Nissan is one of Japan’s “big three” automakers, together with Toyota and Honda. The company was founded in 1933 as Datsun and is still going strong today. Current president is the highly-respected Carlos Ghosn, it is based in Yokohama, Japan, and the company’s other divisions manufacture outboard motors and forklifts.
In 1999 Nissan entered into a strategic alliance with Renault, in which each company holds substantial shareholding in the other. Nissan also owns the Infiniti luxury brand and the NISMO and Autech performance tuning companies. The Nissan VQ series engines have been present in the ”Ward 10 Best Engines” award since the awards started way back in 1995.
The Nissan range in New Zealand consists of several models spanning several body types. First up is the 370Z, a purebred sports car whose price and abilities makes potential customers think twice, sometimes thrice, why on earth they should buy its competitors like the Porsche Cayman. Featuring a 3.7-litre engine and 6-speed auto or manual transmission and eye-catching looks, the 370Z is no poser- it is meant to be a racer, not a softcore wannabe. In fact it is too hardcore for some who simply want the racecar looks without sacrificing comfort and soft handling.
The GT-R is the 370Z’s bigger brother, and its Ferrari and Porsche-beating performance abilities bring it near, if not into the exalted “supercar” category. The Maxima is a midsize sport-luxury sedan with a choice of 2.5 or 3.5-litre engines and Xtronic, Nissan’s version of a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
The Micra is a small hatchback suitable for city trips.
The Murano is a curvy, stylish crossover with a 3.5-litre engine and Xtronic. The Navara is a masculine pickup truck available as single or dual cab, and the Pathfinder is its SUV equivalent.
The Qashqai is a new, small soft-roader SUV.
The Tiida is a compact, affordable sedan or hatchback.
The Wingroad is a capacious small wagon, and rounding off the range is the X-Trail, an SUV to compete with the likes of the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CRV.
Looking at buying a Nissan? Check the vehicle history of any Nissan by entering its number plate in the field above.