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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  evs and kevs max - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By kman - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Love everything about our new max except we have been having problem starting car in very cold temps(0-20 degrees).Dealer gave us a cold weather starting tips bulletin(they couldnt correct problem).Is anybody else having same problem?LOVE THIS CAR ANYWAY!

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  love the little black sr so far. - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Fred - April 5 - 11:46 pm

  I bought the car in September. I have around 2500 miles on it so far...Love it...it look luxury with all the features and leather. Runs like an Infinity or a Maxima....It looks great...of course it is not a Mustang 5.0 but for a nice cute mini luxury car, it does the work....

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  Best vehicle weve owned - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By pathfinder - April 4 - 11:23 pm

  This has been the best vehicle we have ever purchased. We now have 55000 miles and it just keeps going without anything going wrong. Hall Nissan service guys make you feel like we bought a BMW--always helpful, never try to oversell anything you dont need--it is because of their service, We will buy another Nissan. My only complaint is the fold-down front passenger seat--it is uncomfortable after about an hour due to the removed area of lower lumber that allows it to fold flat--dont get that seat--shell hate it three weeks later and tell you! Xenon headlight option would be great-- they still dont offer it on the 2010-- or Id be trading in--Ill wait for 2011 and see--!

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  Wish i had anonter one!!!! - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Nathan Oss - April 4 - 10:11 pm

  My 1997 just turned 260K miles with same tranny and engine. Best car I ever owned. Bought in 2003 and here we are in 2016.

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  AWESOME CAR!!! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By JIM696 - April 4 - 9:36 pm

  I went from 10.5 mpg SUV to the Murano (my 1st crossover) and I LOVE it. I have had it for 1 month and have just over 1000 miles on it and I know I made the right choice. I got it loaded and love all the gadgets it has. I seem to be getting about 22 mpg with a mix of city/highway driving. The Bose stereo is awesome and I love the navigation and back up camera. I am still getting used to not having to take my key out of my pocket to open the car or start it. I like the power rear hatch and the power return on the rear seats. I find the interior very plush and comfortable. The engine with the CVT is very quick. Great job on this one Nissan.

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  00 Maxima SE 5 Speed - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By jlaves - April 4 - 10:00 am

  Having driven a Jeep Grand Cherokee before, I was looking for a car that tracks well, has the same grunt the 5.2 ltr V8 in the Jeep had, and offers me a manual. Not wanting to spend more than $24k, the list became pretty short quickly. I was not disappointed by the engine. How sweet it is! Lots of grunt, lots of revability. I think teh car looks a little weird from the outside, but I dont have to look at it while I am driving. Build quality and reliability have been excellent, and I am getting about 24 mpg in mixed, somewhat aggressive driving. The tires are almost shot after only 22,000 miles

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  Blows V6 Passat, Accord and TL away!!!! - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By sergei91 - April 4 - 10:00 am

  Only options I didnt get were the heated seats and traction control - dealer did not have one in stock with the frost interior - black leather was WAY too hot! Tested Acura TL, V6 Passat and V6 Accord, not as smooth a ride but lot more fun and roomier. Sticker said $29,500, but actual price paid compared to V6 Accord and less than Passat, TL with same options. Love the 17 inch wheels, looks fast and sleek. Awesome interior - nothing cheap in there, gated shifter, locks and handles all look phenomenal. Awesome passing power on interstate. Worried service will not compare to Acura or even Honda and VW.

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  2008 Nissan Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By mike - April 4 - 6:03 am

  So far this has been a great vehicle in every way. Fuel economy has been right on and performance is also great.

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  Best value in its class - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By RalphO - April 3 - 8:46 pm

  Have owned it 4 months. Love its performance, comfort, conveniences. Need 6 cyl for tow capacity. Good handling is important to me. Muranos is much better than Lexus RX. I gave it a 9 for fuel mileage, rated relative to its competitive group. Of course Id like better. People rave about the Bose radio. I think its adequate. Overall, to me this is by far the best value in class.

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  Excellent Mid-Size Truck - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Hal - April 2 - 11:46 pm

  I traded a 2008 Silverado extended cab for a truck w/ a smaller footprint that still had some power. The V-6 has plenty, but better mileage.I also wanted a real crew cab. Ive read knocks about this trucks turning radius, but its a huge improvement over the huge Chevy. The Pro-4X package is rugged and came loaded with options, but theres no doubt youre in a truck. Fun to drive and a good- looking truck, much better than the Tacoma that I also considered. The Toyotas dont come with as many options. This is a quality-built and reasonably-priced truck for what you get. Great in snow, even in 2WD.