Nissan

Nissan sales have languished in recent times, but the automaker has a turnaround plan that leans on improved products that will debut over the next several months. Automotive News obtained information from a recent Nissan dealer meeting that includes outlines for an updated Murano, Rogue, Armada, and more.

Today we bring you a 1987 Nissan 200SX SE for $21,500.

The high cost of new cars is often bemoaned by consumers and keyboard warriors such as us alike. Sticker prices are high these days, no doubt. Enter the 2024 Nissan Versa -- a potentially decent set of wheels for under $25K.

Is the Versa a good entry-level ride or a penalty box?

Read on.

After more than 15 years, the R35 Nissan GT-R is reaching the end of the road, but there’s good news for fans of the iconic sports car. At this year’s New York auto show, an official from the automaker told Motor Authority that the GT-R and Z names would be sticking around but also noted that it could be some time before they are reborn.

Nissan and Mitsubishi have long existed side-by-side in the weird tri-automaker alliance that also includes the French company Renault. Even so, the two have never collaborated on a vehicle for the U.S. market, though that could be about to change. Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida announced that the pair would share vehicle tech and design knowledge to create a handful of new vehicles for American buyers.

When I'm sniffing around in car graveyards and I find a discarded Toyota or Honda with between 300,000 and 400,000 miles, I won't photograph it unless there's something interesting about it beyond just the odometer reading. With Nissan machinery, however, the bar is lower; today's Junkyard Find should make both Yokohama and Smyrna proud.

Today we bring you an insanely expensive used car -- it's so expensive because it's so rare.

It's 2002 Nissan R34.

The last decade hasn’t been the kindest to Nissan. Its former CEO had to flee Japan and is currently hiding in Lebanon, and several high-value employees left shortly after. Now, the company has reportedly backed out of a tentative deal to invest in Fisker and is eying the possibility that China could eat everyone’s lunch with affordable EVs. CEO Makoto Uchida recently outlined the automaker’s comeback roadmap, called “The Arc,” which he said would involve launching dozens of new models and enhancing the brand’s competitiveness in the EV space.

Leaning into the connection between its name and slang for sneakers, Nissan unveiled the 2025 Kicks in Brooklyn at the opening rounds of this year’s NCAA tourney at Barclays Center.

In what may very well be the  final round of drinks at the GT-R table, Nissan has rolled out a few changes to Godzilla for the 2025 model year.

Honda’s partnership with General Motors yielded the Prologue EV and Acura ZDX, and the Japanese automaker is now looking to team up with Nissan to do more of the same. The pair announced their fresh collaboration at a news conference earlier today.

Today's QOTD is an easy one: We mentioned that Nissan might kill the GT-R.

So the question is: Should it?

The automotive world is going electric while many companies are focused on keeping the lights on. Both are true for Nissan, so it’s not surprising to see that 2025 might be the last for its R35 GT-R sports car. The car hasn’t changed much in its 17 years on sale, but it’s hard not to mourn the death of another iconic gas vehicle.

The Nissan Leaf was already the most affordable EV on sale, but recent changes have made it even cheaper. The automaker announced that the car has regained eligibility for federal tax credits, though for only half of the maximum $7,500.

If you’ve rented a car in recent years, there’s a great chance you were offered a Nissan of some sort. Whether it’s the Altima or Rogue, Nissan has long relied heavily on fleet sales, and the company’s most recent sales numbers show that the habit hasn’t died yet. A whopping 44 percent of its February 2024 sales, or around 40,000 vehicles, went to fleets, so get ready to be a temporary Nissan driver the next time you rent a car.

A thesis will surely be written in the future about the yo-yo behavior of EV prices which are seeming to coincide with early adopters getting their fill while everyone else needs to be talked into the things. The latest? A round of cuts at Nissan on the tongue-twisting Ariya.

Things looked promising for Fisker at first, and the automaker actually delivered on its promise to design and manufacture a new EV. Even so, the automotive market is brutal and unforgiving, and Fisker’s fortunes have turned as it has had an uphill battle getting its new Ocean SUV out the door. The company recently announced a layoff of 15 percent of its workforce and said it would pause investments until it could find a new partner.

It now appears that help could come from Nissan, who, according to Reuters, might be close to investing $400 million into the struggling EV maker.

Today we bring you a literal barn find: A 2005 Nissan 350Z Anniversary Barn Find.

Today we take you back to the days of my youth and present this 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo.

The Ariya arrived later than Nissan wanted, but it’s good enough to warrant a look from EV buyers. However, it didn’t have an engaging driving experience or much in the way of performance. Nissan’s changing that for 2024 – at least in Japan – with the new Ariya Nismo.

