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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  Excellent - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Karen Settergren - October 7 - 2:00 am

  There has been 100s of people young and old who have told me "I love your car"

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  Good Car - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ANT313 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I have the car for almost 2 years now (IT IS A 2002) and there are only 2 complaints that i have, #1 I have gone through 5 radios, (under my warranty) the C.D. player does nothing but skip, the C.D. could be brand new and it skips for no reason. #2 the windows occassionally rattle. So I am putting in a new radio ( not a remanufactured one that Nissan gives you ) and I occassionally hear rattle , besides that I Love my Truck!

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  Godzilla has arrived - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By NissanMan70 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Look out, its GODZILLA and hes coming at you. Love the Armada, perfect name for this monster. Big as anything, but handles like a mid-size SUV. Interior quality not great and some ergonomic features weirdly placed at first but easy to get use to. Dont know what more can be offered in the Infiniti version QX.

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  excellent - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By bill b. - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Bought one in 2002 and it made me buy another one again.

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  Flimsy interior, but fun - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By EEG - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Nissana used(19,000m) and have had to take advantage of the warranty twice. Once for heating problems, once because a sensor malfunctioned and the car wouldnt start(Still waaiting for the dealership to reimburse for the towing). I do like the car and enjoy the drive. Drives decently in the snow with snow tires all around. I broke my rule about buying a first model year after a major change.

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  US cars no threat to Altima - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By toriannecortez - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This car has been the best one Ive owned in many years. No problems, nodown time and great mileage!!

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  Did some one say fun? - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By DEEHROX310 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Spec V about three weeks ago and I have no regrets. Well maybe just one, shifting the gears feels really crunchy. Other than a little getting used to shifting, this car is one bad MOFO. The interior is roomier than any civic, Integra, or lancer that ive been in and the ride is smooth, even for the SPEC V suspension. If you do your home work you will see that that this bad boy offer more bang for your buck when comparing to the VW GTI, the Civic Si, the Neon SRT4 and the Focus SVT. Tests drive them all and make your own decision, but for the budget conscious sport car enthusiast the Spec V is definitely the way to go.

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  Murano New Look-Good SUV Mileage - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Rock Dwyer - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Nicely styled, good instrumentation, the GPS system is exceptional. ONE BAD ITEM:The SAT XM radio was suppose to be part of my car audio package, but was NOT included, Nissan has refused to resolve this matter-even though 5 dealers said the would be included. NO XM. Otherwise a nice car overall! Comfortable seats, good driving visibility, mileage averages about 20,0 much better than most SUVs. CVT transmission has an unusual feel, however seems to work quite well. Handle well in the snow!

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  owner - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Mr. Anthony Panzica - October 7 - 2:00 am

  After three months...my wife loves it...we like the fuel economy!

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  Look forward to driving fun - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Bob Delahunt - October 7 - 2:00 am

  The engineering in this new Murano is just amazing. The vehical dynamic contol system keeps this vehical very stable on snow slick roads. It is the most comfortable, safe, quite and reliable vehical I ever had. I was a fleet manager for Chevrolet for almost 20 years and Ive driven more cars and trucks then most people. This is truly the new trend for the automotive industry to follow. Crossover SUV