Search results for: nissan
LA 2010: Nissan Ellure Concept
Nissan took the wraps off of its Ellure Concept at the LA Auto Show. Nissan is insistent that the Ellure isn’t a preview of any upcoming product, although it does follow a great deal of current Nissan styling. The headlights, taillights, and front grille wouldn’t look out of place on the current Maxima, while the rear haunches look to have been peeled off of the 370Z.
LA 2010: 2011 Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet
Nissan debuted the 2011 Murano Crosscabriolet today at the LA Auto Show. The Murano CCC lost a pair of doors in its conversion to a droptop, but retains the hardtop Murano’s all-wheel drive, 3.5-liter 265-horsepower V-6, and XTronic CVT.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Cube 6MT
In the past I’ve found the Cube to be utterly charming. Maybe it is because it seems to make no major claims about driving dynamics, and so sets expectations on the low side, but in the event I’ve genuinely had fun in the Cube. And this, despite our past testers having continuously variable transmissions (normally an object of derision, though Nissan CVTs are among the best). This time Nissan shipped us a Cube with a six-speed manual, which caused a small wave of joy to shudder through the Austin office.
Driven: 2011 Nissan Leaf
Thanks to being the first mass market, fully electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf is a fascinating car. Fascinating because it gives us one glimpse of the future, a look at the look, the feel and the intent of the cars many people will be buying in the second half of this decade. The Leaf also raises the question, “Might you want to jump on this train to the future now, or hold off as long as you can?”
Spy Shots: Nissan GT-R Runs ‘Ring Undisguised
Our spy photographer caught a pack of refreshed Nissan GT-Rs on a foggy day at the Nürburgring.
Quick Drive: 2010 Nissan Murano LE
The Murano works, within the bounds of its SUV/Crossover package, because of some pretty basic engineering. First off, the steering is direct rather than sloppy, and though it isn’t sports-car communicative at least it doesn’t get in the way. Secondly, the CVT, which inherently wants to slip as it adjusts its gear ratios, actually feels more hooked up and responsive than many a traditional automatic. Fortunately, the tendency of the CVT to hold an rpm level is mitigated by two wise choices that Nissan made. The Murano carries lots of sound deadening, so you don’t really hear the engine droning away, though technically that’s what it is doing. On top of that, when you want more than a gradual change in speed, the CVT adjusts its ratio progressively, so you have some feeling of rising rpm to match your subconscious desire for appropriate feedback.
Nissan Prices 2011 Juke
Nissan released pricing for its new small crossover, the 2011 Nissan Juke, and it will start under $19,000.
Quick Drive: 2010 Nissan Frontier LE 4×4 Crewcab
In the world of mid-size trucks, competition is interesting, at least if your reference is the full-size truck market. Ford, really, is a non-player and Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge come to market with obviously aging designs. That leaves Toyota among the major players to fight with Nissan and Honda (of all people) for the bulk of the mid-size market. My time in the Nissan Frontier made me wonder why Nissan isn’t among the majors, the same way I did when I drove the Titan last year. That’s because, to a car guy, the Nissans have a lot of appeal due to their superior driving dynamics.
Third Look: Nissan Cube Versus The Traditional Hatchback
The traditional hatchback, the vehicle of choice for poor college students and career pragmatists, is evolving. Although traditional hatches are still widely available, this new breed of hatches boasts funky looks and unique tech-laden interiors to lure customers in. Why should you buy one though? What advantages do these boxes have over traditional hatchbacks? We had a Nissan Cube SL for a week to find out.
Spy Shots: Facelifted Nissan GT-R At The Nürburgring
Our spy photographer caught this facelifted Nissan GT-R testing in Germany. With only a little camouflage, we get a good look at the updated fascia.
Third Look: 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR
In spirit, this Altima stuck me as a rather “American” car. Sure, the final assembly point is Smyrna, Tennessee, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean that the overall Gestalt of the car struck me as consistent with what the former Big Three have done well over the years.
Quick Drive: 2010 Nissan XTerra S
The XTerra is plainly geared for SUV enthusiasts who want vehicles that exhibit a fundamentally rugged, rough-and-tumble character, rather than a more car-like persona. This isn’t to say that the XTerra lacks refinement, though, since it is quiet and very solidly built. It’s just that its truck-based roots shine through early and often.
Quick Drive: 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster Touring Sport
Every time I finished a driving session in our test 370Z Roadster I had the thought “this is really a fun car to drive”. With the exception of the base coupe, I’ve driven all the variants of this new generation of the Z, and the Roadster now climbs to the top rung of the ladder alongside the Nismo version.
Quick Drive: 2010 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL Hatchback
Cars like our Nissan Versa 1.8 SL, are generally chuckable and zippy, which is an excellent recipe for a fun-to-drive car. Unfortunately, our Versa was fitted with an infernal continuously variable transmission.
First Look: Nissan Juke Is Geneva-, U.S.-Bound
Nissan announced that its new small crossover, the Nissan Juke, which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, will, in fact, be headed for the United States this fall. It will also be at the New York Auto Show late next month.
Driven: 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR
Earlier this year, we had the chance to get behind the wheel of part of Nissan’s refreshed 2010 lineup. We admitted that taking the 2.5-liter Altima Coupe for a spin didn’t exactly leave us impressed with the performance. Now, we have just gotten out of the 2010 Nissan Altima sedan, this one housing the 3.5-liter V-6, and we’d be lying if we said it didn’t make up for most of the shortcomings of the smaller-displacement, four-cylinder engine. And this time around, the Altima came to our turf—the wintry roads of Michigan.
Nissan Gives The Axe To Slow-Selling Quest Minivan
Even though automakers like Toyota are looking to breathe some life into the minivan segment, there isn’t that strong of a business case for the once-loved people movers that stole Americans’ hearts over the past few decades. Because of this, Nissan will be stopping production on the much-overlooked Quest minivan.
Driven: 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe, Sentra, and Versa Hatchback
We drive the 2010 Altima Coupe, Sentra Sedan, and Versa Hatchback back-to-back-to-back to see what the refreshed line is made of.
First Look: 2011 Nissan GT-R
The Nissan GT-R isn’t an old car, and we don’t have many complaints about Godzilla’s mannerisms, but nonetheless, some small, yet crucial, tweaks have been made to the GT-R for the 2010 model year.
Driven: 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster
Creating a really good convertible is tricky business, especially when the coupe or sedan it’s based on is such a strong, well-liked car. Simply lobbing the roof off causes a whole host of rigidity and stiffness problems—not to mention design dilemmas—and if these issues aren’t properly addressed, the new-found droptop might just be a big mess. The Infiniti G37, for example, is one of our favorite sport coupes, but in its cabriolet guise, the chassis proves to be a bit more flexible than we’d like. Don’t even get us started on worse offenders like the Chrysler Sebring and Toyota Solara.
First Look: 2010 Nissan Sentra
Nissan has released pricing and images (three of them) for the updated 2010 Sentra. The news here: the prices have been reduced, and the Sentra offers a navigation package for the first time, which has been priced at a mere $400. A rearview monitor has also been made available.
