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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  Love My 2005 Altima - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Sheila Price - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun, yet serious vehicle. My 2005 Nissan Altima is a sedan that has the feel of a sports car! In addition, Ive never felt so safe in a car. I feel totally protected by the excellent construction of the vehicle and the state of the art air bag system. My last statement has been proven, sadly, by the fact that, just one month after purchasing my Altima I was broadsided by another vehicle and although the whole left side of my beautiful car was damaged, I walked away with only minor bruises. I was thoroughly protected by the left side air bags and was wearing my seat belt. Just that evening, Sun., Oct. 3, 2004, Dateline had a story on how side airbags are saving peoples lives.

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  I like my new Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Guruno - January 27 - 9:30 am

  Have only owned a week, and came from owning a 97 Jeep Wrangler for the past 10 years, so my auto experience is rather limited. Needless to say, I love my new Altima. Very roomy - am 6 and have plenty of leg/head room. The back seats have comfortable space as well. The clutch is shorter than my old Wranglers and the response is worlds better. The 270 HP is nice on the highway. Steering feels good at high speeds. The fuel economy is OK, but wasnt expecting much with the engine size. I like the layout of the internal controls, very intuitive.

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  2005 Murano SL - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Orange County Ca - January 27 - 6:30 am

  Fun car to drive. Extremely roomy inside. Visibility is surprisingly good with only small blind spots in rear. The cloth seats can build up a severe static charge. Static guard does seem to help.

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  Good all around sports sedan - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By ioccaste - January 27 - 2:53 am

  Have had this car for about 2.5 years now, and have been a very happy customer. bought it with 70k, now at 103k. so far, have replaced tires, exhaust rear section, complete rear brake assembly, MAF sensor, plugs. need to have my a/c recharged soon. they say youll spend about $1000/yr on maintenance of any used car, which is pretty typical. so far, the car has been VERY reliable. its a stylish people mover, but able to romp with the big boys of GM or Ford (similar domestic sedans dont come close to the maxima power-to-weight ratio). on cold days, she hesitates while accelerating for about a minute. they say i have a small gasket leak somewhere. i get a lot of compliments. good mpg

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  Great SUV but styling no longer excites - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By thegmen - January 26 - 1:26 am

  Its reliable, comfortable and well made. Best vehicle Ive ever owned. Interior materials not as premium as they look. Leather wrinkles on drivers seat have begun to crack thru. Simulated alloy trim on center console dents easily.

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  Excellent Car - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By smarty666 - January 25 - 11:46 pm

  The car handles and accelerates extremely well. The CVT has yielded very good fuel economy for a car with 290hp. The CVT unfortunately takes away from really making the maxima a four door sports sedan but it does make it feel and sound more like a luxury sedan. If you want to impress you can really use the driver sport mode to make the car sound and feel more like a normal automatic transmission which I have used quite often.

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  Unresolved problems - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By dianne - January 25 - 3:43 pm

  Brakes squeal. Popping sound from front wheel area sounds like the strut when turning engine clatters as if out of oil. Steering wheel and passengers seat vibrate. Stereo has cuts in and out, speakers have a lot of static at times. There have been times radio would not come on at all after a car wash. Dash and front right door rattle.

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  Sharp looking sedan, fast - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Gratefulphred - January 25 - 1:20 pm

  I needed a 4 door car, but wanted a performance car. This car is both. Roomy, 4 doors, and a engine that packs a punch. This baby will leave many sport cars looking at my tailights! Fun to drive, lots of standard features, and more attractive styling than Accord or Camry.

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  3rd review at 18mos of ownership - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By whilte knight - January 25 - 9:30 am

  After 18 mos, still a great truck and I am very happy with it. No mechanical problems at all. Service at dealership has been great. Just got back from a trip into the Colorado Mtns. and it did great on the steep and winding roads. Plenty of power with the 4cylinder. Got my best gas mileage yet of 27.3 mpg coming down out of the mountains. So far have averaged 24 mpg in 13,000 miles of driving with 90% as highway driving. No towing.

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  Excellent all around vehicle - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By hans - January 25 - 1:26 am

  Lifes about tradeoffs and this vehicles strikes a great balance for me. I dont want a minvan, and I have four kids. I want a rugged car, but also one the has class to it. I can configure the seats to be as useful as a minvan. As long as I am not carrying 7 adults around continuously (I never have) the seating is adequate. Does not have a V8 but who needs one with the powerful V6? It can tow on par with a full size truck. Road handling is much more secure than any minivan I have driven and much more smooth than any truck I have driven. It feels sturdy, safe and secure. 2WD/4WD, rear winshield wiper, sure-footedness adds to security to face adverse conditions.