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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  Maxim value - 2017 Nissan Maxima
  By Danny Stevens - April 13 - 8:42 am

  Weve only had the car a few weeks but love it. We especially appreciate the safety features and are looking forward to being more comfortable on road trips. Fit and finish are excellent all around. Going to really enjoy the heated seats and heated steering wheel this winter. No complaints at all so far. Lots of compliments!

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  Sold on Nissan - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By R.F.MARTINEC - April 13 - 1:30 am

  The conservative styling and ride of this compact car sold me. This is my second Sentra and I am very impressed with the upgrades Nissans has done with this model for 2006. I use this car primary for commuting and a few long distance trips. Average fuel economy is 24-26 mpg in mix city driving. and about 10 mpg more with highway driving. This is not bad cosidering I have an automatic. My only compliant is some interior rattles on ruff pavement.

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  Nice Truck!! - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By zeke - April 12 - 6:36 pm

  Was looking for a new truck and went back and forth between full/midsize. Found some articles on the Fronty on internet and test drove. It was very impressive and spoke for itself. Good power, handling ride quality, well thought out design and ruggedness. Nissan is a player in the truck market offering quality/pricing and a good reputation.

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  15,000 Miles in 6 months - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Joe Hill - April 12 - 3:40 pm

  I love ny Armada. I was first hesitant about buying the Armada when I read your reviews about the brakes on the 2004 model. Most dealers I talked to indicated that the brake problem had been solved. After reading the negative reviews from 2004 I noticed that Nissan was buying back Armadas from unsatisfied customers. This is what relaxed my fears and pushed me to get the product I really wanted. I have driven the SUV from my home in Navarre Florida to Delware, Texas, and Orlando. I have experienced no problems. I did not even notice brake dust build up on those long trips. The gas milage was not a suprise, but I have been geting close to 18 MPH on the interstate.

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  Best car Ive owned - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Quagmire - April 11 - 5:16 pm

  Ive owned this car 8 years, bought it with 55k. Its now at 226k and still running strong. The car has been driven for years in Maine to Indiana, Oregon and now in Florida. Routine maintenance is always done myself, including replacing the starter once, brake pads of course and battery a few times. Never stranded once even when the started did go out its a manual and so easy to push start. Lots of long drives and Im 65" and never any back or leg problems. Only shop work done was new shocks and struts at 160k and a new clutch at about 120k, the old was still original. Im pleasantly surprised at how well the new clutch has maintained because I dont drive the car easy.

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  Great! - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By av_empire - April 11 - 11:06 am

  I upgraded from an 03 Xterra. Talk about a night and day difference in performance, power, and ride. The 07 Frontier LE Crew Cab 4x4 has a smooth and comfortable ride. At times it even feels like Im driving a luxury car. The 261 hp, 4.0L engine is top notch. Nissan has a winner here!

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  Great so far - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By THardey - April 11 - 4:16 am

  Just leased the S version with AWD. As it is built on the Sentra chassis and I previously owned a 2007 Sentra, it improves tremendously on that cars driving feel and performance. Steering feel is MUCH better. CVT takes some getting used to but overall I like it in the early going

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  Great little car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Edgar - April 10 - 11:10 pm

  Bought this car brand new in 2004. Car has never had any issues except a faulty sensor that was covered under warranty, but other than that, car’s been running like a champ. It’s not a touring car and/or luxury vehicle. It’s an economy car meant to be driven from point A-Z without the costs. From the looks of the engine bay, servicing is easy, accessible and cheap. Reminds me of a time when you can easily fix your own car without the need of taking it into the dealer or special tools needed. Anyway, great daily driver.

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  Outshines the CRV - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Kassidy - April 10 - 1:53 pm

  My 2nd rogue. So much better than the Honda CR-V!!! Much more value for the money

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  Finally have a Nissan, and its a winner: 11 Rogue SV AWD w/SL Package. :) - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By nissmazlover - April 10 - 12:16 pm

  Proud new owners of a Black Amethyst 2011 Rogue SV AWD w/ SL Pckg. Favorite thing about it is its beautiful color! It has touches of black, purple and brown, looks different in all types of light and is gorgeous! The rest of the car is great, too! Were amazed at how much you get for the $ - its LOADED! IMO, its the best looking CUV in its class, feels far more expensive than it is, its refined, comfortable, roomy, powerful (feels more powerful than the specs suggest), feels solid, the CVT is an actually interesting affair, and its fun-to-drive. Have had 2 Mazda 5s that I LOVED, but have always wanted a Nissan, too, and now we have a winner w/the Rogue!