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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  the best truck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By ross ayala - October 16 - 10:23 pm

  i think the titan is the best truck ive ever owned its cool looking its a tuff truck and its powerful but it needs to come with a grill in the bottom of the front bumper. but its still a good truck.

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  2008 Better than Ever - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By CMC - October 16 - 1:26 pm

  I traded up from a 2004 and have to say Nissan did a better job listening to the input from consumers on what was working and not working. FFV as standard on most of their trucks gives a great alternate fuel. Ive averaged 12 mpg city and 14 mpg highway on ethanol (E85). At 50 cents less a gallon, the cost savings start adding up with very little mileage loss. Better larger brakes, 20 inch rims and tires to boot. I have the new long bed combined with Crew Cab. Can haul more gear and the gang with spacious cabin room. Ride is better with longer frame as well. Ive owned trucks from Chevy and Ford. The Titan quality stands out by far.

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  Great ride! - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Kim - October 16 - 10:42 am

  I was in the market for a new car fell in love with the look of this. I bought one used, but it was in great condition. The seats are comfortable; they hug your body and make you feel safe, unlike the Nissan Sentra I had before where the seats were just boring and flat. I get a lot of miles out of a tank of gas, it feels pretty sturdy and heavy driving on the road, which is important to me. The Sentra felt like itd fly off the road if there was a gust of wind. However, the trunk is TINY and SHALLOW. You cant even fit a decent sized box in the back. This isnt a good traveling car if you do a lot of traveling, as the back seat is pretty small as well. But since Im only one person with no kids, its perfect for me. Also, sometimes this car seems to have trouble speeding up on hills. This car is also very safe. I recently got into a four-car wreck - the Infiniti behind me was totaled, but I only got away with my two bumpers needing replacement and the exhaust system repaired. No windows shattering, engine problems, or any other damage to the body that I know of.

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  NISSAN MAXIMA SE SEDAN - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By SHIRLEY - October 16 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS A GREAT CAR AND FUN TO DRIVE.

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  Best Mid-Size Sedan for under $25K - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By mirth review - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Compared to the other competitors in the mid-size sedans under $25K category, Maxima provides the best combination of performance, reliability, luxury, and convenience. I researched this against all its competitors: 1. Camry/Accord/Taurus - way too boring 2. Passat - nice, but the engine is anemic. 3. Impala - questionable styling 4. Intrepid/Concorde - too boaty, reliability questions 5. Grand Prix - dont care for Pontiacs styling inside or out

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  I LOVE this car! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Cindy315 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Rides nice, and handles exceptionally well...and it looks good too!

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  Smooth - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By R. Grantham - October 16 - 9:44 am

  Love this little car. Back seats have plenty of leg room. Engine runs so smooth you will love just trying to listen to it.

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  murano from nj - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By scott wall - October 16 - 8:50 am

  I have had the murano for approximately 5 months. I really love it! It handles very well in bad weather. I get many compliments from it. Its also a very smooth comfortable ride.

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  Awesome Truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By TitanThunder - October 16 - 2:46 am

  Former Tundra owner here and happy to be so. The Titan is simply an awesome vehicle performance wise & fun wise. Its also twice the vehicle that my troublesome Tundra ever was. I have 3200 miles on my new Titan with 2500 of those coming over the holiday on a family trip last week. I purchased the LE & it has surpassed expectations. We had a trouble free, comfortable trip in the Titan & our three Toddlers fit easily & comfortably in the back seat with not one complaint about comfort the entire time. The Titan has endless power, a luxury car-like ride & little wind noise. Thats saying a lot, since we drove into some winds that exceeded 30mph on our trip. The Titan is just a fantastic truck!

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  Xterra Rocks! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By X-fan - October 15 - 4:53 am

  Simply a great vehicle at a great price. The powertrain is unmatched in its price class and even at the $40K level. Theres no direct competition - any Ford, GM, or Toyota SUV will cost you 10K more. Its not meant to be a loaded luxury ride, just a go anywhere utility vehicle that rides, handles, and drives exceptionally well. After 15K miles, I can say Id be back at the Nissan dealer to buy another one if mine were to disappear today. Mileage has been good, consistently at 20-21 mpg after switching to Mobil 1 synthetic oil (75% highway driving). All I can say is go drive one before buying any other small or midsize SUV. I started out liking it, but it didnt take long to love it.