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:

• 

  Nissan Altima SV 2.5 - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By Michael - March 8 - 9:33 am

  The car started to shake when I parked or stopped at a light 3 days after I leased it . When I took it back to services the fixed the problem. Now it been 3 months and I just hit 30,408 miles. The car is comfortable and reliable. But the only problem I have is the car getting dirty quickly. I Pray for 5 years

• 

  The Best I Ever Had - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By carz10 - March 8 - 7:46 am

  I just bought my Max 02 SE and have had for 3 weeks now. It is great. I am now a 4 time owner of a Maxima. Prevous I have owned a 1989 SE, 1993 SE and a 1995 SE. They just get better with time. What I like about the 02 is how quiet it is and the interior layout. The car feels tight, handles great, and needless to say with 255 HP it,s a bargin.

• 

  Cant live w/o a truck - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By flashbang - March 8 - 2:00 am

  stop by to pick up my tags for the 03 Altima I just bought last week. My 94 Ford Ranger 4x4 ( 170k miles) was killing me on gas. They had just got in this Sand Dune color Frontier. After a quick test drive I couldnt stand it anymore I had driven a truck for 8 yrs and had to have another. The ride is awesome and the long bed absorbs most of the road bounce. My wife loves the truck more than me I think. Anyway I was able to use my companies VPP (vehicle purchase program) agreement with Nissan to knock off $3800.

• 

  Wicked Ride - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Jtjr - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I was choosing between a Golf GL, Acura RSX base a Honda Civic Si Veloz edition and the Spec V. Drove all four and checked out the insurance rates for all. The Spec V won. After taking the Honda out a realizing how good the fuel mileage was I thought that was the one. I then took out the Spec V. If your into power and control, its a no brainer to get the Spec V. Almost a year into it and Im loving it!

• 

  I traded my Jetta for this?????????? - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By wolfsburg1998 - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 98 wolfsburg for this vehicle for more power at decent price. I couldnt believe no one mentioned premium gas. My salesman filled it for me and I bet he put in 87. Even with the right gas, the mileage is poor at best. I do like the kick and the front end styling. Had to get the sunroof, which is nice. Hit the gas from dead stop and you might as well just get out and puncture your tires. It is nice vehicle, but nothing special. I wouldnt recommend.

• 

  Better then suggested - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By buckeye boy - March 8 - 2:00 am

  We looked at every mid-sized SUV on the market before deciding on the Xterra SE (loaded). My wife drives it daily (with two small children) and she could not be happier. Reviews said after the newness wore off people would not like it. WRONG!! We love the ride, the security, the quality, etc. We would recommend this to anyone looking for a practical SUV.

• 

  Great Car/SUV/Wagon versatility - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Muranoman - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Enjoy the fresh styling from Nissan. The car is comfortable and enjoyable to drive. The navigation system is excellent once you learn how to operate it.

• 

  What a car! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Walls - March 8 - 2:00 am

  If you like this car in pictures, you need to see it and drive it in person!!! THe pictures do it no justice. The ride is really very nice, the quality, while not a Lexus, better than I thought. The styling is, well I dont need to tell you. I have had mine for a few weeks now, and the gas mileage is very good for an SUV. I love it more and more every day!

• 

  2008 nissan sentra one year mark - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By jjmcc323 - March 7 - 6:56 pm

  Have had car for one year, mpg when new was 28 now a year later is 37 mpg long highway trip to work, car is no frills boring to drive, runs great no issues plan to buy it when lease is up, only complaint is rear defogger not up to par, also had someone hit my bumper at 3 mph bill was 1800.00 to fix that is not right for such a small hit.

• 

  Great performance but terrible comfort - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Chris - March 7 - 3:51 pm

  My 2008 Nissan Altima 2.5s has a great engine and transmission compared to the Hondas, Hyundais and even Chevrolets that I have owned. Nissan really has it down when it comes to their drive trains but I have never had front seats on any vehicle that I have ever owned, including my 1956 Chevrolet pickup, that were as uncomfortable as my Altima seats are. After less than one hour of driving my rear end is more sore than it would be if I was riding my mountain bike. The seats look good but they are so stiff and lack any kind of suspension what-so-ever. I havent tried fixing it yet but I think that I am going to try changing the foam cushioning in the seat bottom and see how it affects my bottom. The window controls on the drivers side are also poorly positioned. They are so far back on the door that I cant reach them without contorting my left arm to a crazy vertical position. Ive found it easier to reach across my body with my right arm to hit the switches. The controls were ergonomically positioned for someone with very short arms. Besides the uncomfortable front seats and the placement of the window controls I really like the car. I get about 28 mpg around town and 37 mpg on the highway, it has great brakes and handles good for a midsize sedan. I would recommend the purchase of an Altima except for the granite front seats and the position of the window controls.