Just about everything is more expensive these days. Why, just last week, our Managing Editor was complaining about his trip to buy methylated spirits and a hammer drill as part of his planned New Year’s Eve festivities*. This is why it’s all the more remarkable when automakers essentially hold the line on pricing models for a new model year – especially when it is one of their best sellers.

Today's UCOTD is a1980 Nissan 280ZX that's a 10th anniversary edition and wearing the black and gold.

Nissan hailed its variable compression engines as great for performance and fuel economy, though the real-world benefits of the advanced mills haven’t completely lived up to the hype. They also appear to have issues that could cause a loss of power, knocking sounds, and engine failure in the most extreme cases, leading the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to open an investigation.

Following 10 months and over 18,000 miles of driving, a pair of explorers have completed an epic drive from our planet’s North Pole to its South Pole. That’s a helluva drive no matter the vehicle or conditions, but the team of Chris and Julie Ramsey chose to take it on in an all-electric Nissan Ariya.

Today we're keeping it simple with a clean-looking 1999 Nissan Frontier.

I recall reading reviews of the Nissan GT-R back in 2008 when it debuted - holy crap, that car is STILL being built! - where it was labeled a digital car for the PlayStation generation. This was often ascribed to the big screen in the center console which allowed for the tweaking of various settings. Reviewers often lamented these changes as a drift away from a traditional enthusiast vibe. It’s funny to see that nearly every sporty car on the road has followed this path of high-tech performance.

And, indeed, there remains a big screen atop the dash in the 2023 Nissan Z. Yet I feel this is perhaps one of the last genuinely analog sports cars around. In a world dominated by ones and zeroes, there are still those who prefer to indulge in film cameras and vinyl records. The Z is a trip to a time when holding something tangible was worth something, and embracing imperfections was better than chasing theoretical perfection.

The jumbo Nissan Armada has a higher entry-level price point for 2024 compared to last year – but it would be tough to solely blame inflation for this cost hike. Rather, customers should know the brand simply decided to bin a (relatively) low volume base trim.

It was just my luck that I was assigned a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder earlier this year for a week that included a road trip of almost 150 miles.

There are worse vehicles to while away the mile in.

This year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas is coming up fast, so you know there will be a rush of breathless PR about the rigs being hauled to the desert by manufacturers for this soirée. Nissan is getting into the game with a couple of concepts – one of which is inspired by cars used in a spec-racing series north of the border.

Today's UCOTD is a bit different -- it's more of a daily driver than a project car or show queen or odd duck.

It's a 2012 Nissan Altima SR.

Today's UCOTD comes to us via Seattle -- it's a 1987 Nissan 300ZX that someone tried and failed to steal.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue is one of the top contenders for misnamed vehicles.

Think about it. A rogue is daring and dashing and goes against the grain. Rogues stand out. But the Nissan Rogue blends in.

As the calendar flips to 2024, Nissan is throwing some revisions at its bread-and-butter crossover. Appearance, in-car tech, and cabin materials are all getting a critical eye.

The Nissan Ariya had early delays that softened what could have been a significant EV release for the automaker, but the reviews are generally positive, as most are impressed with its cabin quality and comfort. Despite that, the SUV is facing a recall of almost 10,000 units for an issue with its software that could cause an unexpected shutdown. 

Today's UCOTD is 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V that the author has loved for a long time but must part with due to family needs.

Many of us can relate to that.

Pricing on the 2024 Nissan Z appears to have leaked on the requisite web forums and it’s a tad bit steeper than you might have been anticipating. Nissan has made the sport coupe a little more expensive for the coming model year. However, it’s the high-spec Nismo variant that’s really going to stretch your wallet. 

The Nissan Frontier finally got the overhaul it needed in 2022 and has received generally positive reviews despite the fact that it’s not as refined or advanced as its rivals. As it stares down a 2024 model year in which all of its competitors are newer and more attractive, the Frontier is getting a new Hardbody Edition that piles on nostalgia and a few feature upgrades to some trims. Nissan also released pricing, which starts at a reasonable $29,770 before destination and taxes.

We know there are more than a few members of the B&B who look upon the era of small trucks with no small amount of fondness. Nissan Hardbody, Toyota Pickup, Mitsu Mighty Max – they all hold a place in the minds of many.

Nissan seems to be on the cusp of reintroducing something with the Hardbody name, releasing this image just the other day and promising answers next week.

As the calendar flips into 2024, Nissan is staying the course with just a few tweaks to its midsize Murano crossover, a machine that has been on sale largely unchanged for about the last 10 years.

