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:

• 

  Nice car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By JulieinGA - December 29 - 6:26 am

  I have been a Camry owner for the last 20 years. But I liked the luxury and handling of the Maxima and the price was right. It is my first real luxury car and I love all the bells and whistles. It is a pleasure to drive. The downers are very wide turning radius, back window is small and slanted reducing visibility and glare from dashboard on front windshield is distracting.

• 

  Thumbs up! - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Psquared - December 28 - 3:16 pm

  This car gets more compliments than any other car I have ever owned. Handles great, plenty of power precise handling.

• 

  Love my Versa!! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Versa SL - December 28 - 11:26 am

  I love my new Versa SL. For a city car, it is perfect. Fuel efficient, small and comfortable x 100. I appreciate that the cloth seats actually look really nice. I am really pleased with my purchase and feel that compared to other cars in its class/price range, I did really well!! I also test drove Fit and Rabbit. The Versa totally felt better than those. btw, had to rate reliablity for the site but i have no idea, will take time. Expect a lot as my previous Nissan experiences were very positive.

• 

  Overall Very Impressed - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Bob B. - December 28 - 4:56 am

  Purchased 3.5 SE w/CVT in November 2006. Cloth seats w/few options. Approximately 3000 miles on the vehicle now. I just took a long trip w/the vehicle over the Holidays (avg. 27 mpg on Hwy w/premium) so I was able to spend some extended time inside the car and here is what Ive found so far. Very impressed with 3.5 and CVT combination. Its a blast to drive. My only complaint is that the transmission has a slight initial hesitation under hard acceleration. However, once the revs come up the car moves out. Brakes are awesome. On the other hand, seats are BAD on long trips, horn is more difficult to operate than it should be, and the interior has too many cheap looking/feeling parts.

• 

  08 Altima Sedan Outstanding - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Eileen F - December 27 - 3:26 pm

  Ive really enjoyed the pep of the car with CVT. Its very quiet, no wind or engine noise. Rides and drives like a dream. I really cant say enough good things about the car. This is my first Nissan and Ive not been disappointed yet.

• 

  Super SUV! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By dougmael - December 27 - 2:03 pm

  I traded a 2007 Toyota Camry SE-V6 for this Murano LE in April and could not be happier! Great styling, excellent performance, fine handling (for an SUV) and decent fuel economy... what more could I ask for? OK, I could ask for more, but then I would have to purchase a new FX-50 and spend an extra $15K or more!

• 

  103k and going! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By karoline - December 27 - 6:06 am

  Weve put over 100k miles on our Quest and are still loving it! I am going to switch to Yokohama AVID TRZ tires rather than the OEM Goodyears for a better ride. Other than the recalls, we have had no problems other than a broken passenger armrest. I was leery of buying the first year of production - but glad to say I didnt need my 100k warranty!

• 

  I love this car - 2012 Nissan Maxima
  By mseals528 - December 26 - 1:17 pm

  I have had this car for 4 weeks now, and all I can say is, this is a KILLER bargain for what you get. Dont be scared away by the sticker price on these cars, especially if you are leasing. These cards can be had for thousands off the sticker price which in turn makes them a fantastic deal. The sticker on my SV premium with mats, mud guards, and trunk organizer was $39,400. I got it for $7000 less! The amenties are second to none, heated seats, cooled driver seat, double moonroof, large color backup camera. The car has plenty of power and I am still getting 24MPG.

• 

  No regrets - 2009 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bill T - December 25 - 5:33 pm

  Purchased a few months ago and have no regrets. I think the look is great, Ive had no problems at all, the V6 has more than enough power, its fun to drive, and meets all my needs without having to spend extra for things I have no use for.

• 

  Its a real truck! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jim Spears - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Have 12K miles on it and am totaly satisfied. Gas milage equals the Avalanche I traded in, (14 to 19 mpg) Great preformance. Using a spinner on the stering wheel improves quick response in backing up with tralier, parking, and getting on it once in a while. Roters on front warped and the dealer put new ones on and havent had a problem since. Will recomend it to anyone.