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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  not applicable - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JACQUES NEREE - May 13 - 10:00 am

  All these kind of NISSAN model have the same particular of major problems. There are two major design problem that customers kept encounter on: First is in the manifold (main muffler separated between engine) This type of problems can cost us a fortune to be fix. The second problem is THE TRANSMISSION because of the overheated TRANS. OIL which could put a big hole on consumer products faulty of bad design.

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  Big Disappointment - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By buyer - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I waited for three years before buying this car. I shouldve saved my money for something more worthwhile. I loved the car at first but things just keep cropping up. The drive by wire throttle sucks, creaks and rattles are starting to develop, the exterior fit and finish leaves something to be desired and the paint job is of very low quality. The resale value on this car is also way below what youd think. Yes, Im already trying to sell it. Do yourself a favor and save your money for an Acura TL or Lexus I30 or a BMW 3 series.

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  awesome car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By widikerb - May 13 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car for the money. I have had honda and toyota but this is my first nissan. I shopped around considerably and found this to be the best deal for the money. I am very impressed with everything so far and have not had any problems. I am averaging 20 mpg city and 30 hwy. Great pick up really loves to go with the pedal to the floor.

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  Y2Ks One Fun Machine..! - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By HiSam - May 13 - 10:00 am

  This is a great model to buy.. Its a lot cheap for its built in features..!

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  great car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By thomas lee daugherty - May 13 - 10:00 am

  i replaced my 92 lincoln town car that i had for 9 years. being 75 years old, my wife was concerned that we were buying a young persons car. love my altima. the four cyl. performs great and the gas mileage is awesome. just as roomy as my lincoln even though the car is smaller outside. had to raise the passenger seat 3/4 inch to please my wife. wish the inside looked as expensive as the outside, otherwise, no complaints.

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By RAMI - May 12 - 4:23 am

  Great truck and comfortable to drive around in town and travel great third seat to use or for extra storage great power 270hp

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  New Maxima - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By John Coontz - May 12 - 3:06 am

  First Maxima, shopped for 3 months before settling on the SL. Great ride, sufficient get up and go. Noticed the oversteer, but disengaging the TCS seemed to fix that. If you want a tighter ride, suggest the SE. The SL feels luxurious and the interior is solid. Still feeling out the quality, havent had an issue yet.

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  Solid SUV...worth a look - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By Anonymous - May 12 - 2:00 am

  The Xterra is a true off-road capable SUV. We have about 6k miles on ours and its been great so far. We bought the Xterra because we wanted a true 4wd that could eventually take the place of my aging Toyota Tacoma. We drove a lot of vehicles before deciding on the Xterra. No regrets. Pros- Its fun to drive and well appointed. The V6 is very powerful. Good size, not too big or too small. Cons- Its not fuel efficient. My guess is that 20 mpg is the best you can expect on the hwy, 15 in the city. Interior plastics scratch easily which is a little annoying.

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  Gas Gage and Oxygen Sensor Issues - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Anonymous - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Purchased program pathfinder with 12,000 miles on it, with the 3yr/36k mile warranty. At 36,100 miles the oxygen sensor failed on the #3 cynlinder. Then before the first year was over my gas gage began acting up (falling to zero if it gets below half of a tank.) The Nissan extera and ultima have the same reported gas gage problem but my dealer says it is unrelated. Agree with other 6 foot tall person that said the vehicle is difficult to get in and out of without hitting your head. At 45,000 miles the heater begins to blow cold when you come to a stop sign, then heats back up. The back bumper scratches VERY easily, and not durable enough to pull a 23boat. Wont buy nissan.

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  LOVE IT - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By jbui - May 12 - 2:00 am

  What a fun car to drive! I love the attention it gets on the streets and how people turn their heads in parking lots just to give it a 2nd look. The handling and cornering is excellent for an SUV, in fact it feels like it has so much control when you make quick turns. Acceleration in the sport and normal mode is as advertised, turbo lag is very minimal. Only bad thing about the Juke is getting to your destination because you always feel like you want to go further. I would like to see an armrest and maybe some interior lights in the back. Great value for a car that does so much! I do recommend it to everyone who dont want to spend too much on an AWD vehicle.