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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  Made A Good Choice - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By G.B. - December 22 - 4:36 am

  I looked at alot of options from the 300, A6, Altima, and Acura. All had nice style and ride, but as price went up I didnt see much of an increase in luxary. My dealer gave me a flat out price of $29500 for the Maxima SL w/ Navi and all the perks. I feel like Im riding in a really well styled car with great power and smooth handling. Could not be happier.

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  Power-sapping? No way! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By LinnyJ - December 22 - 1:26 am

  No way does the CVT get in the way! I drive on crowded highways in terrible traffic and more than once I have been able to avoid erratic drivers by quickly stepping on the gas and getting out of the way. The pick up is incredible and has saved me more than once! The ride is smooth and if we wanted 3 rows of seats, there were other options out there. Maybe Edmunds should think about all the empty nesters buying this car that dont want that third row. We enjoy the roominess of only 2 rows!

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  Better Gas Mileage Than Expected! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By billybronc - December 22 - 12:43 am

  Im a courier and drive this car about 180 miles/day. I had an 07 Camry and averaged about 23 mpg, Ive been getting about 26.5 average in the Altima only change I notice is the low rpm at high speed. Very smooth ride and acceleration. No hesitation when you hit the gas to pass another car. Should have XM radio standard. Much more fun to drive than my Camry, tires are MUCH cheaper to replace. Performance+ pkg is a great deal for what you get. The push button start is GREAT! The CVT (continuous variable transmission) is VERY nice and I wasnt expecting to notice such a difference.Youll notice it within a minute of your test drive.

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  Great Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dave N. - December 21 - 9:20 pm

  This is my first vehicle I have purchased and Im glad I did. I have had nothing wrong with it. This has the best body style out of all the SUVs out there.

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  Great truck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By jirvine - December 21 - 12:30 pm

  I have had my titan for five years. I have 163k miles and it still runs like the day i bought. Could not ask for a better truck

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  great so far - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By hiplainsdrftr - December 21 - 3:21 am

  Bought used w 55k on it. I researched very well before buying. put almost 10 k on it. I had a 2002 qx4 for 8 years so it reminds me of the qx4 a lot. Very fun to drive, great in snow and heavy rain w auto feature. I get around 18 mpg in mixed driving. I actually bought an auxillary cooler to avoid the trans. issue. There was already one installed on the radiator by the first owner. Very sturdy leather as always w Nissan and very nice features in the LE. Nissan should recall the radiators though, I had mine go in my 05 Titan w only 68k on it.

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  unhappy purchase - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By thechad - December 20 - 7:43 pm

  I previously owned a 2006 Altima 3.5 SE and loved every second of it! Strong motor and great handling car... Traded it for a 2008 2.5 SL with CVT. I just want to run it into a wall every time I drive it. I thought I would adapt to the CVT and 4cylinder... it will never happen. Its too slow, CVT is annoying and the never ending revving of the engine is ridiculous. There is unfortunately nothing exciting about driving this car. The breaks are touchy and will throw you through the windshield, the throttle will snap your neck initially, the driver seat creaks with every turn (3 times they have tried to fix it) sunroof cover rattles (they said they cant fix.. on and on and on...

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  overall nice car - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By raindeer - December 20 - 3:03 pm

  I have my XTerra now almost 1.5 years, and I never regret buying it. However, I think, the dealership ripped me off a bit. The car is fun to drive, just a bit hard over bumps in the road. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone with back problems. I frequently drive long distances, and Its a bit tough on gas mileage, which is even worse in the city. One tank filling lasts about 360 highway miles. The air condition is o.k., but not great during the hot season in Louisiana. Features, that I miss: The tank is not lockable, and the dealer told me not to buy a lockable tank lid, because this would not seal properly. The antenna cant be pushed in. The sound system is awful.

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  Better than my BMW - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By littledude30542 - December 20 - 10:20 am

  I traded in my 2002 bmw 525 for this new pathfinder. I originally was looking at the murano but a brown one in the showroom caught my eye. there was 4 sets of people looking at it. I bought it an hour later. first of all it has a wonderful 270 hp engine which is very smooth . The nav and dvd entertaiment are very nice for long haul trips. cargo room is very spacious and third row fold flat into the floor.It has nice leather surfaces and my bmw didnt even have leather and i paid more. Ive only owned this car for an hour too! I used to have a 1994 maxima and i put 200,000 miles on it wothout a problem so I trust this car. I have also driven a 4runner and this is ten times better.

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  Only have had my car 3 weeks - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Love my Rogue so far. - December 20 - 8:28 am

  I have only had my Rogue for 3 weeks and so far I am very happy. The only complaint I have I believe is with most vehicles now days is that the paint needs to be tougher. It appears to scratch and get marks fairly easy.