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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  Fun to drive, not to own - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Not Worth trouble - April 2 - 2:30 pm

  Im usually a Honda consumer, but due to their expensive prices I tried to experiment a little and bought this car because it was recommended to me by a family member. However, I have to tell you guys that this thing has been a pain to own. It is fun to drive, but it has had recalls on catalytic converter, ecu and crank angle sensor. The dealer has also given me a hard time about these recalls. This car also makes the most annoying ticking sound after turning it off. I ended up trading it In for a Honda civic Si. Do it right the first time and stay away from Nissan.

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  Love My Murano! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By piper - April 2 - 5:03 am

  I owned an XTerra previously and traded it in due to fuel mileage. I love the reliability of Nissan and still wanted AWD for Colorado winters. The Murano was a perfect fit! Should have bought one in the first place! Rides amazing (like a luxury car) and so much room in the back seat for my teenage son! Its so quiet also. Very fun to drive. Gas mileage is great for an SUV! We are getting around 26-30 on the hwy compared to 17 in my XTerra! Love it!

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  Nice car, ergonomic and electronic issue - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By mmagliaro - April 2 - 4:36 am

  Cant update my other review. Need to add more here. First, I meant ergonOMic issues in the other review. Second: Beware the CD player. It crapped out and luckily I have a warranty or it would cost over $600 to get it replaced. These are apparently a notorious weak point in many Nissans. In fact, it appears to be so widespread that I think they owe customers a free replacement, but good luck with that.

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  Good, Bad, & Ugly - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By ths - April 2 - 2:00 am

  The Good: - great handling - gutsy engine - great exterior design - fantastic engine note - supportive seats - what a bargain! - can steer with the GO pedal:) The Bad: - creaks and rattles with only 12000 miles - notchy shifter that needs a lesson or two from Honda - choppy ride - orange dash lighting screams "Pontiac" - chintzy interior plastics - rear visibility - touchy brakes The Ugly: - the absolute WORST stereo Ive heard outside of an AM radio; Nissan/Bose should be ashamed

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  Great car, simply great - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By Timothy - April 2 - 2:00 am

  i bought my sentra from a friend of mine and immediately i fell in love with it. it handlres really really well, its well deisgned, and it gets excellent gas mileage

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  Best car for the price! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Kim Wakeen - April 2 - 2:00 am

  You will no go wrong with this model Nissan Altima. Its very economical and at the same time very comfortable and powerful with 2.4 Liter engine. I very highly recommend this car to anyone.

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  POS Nissan - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By crbandrlb - April 2 - 2:00 am

  Edmunds should be ashamed with their recomendation for this poor excuse of an SUV. Tires on mine went bad causing a loud roaring sound but I think something is wrong with the suspension to cause them to go bad. Service Dept wont help at all. It wont carry much of a load without squatting in the rear ,very bad. Engine noise is terible, sounds like its coming though the firewall. I should have gone with Toyota.

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  Sentra GXE - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Bill123 - April 2 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoy the car alot, but the finish leaves something to be desired. While driving the wind noise from the doors can be very loud. The dealership says this is normal. I have had Hondas and VWs and never heard this much noise from my other cars. Also I doubt my odometer is accurate. It seems I am now driving about 6 or 700 hundred miles a month more than I did with my previous car. Would I buy this car again? Hmmm I do not know. It is fun to drive but the issues mentioned above mean alot in a car priced at $16,000 and change.

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  next generation suv - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By sese23 - April 2 - 2:00 am

  the nissan armada le suv is a very strong and capable truck both on the highway and oof road.. the 305 hp engine is smooth and quiet even in high speeds..the 18 in tires makes it stand alone with the rest of its class.

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  Very good - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Linda Sweet - April 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd Altima and my over all experience has been very good.