Automakers never talk about future products with the media, but dealers often get previews of upcoming models and lineup changes. Automotive News recently reported that Nissan showed off a next-generation Armada SUV, and the changes are said to make the full-size family hauler more “Range Rover-like.”

Today we bring you a car that hasn't yet seen the road after being wrapped. It's also a rarity -- a 1993 Nissan Skyline R32 GTST

Late last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a letter to Nissan requesting they recall a batch of Sentra sedans thanks to tie rods that may bend and cause steering issues. A total of 236,238 units may be affected, ranging from the 2020 – 2022 model year.

On this Friday afternoon, we find ourselves adding yet another post to our ‘Dealers Behaving Badly’ tag. This time, some former employees at a Nissan dealer in North Carolina are on the hook for more than 400 charges.

We interrupt the stream of breathless news from places like the crushingly self-important Monterey Car Week to bring you fascinating pricing details of the somnambulant 2024 Nissan Altima.

Today's UCOTD is a non-running 1971 Datsun 240Z.

It would seem  our musings – and the musings of many other outlets, to be fair – regarding the future of Nissan’s entry in the full-size pickup truck segment were right on the money. The company has confirmed they plan to wind down production of the Titan after this model year.

Nissan has rolled out pricing for the 2024 Titan pickup truck. It starts several thousand shillings higher than last year because the base S trim has been axed, though an equivalent 2023 SV 4x2 has a sticker of $45,650.

Nissan pulled back the curtain on the new Z Nismo, officially showing the car that so many have speculated about in recent months. It gets a tiny bit more power, some handling upgrades, and one fewer transmission choice: It's automatic only.

Today's UCOTD comes to us via Miami, and the ad copy is...sparse.

It’s only a matter of time before nearly every major EV manufacturer hawking cars in this country moves to the so-called North American Charging Standard.

Nissan is issuing a global recall on roughly 1.4 million vehicles over a handful of reasons pertaining to acceleration. Based on early reports, owners are either getting a sudden increase in throttle after shutting off cruise control or a short that kills the motor while driving. The cars in question include models like the Note, Kicks, Leaf, and Serena. 

A report is suggesting, based on order guides, that the next Nissan Z NISMO will be automatic transmission only. Say it ain't so.

The Nissan Z returned last year, bringing unique retro-inspired styling and a powerful twin-turbo V6. Though it’s still fresh and difficult to find on dealers’ lots, Nissan is unsurprisingly working on a hotter NISMO version of the car.  A new teaser video gives a great look at the car, but sadly no details came with the film.

If you want a cheap, manual-transmission off-roader, give this 2001 Nissan XTerra a check.

Over the last couple of decades, the Nissan Altima has become the butt of countless online jokes and is now generally considered the most wretchedly disposable of US-market motor vehicles. We can assume that this is the result of so many years of ex-fleet Altimas being dumped into the market after full depreciation, coupled with a general sense of utter dysfunction in Nissan HQ. In any case, the Altima is an icon now, and I've spent years trying to find a first-year example in the car graveyards I frequent. Finally, in a Denver-area boneyard, I found this battered '93 GXE sedan.

This one is for the Tennessee fan in your life. This 2000 Nissan Frontier was, of course, built in the Volunteer State, and it's festooned with Tennessee stickers and a paint job that screams "Rocky Top".

The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is one of the most iconic JDM cars in history, thanks to the Fast and the Furious movies, and the few that have made their way here over the years have sold for big bucks. Recently, a blue GT-R driven by Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 4 hit the auction block, and the result is surprising, even for an R34.

Like much of the world over the past three years, we’ve been finding ourselves planted in view of our television a bit more than in the past. Streaming services have supplanted broadcast shows by offering episode after episode ready for gluttonous consumption. One glutinous show has taken over our screens in particular - The Great British Bake Off.

Often the butt of jokes concerning the types of people that drive its cars, Nissan can’t catch a break. Its long-awaited new EV, the Ariya, was long delayed because of supply chain issues and a global pandemic. Now we’re learning that the automaker’s credit rating recently took a hit. 

Most of us have seen a set of the so-called ‘jackknife’ ignition keys. You know the ones: a press of a button causes the business end of the key to flip outwards, permitting it to light the fires on a car and instigating those of us with active personalities to say “HI-YA!” while jabbing the thing skyward as if it were a real jackknife.

No? Huh; maybe it’s just me, then.

Anyways, that type of key is at the crux of a major recall for Nissan, one which involves nearly a quarter million Rogue SUVs.