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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  300 miles and still here - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By MAXMAX - April 19 - 10:00 am

  well driving the titan is a great exp the power is wow the tranny is quiet. IT IS LIKE A INFINTI PICK UP THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WAS WITH THE CLOCK COULD NOT SET IT AND ONE THAT I TEST DROVE IT WOULD NOT LOAD CDS THE RUBBER AROUND PASSENGER DOOR IS COMING OFF.

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  Great Value! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Wine/Spirits EC - April 19 - 10:00 am

  A much better road car than my 96. Over 4000 miles in two months. Very comfortable, and lotsa fun! Terrific acceleration in 3-4-5th gears can snap your head back! Everyone comments on how "cool" the car is, especially hard- to-please teenagers. The rear windows even go all the way down.

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  Nice Truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By DC - April 19 - 5:50 am

  This Frontier is a nice truck. The long bed is actually large enough to carry some cargo. Towing capacity is good. The crew-cab is very handy for carrying stuff or kids, a little tight for adults on a long trip. Rides and handles very well for a truck. The crew cab and long bed makes it a nice compromise between a compact and full size truck. Fuel economy has become more important lately: my Frontier gets about twice the mpg of my friends Chevy full-size, and about 6 more mpg than another friends Toyota 4-cyl 5- speed Tacoma!

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  Beats Toyota! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Phil - April 18 - 8:56 pm

  Drove Toyota for 20 years. Seduced by sheet metal on 07 Camry, traded 2000 Avalon for 4-cyl. LE. Big mistake. We were not happy. Traded for 4-cyl. Altima w/SL pkg. You get SO much more car for the money with Nissan!! More power, seamless shifting, quicker handling, quieter, slightly better mpg, bluetooth, heated seats. Bose stereo is awesome, better leather and controls. For this model, Toyota loses in ALL categories!

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  I LOVE MY NISMO - 2008 Nissan 350Z
  By NISMO 1441 - April 18 - 1:30 am

  If I had to give up my wife of 20 years or NISMO.....oh thatd be tough...That end of the day experience of crawling in the cockpit and ZZZZing up that engine is like therapy. I wanted an 08 before the styling changed...beautiful curves, not a bad angle to the car. Walked in to a dealer on V-day 09 ready to check out the 09s, not really in the market and there was 08 1441 sitting on the floor with $26,500 on the windshield. Are you serious???? Pack it up....and drove it off the showroom floor. My wife looked at it and said, thats all bad, hence my plates "ALL BAD."

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  Honda & Toyota Better Watch Out!! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By RMC - April 17 - 4:46 pm

  Had the Off Road 2 weeks. Excellent SUV. These guys are killing Honda & Toyota! I specifically wanted something different, the massive wheels and special interior on the OR is just perfect. Design much better than 4 Runner and Explorer. 3rd row seats good for 2 kids with spare room for hockey bag. 270HP Z engine is fast! 3/5 yr warranty! **NOTE** Dont play the dealership game. Find the exact one you want and solicit email bids. I got mine for $26K or so, seriously! Some dealers will not bid but many will. They hate it! Start with drive out price of $29K, Period. Someone will meet it! Only go to dealership to give them your credit union check, please dont finance with them or lease!!

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  Spent a bit to keep it up, but great car - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By rustysdad - April 17 - 10:00 am

  Just turned 100,000 miles. The car has been a pleasure. Id recommend it to anyone. Did have to spend $1500.00 to replace the clutch and rebuild the 5 speed transmission. Never any other problems. Theres no better combination of styling, economy, power, reliability out there as far as Im concerned.

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  You need to own one too... - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By preciosa - April 17 - 10:00 am

  I just got the car a couple days ago, silver with grey leather, moonroof, splash guards, spoiler, etc.... Always drove SUVs took my Dads suggestion to test drive one and boy and I am glad that I did. This car is comfortable, looks great and gets awesome gas mileage. I love the smooth ride of this car while using the Bose in dash 6 cd- changer (sound system sounds sooooo good!!!) Great car, extremely happy with my purchase.

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  Summary - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Greg - April 17 - 8:10 am

  This is an excellent car for its price range. It is a good fit in size for a person 62. The fuel economy is good, 30-31, but not 35 as rated. Its standard safety features are a plus. The car is a little noisy on initial acceleration but is quiet at speed. Acceleration when driving at 55 mph, then passing is quiet and quick. The cvt transmission does not work as well when the engine and weather are both cold (below 30 degree weather) , the high revving before smoothing out made my daughter think it was defective. Heat and air fans are quiet and effective. Seating position and comfort are very good. Seeing around the headrest and rear visibility is a bit of a challenge at first drive.

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  Great vehicle, weak dealerships - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Cedric - April 17 - 3:26 am

  After 16 months, Im still completely satisfied with the Xterra. Nissans support network is another matter. One dealership totally botched the recall work on the factory trailer hitch; another botched a simple repair on some interior trim. My experience is that theres great design and quality control at the factory, but the dealer network needs to be brought up to a higher standard. Nonetheless its an easy to drive, well designed SUV with versatile interior space and good ergonomics. Just hope you can avoid the dealers service department!