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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  Best Minivan - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By ab2150 - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Evaluated Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Ended up buying an SL Quest (smoke). Honda was very outdated on the inside. Toyota was to stodgy inside and out. Quest has a very space age look inside and out. Rides great and all the power you would ever want. Many neat gadgets and fold down 2nd and 3rd row. Ergonomics are oustanding on this vehicle.

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  No complaints - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Rick - November 30 - 1:03 am

  I thought Id write a review since I have been using Edmunds for some time now and I found the other reviews helpful. I have owned this truck for a month and have had nothing but fun driving it. I havent used it off road, but you can feel it wants to tear it up. It has good acceleration with the 6 speed and it cruises at 80m.p.h. on the highways without even trying, around 2500rpm. I would purchase this car again in a second. My other car is a BMW540i and Im driving this one more. I never thought Id ever say that about another car. So, I seriously have no complaints.

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  Great Car, Great Value - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Phil - November 29 - 3:47 pm

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  Love this Car - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By todd lovell - November 29 - 1:18 am

  I bought my SE-R new in 2004 it now has 240k miles on it and is still fast and super fun to drive. I have done nothing but routine maintenance with my biggest repair being tie rod ends. I did a lot of highway driving but 240k with ice cold ac and everything works fine is very impressive. Im looking to put 300k on this car. My last nissan uad 279k

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  2010 Nissan Maxima SV - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Scott - November 28 - 12:16 pm

  i just purchased a 2010 Nissan Maxima SV. Loved the new styling and wanted to try it out. One test drive was all it took. This is one powerful car, but you have to get up to highway speed to really appreciate it. The suspension is great and will not jar your molars loose on rough pavement. I really like the interior. Well crafted with attention to detail that you would expect from this car. The CVT also works well with no obvious shift points. I have noticed an intermittent subtle vibration at low speeds that radiates up through the steering wheel. Gas mileage is what you would expect from this engine (about 21MPG around town). This car comes with many standard features including bluetooth

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  great vehicle - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By sehochst - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Love to drive it. Could use a little more front and rear leg room. Wonderful handling

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  beautiful! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By ceez - November 28 - 10:00 am

  looks like a lexus, but half the price, what more could you ask for, excellent car

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  Cure For Common Car!!! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Kiranrdy - November 28 - 10:00 am

  ItÂ’s True to the Slogan "Cure For Common Car" I like the design and Space inside and awesome power for V4. Stick shift is so much fun to drive in Altima.

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  Best performance for you money - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By ALFONSO - November 27 - 8:23 pm

  So far i have experienced great enjoyments and near death encounters with this vehicle. I take it to the extreme when i run my car in the curvy mountain slopes in hemet, ca.

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  Love my car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By bmartellaro - November 27 - 7:30 am

  I wanted this car for over a year. I was driving a 2004 Sentra and passed that down to my husband for his econo car. The car handles great, looks great, and the gas mileage is better than what is on the sticker. My 17 year old son says the back seat is very comfortable. I would recomend this car to everyone I know. It has been a dream to own. When I need to get another car I plan on getting the fully loaded 3.5 SL maybe in about 4 or 5 years. I still need to break this one in. Billie Martellaro