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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  Woooooow! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Love Nissan - March 9 - 11:06 pm

  The is an awesome car!! I think Nissan nailed it! It has the looks, power, luxury & it sooo fun to drive & this makes it better than the competition. 80k miles and only requires regular maintence. It has the quality & reliability that rivals that best. This car is truly in a class of its own. Would definitely buy again.

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  true excitement - 2010 Nissan GT-R
  By LMSTENT - March 9 - 7:00 pm

  This car has been a thrill to own! When it first came out, I agree the stats were impressive but based upon pictures alone, I thought it looked horrible...then I saw one in person. Wow, was I wrong with my intial thoughts. The look is aggressive with its wide stance and multiple angles...pictures definitely dont do it justice. I had to purchase it before driving it, but am exceptionally happy with the performance. All the positive reviews can be trusted. The GTR moves out like nothing I have driven before (coming out of a audi RS4). Its acceleration and cornering ability are amazing for such a large heavy car. The significantly rear-biased all wheel drive add a level of fun over my Audi.

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  ntitan23 - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By ntitan23 - March 9 - 2:33 pm

  I love this truck it has great power even when im pulling items with it. Ive owned a silverado and a tundra the power of those two trucks does not compare to the power of the titan.

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  the best car ever! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Peyton - March 9 - 8:23 am

  I recently bought a 2007 altima 2.5 SL 4 cyl. and its great! its very powerful, quiet, and comfortable. i give this car an A++++++

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  Love It Man! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By TeeJay - March 8 - 10:46 pm

  Just bought the car as a xmas gift to myself and I love it. 270 hp! Car runs great, looks nice, and get a lot of comments every where I go. The acceleration is great once the car is broken in, passing is easy and breaks are great. Love the push button start, everyone that sees it is like WOW just like a Lexus or Mercedes. Makes ya feel good. Only bad thing I would say is that the fuel economy is rated 22- 26. Window sticker says actual is more like 18-24. Im getting 16.7mpg mixed driving. But hey guess you cant get it all, performance and mileage. Overall, GREAT CAR!

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  Considering a Rogue? - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By willbearepeat - March 8 - 2:45 pm

  Purchased new SL in September 2010 and have been very pleased. Looked at CRV, RAV4 and Mazda CX7 and chose the Rogue and have no regrets. Now have almost 20K miles and have had no problems other than loose gas cap caused Check Engine Light to come on. In city gas mileage is right at 24 and best highway has been 31 when driving at 55mph with no AC. Im 62" and fit comfortably in the drivers seat. My 16 yr old son who is also 62" fits comfortably in the back. This is not a sports car and doesnt drive like one. It is a small SUV that is a pleasure to drive, even on long trips.

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  Love MY Nissan - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Denise - March 8 - 6:46 am

  Love my Nissan. No complaints whatsoever.Love the performance and I must say, its a very looking classy car.

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  Better than Tacoma...... - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Edmond - March 7 - 5:43 pm

  After researching all the medium and small size trucks my choice was the Nissan Frontier. All the nice features, style, design make it a better choice. The Toyota Tacoma would be my second choice but I paid $2,500 less for a Frontier with the same choices. Plus those sales guys at Toyota are really difficult, they want you to pay MSRP and dont like to deal. The new Long bed on the Frontier makes it an excellent choice, if you compare the size of the bed to the Titan there is not much difference... I love my truck!

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  I love my car made for me - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Nmims - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I asked to have the car made for me so it is a limited special edition. I get wonderful mileage, have an oil change every 3 months and have recently driven it back and forth to NC twice a month. I average 3/4 tank of gas for 200 miles. Other than new tires, I have had no major problems. This is my 3rd Nissan and I will hate to part with it.

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By Chelle415 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I love this car because it was a good price for a well built car. It has all of the luxury ammenities of a larger car, without the cost, and also without the cheap feel of lower cost sedans. The car feels solid, runs strong, and responds well.