems with it. Its solid and reliable. This is a no-frills economy car. It does not handle like a sports car, and it is not as comfortable as a luxury car. But it gets the job done without giving you headaches, and it gets excellent gas mileage. It has a very roomy interior for its size, and it has a huge trunk. Ive been averaging between 35 to 39 mpg in all kinds of driving conditions.

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  Best Car Ever! - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Roger Lee - June 2 - 12:16 pm

  This car isnt just a pretty face, but what a face it is. With superior fuel economy, amazing features, and relaxing driving experience I cant imagine going back to my old car (2002 PT Cruiser). Like a dream really it is. If youre considering buying this car stop thinking about it, and get to your local dealership now!