Nissan

Overview

If Chrysler were a Japanese brand, its name would likely be Nissan. Here in the States, the so-called Big 3 have included General Motors and Ford, with Chrysler often bringing up the rear. Nissan has assumed a similar role, playing third fiddle behind powerhouses Honda and Toyota.

In an effort to lure buyers away from automotive fixtures such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic, Nissan offers impressive cars like the Nissan Sentra and Nissan Altima. And, just to prove that there's a Nissan for every palate, variations including the Nissan Altima hybrid, Nissan Altima Coupe and Nissan Sentra SE-R are also available. There's even the funky, Scion-inspired Nissan Cube with a bounty of custom options.

But not everyone is looking for cars, as Honda Odyssey, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Edge, Chevrolet Silverado, and Honda CR-V shoppers will tell you. For those folks, Nissan builds the versatile Pathfinder, the rugged Nissan Frontier, the V8-powered Nissan Titan, the efficient Nissan Rogue, the comfortable Nissan Murano, the family-friendly Nissan Quest, and the off-roading Nissan Xterra. Covering the performance angle is the successor to the Nissan 350Z, the Nissan 370Z, the Nissan Maxima sport sedan, and the brand's piece de resistance, the Nissan GT-R.

Nissan History

Unlike more established domestic competitors, Nissan didn't start offering its models to American consumers until the late 1950s. One of the brand's best recognized classics, the 2000 Roadster, made its debut in 1967; the car that instantly earned Nissan kudos for delivering affordable performance, the 240Z, hit these shores in 1970. Through the 60s and 70s, Nissan models were sold in the U.S. under the Datsun brand, but that changed in 1983 when the Nissan badge took over. That was also the last year of the Datsun 280ZX, a larger and heavier descendent of the original 240Z. These were the same years of the first Nissan Sentra and Nissan Maxima models.

Following the demise of the 280ZX was the introduction of the futuristic Nissan 300ZX in the mid 1980s, at which time the Nissan Pathfinder SUV made its inaugural appearance. Fast forward seven years or so and you come to the birth of the Nissan Altima, at that time a sedan noticeably smaller than the Nissan Maxima and available with only a four-cylinder engine. A few years later, in 1996, production of the 300ZX ended, and a couple of years after that, the redesigned Nissan Frontier replaced what had long been known as the Nissan Hardbody pickup. One year later, the Nissan Xterra SUV arrived.

Jump forward to the 2000s, and driving enthusiasts rejoice as the company's original sports car returns as the Nissan 350Z. Entirely different types of buyers were targeted by the full-size Nissan Titan pickup, the Nissan Armada SUV, and the Nissan Murano crossover.

While many of its competitors are working to flesh out their small-car offerings, Nissan is focusing on a segment it has yet to tap here in the States - commercial vehicles. The relatively small Nissan NV200 likely has its sites set on vehicles such as the Ford Transit Connect, whereas the larger Nissan NV2500 provides an alternative to the Ford E-Series and Chevrolet Express.