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 Buy!!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By gigem aggies - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This is a great buy-- i got the polished pewter with cabernet interior-- it turns alot of heads-- anyone that passes you--or vise versa-- youll see their heads turning --

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  Nice car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Eagle77 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Great car. Nice ride, quiet on the road. Surprising power from a 4-cyl. engine. Car has 21,000 miles and no reliability problems. Car is a real head turner, I have received many nice unsolicited comments about the styling. Getting 23 mpg in extreme city driving, averaged 29 mpg highway on recent 1,500 mile round trip.

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  quest 2004 SE review - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By quest5 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I found the 2004 SE model to be an excellent van for my family. It is fun to drive, smooth as silk. One problem we have had is a rattle in the side door which we have to take it in for repair. Otherwise, many options on this model and love the entertainment package.

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  350Z - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Bubba Lu - July 20 - 4:33 am

  Great car and a lot of fun to drive

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  now it is great - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By carpersonvu - July 20 - 3:29 am

  I bought the car in August 2012----I had the vibration at 20 and 40 MPH as reported by a number of people. I worked with cosumer realtions at Nissan---the lady I got was FANTASTIC---after dealing with the dealer who did not know what to do and said it was the CVT, she got a design engineer to drive my car and he told me it was the belt tensioner---the early ones did not have a stong enough spring---they replaced it and the car is now FANTASTIC---it is not the CVT---If you have this problem insist on a new belt tensioner---make sure it is a new one with the new design and you will then love the car as I do.

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  I love this crossover! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Amanda - July 19 - 9:36 pm

  I love the styling and the interior space of the Rogue, from the outside you think, wow, I dont know if that is big enough and then you sit down on the inside and you think where the heck did all this space come from!! I love all of the spacial features, nooks and pockets galore. I will say the CVT takes a bit of getting used to. I instinctively tune into the engine and I know when my car goes to the next gear, but in this car theres no pause or shift to the next gear. Its really cool, just unusual. The stability bars in the front and rear give excellent cornering and turning abilities.

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  Worse NISSAN EVER Made - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By tiagocosta - July 19 - 8:22 pm

  Where do i start. i have had four generations of nissan maxima 4th 5th 6th and 7th generation maximas. So im talking from experience because i know how the car should opperate and run. But the 2004 nissan maxima SE has to be the worse car ever made by nissan. The timming belt, transmission, coils, shocks, struts, car seats all broke apart every 6 months apart. It seems like the put the car together with tape. Its just very badly designed. I never had any issues with any other car? i still have my 5th and 6th generation maximas running. Dont bother looking at the 2004 maxima. Just jump straight to the 8th generation maxima its worth it.

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  Good SUV fun to drive... - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Lindsy - July 19 - 9:03 am

  Well I bought mine 2 years ago. Fun to drive..towed a camper..was a little more hard to tow... get pretty good gas mileage about 19mpg.. Went camping in it seats fold down and you can sleep in the back stretched out I am 511 and it worked great! WAS REALLY BAD MUDDING!! Went into a cornfield and got stuck slid all over the place.. Grill FADES and I have a problem with rust already.... But I still really like it and Ill buy another one.

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  Good Choice - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By D Choy - July 19 - 6:30 am

  This is 2nd vehicle by Nissan we owned. Loved how it drives and its sharp looks. Little disappointed about 21 MPG during a recent trip (mostly hwy driving). It has about 3500 miles now. Otherwise it is a great vehicle to drive, handles very well.

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  Fantastic Car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By lz - July 19 - 4:53 am

  I sold Hondas and Acuras for seven years and I thought that they were a gift to the automotive public. The truth is that they are damn good cars, but the Maxima is truly an exceptional car when one examines it closely. The V6 out performs any other V6 in its class and those well above it. The layout of the controls, the quality of the materials, and the interior space are all unequaled in a sedan at this price. It is a good handling car, it brakes well, and it has very good safety features. Plenty of trunk space, and a great Bose stereo brings it together.