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 car in the world - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By tiffini_shae - October 1 - 10:00 am

  this car is great!! the first time i saw it i was like wow this has got to be a million $ car! i cant believe how cheap it is!! i love my car and i get so many compliments on it at high school!

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  THIS IS A SUPERB MACHINE - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By STAN - October 1 - 10:00 am

  IF YOU WANT TO ESCAPE THE HUMDRUM OF EVERYDAY MEDIOCRITY,GET IN THIS MACHINE. SPEEDY-YES! COMFORTABLE -YES-GAS MILEAGE VERY GOOD SO MUCH MORE CORNERING ETC.AND PRICED COMPETITIVELY

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  Perfect - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Joe - September 30 - 11:13 am

  I love it. Im a distance runner and it gets me where I want to go even without the 4 wheel drive its still a very useful vehicle.

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  An Unexpected Treat - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By ICSTAR IN THE HOUSE - September 30 - 9:36 am

  To quote the food critic guy on Top Chef, this car is like Tom Cruises performance on Tropic Thunder, an unexpected treat. My current mileage is a little under 900 miles after one month + 2 weeks of driving. No problems at all. Once I reached break in mileage (1500), Ill stop babying it and see what it can really do. Dealer wanted me to go for the S AWD for saving $$$ and I didnt need the extras that came with the SL. He was right. The car is sweet and gets a few looks. The factory stereo is OK but to get the Bose, had to go with Premium Pkg on the SL. Some sliding on turns. Front pillars are distracting. Will not disappoint. You get a lot for your money. Quiet. Peppy.

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  Best Midsize SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By a32 - September 29 - 9:23 pm

  Love this SUV. It handles great on the road, as nimble and stable as it gets for an SUV. Great power, gets off the line very nicely. Very fun to drive. Trade-off for the stability and agility is a harsh ride (especially for backseat riders). Bumps are very hard and abrupt with 5 ppl. Even though its a 2WD I have taken it offroad and it has handled everything Ive thrown at it. Average 16-17 mpg mixed (majority city). Zero problems.

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  02 Altima - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Alex W - September 29 - 12:33 pm

  Great Mid-size sedan, Powerful 4cyc, and V6 engine, a lot of fun to drive in and out of traffic, people love it every where you go.

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  The greatest car ever! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By mcrockett - September 29 - 8:46 am

  I brought by 1996 Maxima at a public auto auction in Dec 2005 for $2,800. The car was at 132K miles. Today in Nov 2011 I have almost 325K originial miles. This car has paid for itself over and over. I have no major problems only routine maintainence (oil changes, brakes,...). Ive had it tuned up twice. After 180K I stopped passing the MD Emission test but who cares the car is safe and reliable. I drive almost 100 miles a day for work and she still moves great. I have done several creative things including putting leather seats in from another Maxima, better radio from another Maxima AC controls and power window & door switches. Just a great Car!

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  my baby z - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By Dan S - September 28 - 2:00 am

  i own a 1990 n/a Z (with a bunch of mods) and its the best car ill ever own....its great to drive around just for the hell of it, and its great owning one of the best cars ever made. it looks great, better than most cars of today....and even at 13 years old, she still beats everyone i race

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  NIssan Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Grant - September 28 - 2:00 am

  I love my Maxima it is a great car with a competitave price and good build quiality... i couldnt resist....i choose the Maxima because of the great price and all the standard features and I love the SE edition... it is so much fun to drive all around it is a great car!!

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  03 altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By jatepp - September 28 - 2:00 am

  In my opinion, my 03 Nissan is one of the best entry level luxury sedans for the money. Ive mainly compared it to the VW Passat and overall, the Altima is better. It is about six thousand dollars cheaper and looks about the same on the outside. The interior is very advanced for its time as well.