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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  Good SUV Startup vehicle - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Hunter228 - January 28 - 10:00 am

  I just got my X-Terra, I drove it to the Grand Canyon. While it could only do 60MPH going uphill, on the flat road it handled very well, for a 4 cyl. It was comfortable to ridee in it. Roomy for all my gear, fuel consuption was very good when speeds were kept to at least 75MPH. Doing 80 - 90MPH and your fuel consuption will still not be too bad. While more power would be great, all and all the X-Terra (4cyl)is not a bad investment for what you get.

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  So and So - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By Tiki - January 28 - 9:33 am

  This car was great when i bought it used with 85k miles, it waws wonderful until i decided to customize it, Rims, exhaust, the works, the suspension is now very bumpy, but it corners like a BMW. Overall this car is "you get what u pay for". Brakes wear down real fast, but maybe thats just my driving. Tires wear down real fast too.

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  Fun car, but unreliable - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By vegas71 - January 28 - 8:38 am

  I loved and hated my maxima. Lots of power, roomy and comfortable, but tons of problems. Fuel gauge was off, ignition coils went bad, and it randomly died on me on the freeway- where people were doing 80 and I had no place to pull over. This was during the three day period I owned it. Car met its demise when I was taking a drive one night and there was a cow... in the middle of the road. Apparently somebody in Nevada thought it was a good idea to create "open range". The brakes on the car were bad and I didnt see it in time. Car was no longer drivable, but I walked away. Reliable? No. Safe in an accident? Very.

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  Nissan, my first NEW car! - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By Olivia Melton - January 27 - 7:02 am

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  beautiful gas guzzler - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Jonn B. - January 26 - 11:36 am

  I have owned the Murano for 8 months and have discovered a few key things. As related to its size, this car does not get any where near the gas mileage it should. It does however pack a good bit of power. The ride is smooth but the driver seat has poor lumbar support and gives me back pain if driving an extended amount of time. The auto. handles very well and has room to store more than it appears. Still, with the price of gas I would recomend that Nissan rethink the fuel efficiency of their engines. You would think it would be possible to get performance and fuel economy wrapped up in one attractive package.

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  Overall a Very Classy and Reliable SUV - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By 542keith - January 26 - 10:16 am

  The bodys bold, classy, and muscular lines as well as the very well appointed and up-scale interior are like no other SUV and really attracted us. We went Nissan again for the third time!! The power, comfort, and handling are great. This SUV has great materials as well as fit and finish. After 28000 very hard miles the only problem to date is that the rear drum brakes squeal when cold. An easy fix. The gas mileage is about average but the tank should be a little bigger for more range. The rear seat is a little cramped for 6- footers. Great otherwise. Rear storage is good. If you want a classy but reliable SUV pick this one!!!

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  More bang for the buck! - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By mathew - January 26 - 10:00 am

  We love our Nissan Quest, we have driven the Windstar, Caravan, MPV, Montana, Cienna, and Odyssey and found that with all the features we wanted and for reliability, nothing compared to the price/performance of the Quest. We can take my parents, us and our three children and everyone is plenty comfortable. We love the rear deck shelf with net for carrying groceries. Our kids love the family entertainment system. Engine performance is good. Check the features you get with this vehicle for the price, Im sure you wont be disappointed!

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  More bang for the buck! - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By Mathew - January 26 - 10:00 am

  We love our Nissan Quest, we have driven the Windstar, Caravan, MPV, Montana, Cienna, and Odyssey and found that with all the features we wanted and for reliability, nothing compared to the price/performance of the Quest. We can take my parents, us and our three children and everyone is plenty comfortable. We love the rear deck shelf with net for carrying groceries. Our kids love the family entertainment system. Engine performance is good. Check the features you get with this vehicle for the price, Im sure you wont be disappointed!

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  Time has made me appreciate the quality - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By hmt - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I was initially not too impressed with my purchase. However, after having it over 2 years, I have come to appreicate and like this extremely reliable, if not slightly underpowered, SUV.

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  Nice Looks but wish it had more power!! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By bogey29 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I just recently bought the Xterra and before had a Jeep Cherokee. I had gotten use to the 4.0L in the Cherokee. Moving down to the 3.3 170 hp was quite a shock. I love the look of the Xterra and hear it is very reliable. Overall I enjoy the Xterra. Very rugged look!