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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  Great car for the price - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By MW - August 25 - 3:26 pm

  Bought the 2.5S after driving the new Accord and Camry. I have had the car for about 2 months and 2000 miles now and can say I have no regrets. Gas mileage is pretty solid, with 30-32 mpg highway and ~25 in city driving. CVT takes some getting used to, but it delivers the right gear and gets the most out of that engine.

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  Maybe it wont happen to you? - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By raj - August 25 - 11:56 am

  My truck had been into the dealership 6 times and out of service almost 60 days before Nissan purchased it back-- it was all for little things (stereo, tire pressure monitoring system, auto up/down window controlls). Overall I think the vehicle is well designed but build quality falls off when you get into the more fancy setups (mine had navigation, dvd, sunroof, everything). You can beat the price in the base models but Nissan just doesnt know how to build a truck yet. Id take another look in a few years but for now Toyota or Ford dominate.

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  Wonderful vehicle - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Murano - August 25 - 9:50 am

  Car has been wonderful. Love the intelligent key system and smooth transmission. Gas mileage on regular gas has been very good.

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  Middle-Aged Maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Buck Wheezer - August 25 - 9:40 am

  Drive mostly city. Gear shifting notchy. Only real gripe is the oil consumption that affected 10% of VQ35 engines. Still a fantastic engine.

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  Good value for money - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By alik - August 24 - 10:00 am

  After 9 months and 20,000 miles it has had no mechanical problems. I drive long distances all the time and the Sentra proved to be reliable and comfortable. For $14,500 drive out price, its a great value.

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  best sedan value under 20k - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Paul T. - August 24 - 10:00 am

  i got my ser for $17,200. considering what you get for the money: alloy wheels, spoiler, fog lights, sunroof, and sport suspension, this model is a bargain! fun to drive! the automatic has enough pickup, thanks to the wonderful 2.5 liter engine. the four wheel disc brakes stop you on a dime. interior layout is convenient with stereo controls up nice and high on the dash. nice side bolsters on the seats to keep you snug on those hard turns. i love this car!

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  Ergonomic Nightmare - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By GWindsong - August 24 - 10:00 am

  The Maxima SE is GREAT in all respects but one - cockpit layout. Whoever designed it knew NOTHING about human interface design. The seats feel like bench seats, the climate controls use mixed modes (slide AND dial), for those with long legs the steering column does not telescope resulting in arm/shoulder fatigue, and the control console is hard to reach if your seat is all the way back. A month after purchase I had such neck, shoulder, and back pain that I was going to the chiropractor as often as twice a week. It took a while to figure out that the poor seat and layout design in the car were to blame.

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  Disappointed - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Phil in Mn. - August 22 - 10:50 pm

  This is by far the poorest quality Nissan I have ever owned and I have had most of the models, 240Z, Maxima, 350Z, and Murano, yes, I was a loyal customer. The overall body panel fit is poor to say the least, the engine is loud especially when it is cold, the hood shake is almost scary, makes you think it is un-latched, and the interior road noise is terrible for a so-called luxury car.

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By brent - August 22 - 10:30 pm

  The armada is fun to drive. No problems as of yet. The interior space of the armada is second to none. We have three boys and two large rottweilers, plenty of space left over. We paid invoice minus rebate.

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  New Maxima - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By Bill - August 22 - 9:33 pm

  I currently own a 2004 and now a 2008. Love both cars, the new CVT took a little time getting used to, very smooth much different than the 2004. Fuel mileage is about the same in both 22-25 mpg highway.