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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  Rogue Beats the Competition - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By AutoNut134 - February 19 - 12:16 pm

  After exhaustive internet research and several trips to the car dealers and several test drives, I (and my wife) decided that the Rogue simply offered the most bang for the buck. Some of the factors we took into consideration were fuel economy, safety features, trade-in value, and price. The Mariner was excluded because of price and no stability control. The RAV4 was nice but Toyota wouldnt really deal and I didnt like the spare on the outside. The CRV was the closest competitor with good quality and a nice feel. The Roque has plenty of power good fuel econ and high tech toys. This car fit our needs nicely. Easy to drive and park. Has a good quality feel. Traded in an 05 Pathfinder.

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  171k miles - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By 171k miles - February 18 - 7:53 am

  I bought this car used with 171k miles for my girlfriend to drive. I paid $1800.00 and the car has new tires and paint. I invested another $100.00 in a radio and a hubcap (both missing). I took the car to my mechanic who suggested an alignment, then took the car for CA emmissions. It passed. Since then I have had to replace clogged windshield washer sprayers.

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  Cant go wrong with a Maxima - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By SE driver - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Weve had this SE since new in 2000. Just change the oil and it needs nothing else. With under 40,000 miles so far we have not even made it to the first tune-up (100,000 miles). The only problem Ive had is brake rotor warpage at 30,000 miles. Had the rotors turned (for $10 each) and the problem was gone. The original Bridgestone tires should be replaced with better all-season tires for winter driving (like the Michelins). Believe me, you want the best rubber to take advantage of the power. This car is fun to drive and easily out- accelerates Accords and Camrys.

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  massive excellence - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By lauraboop - February 18 - 2:00 am

  The power under the hood tranfers to you as the driver and gives you this over whelming sense of one. This car is a car made for the "Gods" and Nissan definately made a car worth reproduction year after year. Very smooth ride with tons of style to spare its passengers.

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  Just love it - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By zoom_zoom - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Own in for about 3 weeks now. Just love it. Fun to drive, very roomy, very good milage(30-33 on highway, 23+ in city), leather is good, Bose audio is awesome. No need to say its sexiest looking car in that price-range.

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  `~Master of them all~` - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Lary - February 18 - 2:00 am

  The paint barely chips, (I have two kids and their bikes scratched my toyota camry 02 very badly). The kids dont argue in the back (because of all the extras). When I drive this minivan I do not feel like I am driving a old station wagon! In conclusion the 2003 Nissan Quest is a great buy, and my kids, my wife, and I love it.

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  breaking it in - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Triple K - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive car, with the looks to keep peoples heads turning. Ive noticed that there are two kinds of respect out there and this car has the show for both. Those that admire the looks and pay respect by not parking too close (Dont want to bump the doors)but have to walk around it after they park, and the ones that just have to try and race. Nice to know you have the option of giving them a race or just hanging back and looking good when its not worth wasting your time.

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  Basic - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Heather Dankovich - February 17 - 11:46 pm

  Ive had this car for about six months and Im already tired of it. I previously owned an 06 Hyundai Sonata that I adored until I totaled it. The Versa gets great gas mileage, and I trust the Nissan name. However, it has depreciated $6000 already! I expected a small, foreign-made car to retain its value today but I was sadly mistaken! I have cruise control and ABS options. Im mostly disappointed at the high price Ill be paying off for several years for a tiny, basic car. It is absolutely frightening to drive this car in the snow/ice or even high-wind (I was actually blown off the road once). There is poor get-up (when compared to my Sonata) and poor storage up front (lacks a console).

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  Love It - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By RK - February 17 - 5:46 pm

  We leased an AWD SL and have had the vehicle for about two weeks. So far, we are well pleased. We had an Explorer and while it was a nice vehicle, we really didnt need to be hauling around so much iron. I have not checked the fuel mileage but the little mileage minder on the trip computer shows an over all average of about 25.4 It is fairly comfortable for a smaller cross over. I love the exterior design. It performs adequately for us. Im adapting well to the CVT with no up shifting. Im well pleased with this vehicle thus far.

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  Nice Car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Nice Car - February 17 - 8:16 am

  Bought this car used for a dealership and had nothing but good experiences. The car has punch to it and its options are unmatched. Resale price holds pretty high as well. Great looking car!