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:

• 

  What an awesome vehicle! - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Boomer77 - September 10 - 5:23 pm

  There are very, very few vehicles that make you actually stop and stare--and then back up and take a long, slow walk around it, but the Nissan Armada made me do just that the first time I saw one in the commuter parking lot near my home. If you havent seen one of these beauties yet, do yourself a favor and head down to the dealership just to look at one! The announcement on the loud speaker will be, "Mop and bucket to Aisle 1!" simply because youll be drooling so much! Its very hard to appreciate the feeling that this vehicle provided--youll have to experience it for yourself! Although I have not been fond of Nissans in the past, they win this time!

• 

  Third Maxima for me - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By dcowan - September 10 - 4:00 pm

  The 2005 Maxima is my third, and its the best of the three so far (1998 GXE, 2001 SE 20th Ann, 2005 SE 5A). The good: Roomy, comfortable, quick off the line, decent gas mileage, awesome sound system, dont need to take a headroom-eliminating sunroof, very quiet ride. The bad: its slippy in the snow - snow tires seem to be required and that means great expense, back seat not great for tall friends due to roof slope.

• 

  Great Choice - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Jugdish - September 9 - 4:10 pm

  I almost bought a Maxima, but drove an Altima at the last minute and was sold. This car is a blast to drive with the CVT. The engine is very quiet and interior cabin noise is almost as quiet as my Lexus. The suspension is a bit firmer than Im used to but not overbearing. I immediately traded in the stock tires for Michelin pilot exalto A/Ts and noticed a huge difference in snow performance and a slight increase in ride comfort. I am also removing the crap bose speaker system (paper cones) for Orion. Dont really care for the placement of the front dash speakers, makes for an odd sound stage. Overall, for the money.......this is a great vehicle, way to go Nissan.

• 

  My recent purchase - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By pjrias - September 9 - 5:53 am

  My 2009 Altima 2.5 SL was purchased in early March of 2010. It was a Clearance purchase, and was purchased new. So far I would have to say it was my best purchase in 30 years of buying new cars. Took it on a 200 mile all Highway drive to Montauk Point on long Island and averaged 36 mpg at a average speed of 65. The ride was comfortable and quite. The Radio was excellent. And the power was more than sufficient. Im in love with this car to say the least!

• 

  Japanese cars are NOT better - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By ZPS - September 9 - 1:40 am

  Ive had 3 expeditions in a row and had very few problems. Thought Id try something different so I leased the Armada. What a mistake!!!! This is the worst vehicle Ive ever had. This truck has been in the shop 6 times. Brakes have been replaced and disks reworked due to design problems. Overhead console is ready to fall off due to the horrible install job on the dealer installed DVD player which now doesnt evn work. The squeaks and rattles are so bad that I can hear them no matter how loud the radio is. Downers Grove Nissan is an absolutely horrible dealership. Im so disgusted with this truck and dealership that Im trying to dump it for another Expedition.

• 

  Has anyone else had this problem? - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By missmyversa - September 8 - 1:08 am

  My 2007 Versa ran like a champ until 4-6 months ago when suddenly while driving would feel as if the car was not responding or had changed gears by itself. I would shift the automatic setting from D to N and back again and that would seem to correct it for awhile. Brakes replaced 2 months ago. Never did feel right, at times had to stomp on brake and still feel occasional loss of control. 12/24/2013 was slowing to a stop as traffic piled up, some ice on road. Car did not respond. With pedal all the way down, no response. Did not spin or fishtail, did not slow, just silently slid under bumper of SUV in front and was destroyed. Never happened for husband or mechanic. Me or car?

• 

  Love This Vehicle - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Rogue - September 7 - 4:16 pm

  I bought the Rogue a little over a month ago and I love it. I have driven it in all kinds of weather so far and it handles well, no matter what. It is very comfortable and hold a lot of stuff. Would recommend it to any woman who shops a lot and wants a comfortable vehicle that is reliable.

• 

  The BlueZ - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Derek H. - September 7 - 10:00 am

  While working 7 days per week in multiple locations, nothing makes me happier than driving this car from place to place. It feels solid, yet quickly responsive. The power and precision of the steering allow me to escape other drivers who pay less attention to driving.

• 

  Great purchase!! - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By shburch - September 7 - 10:00 am

  This is the first new vehicle Ive bought in years, and weve been thrilled. Our Pathfinder has endured dogs, kids and long trips, while serving as the main family vehicle for almost 6 years. We have never had a single problem with it and it has performed beautifully. We chose the Pathfinder at the time because it had the most car-like ride of any mid-size SUV we test drove and because of Nissans strong reliability record. It has fulfilled all the demands weve placed on it.

• 

  The best car to-date I have owned. - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Rick Martinez - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Excellent all-around vehicle. Great for all kinds of drivers whether you like speed, comfort, ride, performance, efficiency, comfort and quality. No manufacturer problems and smooth engine without surprises no matter how fast you drive it. The speed governor was unwelcome but I guess it helps bring down the price of insurance.