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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  Fun Ride - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By JJF - October 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Murano for my wife at the end of April, and we have been enjoying this vehicle ever since. Fun to drive, alot of power, and the CVT transmission is great. You dont even feel the car shift. Only problem is the windows rattle going over pumps. Only seems to happen when the windows are down 1/4 to 1/2 the way down.

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  WOW - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By This SUV rocks! - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Was looking at an Explorer or a Honda CRV. Found the space and fun to drive in the Murano. Great highway handling with plenty of power and breaks makes my 42-mile drive each way to work is pleasure. Programming my garage door into the rear view mirror is a great feature. Cool gadgets and room for the kids, all in one vehicle. Was expecting better gas mileage (now getting 22 hwy / sticker is 25hwy). Overall very impressed with my first new Nissan. Used Costco membership on line and saved a lot!

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  Nice Nice - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Bryguy - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Great Car...SUV...whatever it is. My wife and I have to Paper/Rock/Scissors to decide who gets to drive it each time! Beautiful ride, great handling, could be better on gas...but its still worth the drive. Im 67 and I love the headroom and legroom. The rear seating actually works for me as well! CVT is a sweet idea. Definitely a headturner!

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  Excellent! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By johnsonjs2 - October 30 - 10:00 am

  I looked at virtually every SUV on the market and this one is the best combination of style and performance I found. It came down to a Honda Pilot (a wonderful SUV) and the Murano and while both offer substance, the Murano had style. It is comfortable, powerful, and in the SE trim eats up corners and handles nimbly around town. The price is also very reasonable considering all of the features and options.

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  So Far So Great! (Contd) - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By grampa - October 30 - 7:30 am

  Update from previous (1/6/10) review:Now have over 5000 miles on our Altima, including road trips (1000+miles). Still totally in love with the car! Gorgeous looking inside and out; handles great; mileage as advertised or better: high 20s in town; low-to-mid 30s hwy.(65-70 MPH, no AC) according to dashboard indicator, which I hope is correct.

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  Love My Altima! - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Christine - October 30 - 5:06 am

  This is the best car Ive ever had. The ocean gray is beautiful (so many people have commented on it). It is reliable, dependable, and super stylish. It also gets great gas mileage (I never have to fill my tank) :)

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  Fuel Economy Exactly as Expected - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Barton P - October 29 - 10:00 pm

  We are a family of three and selected the Murano because it; has a reliable powertrain, nice styling, no third row seat (we didnt need one), good safety features and good fuel economy for its size and weight. This vehicle has performed well, no serious mechanical issues. There were a couple of recalls for seat belt issues and the addition of fuel tank safety shields. Some complain that MPGs are too low. I think economy is great for the size of the vehicle. We get 20-21 MPG city and about 23-24 highway. This is exactly what the EPA sticker says we should get. At speeds above about 70 MPH weve found fuel economy degrades rapidly.

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  Excellent all around sports car - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Shaun J. Himmelspach - October 29 - 4:33 am

  Wonderful all around vehicle. The 350 is extremely fun to drive with very predictable handling characteristics. A true sports car and a great value.

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  Love my cube!!! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Lida - October 29 - 4:26 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. I have had it for a few months and still have not found a single thing I dislike. I test drove nearly every vehicle in this class and am confident I made the right choice. The car is well built and designed extremely well. Everything has a very solid feel to it and reminds me more of driving my moms lexus than any of my friends cars. Drive this one after driving the Kia Soul or the Scion xB and you will never look back. The cube will offer you smooth pickup (the CVT is awesome!), great handling and suspension, and luxury at a fairly low price. I know I sound like an ad ... just go drive one!

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  Nissan Frontier Forever - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By Vicki Kemmerer - October 29 - 3:23 am

  This is my second Frontier. Ive had this one for 11 years. These are great small trucks. I just wish it got better mileage. Both trucks had problems with tailgate lock in both trucks.