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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  Love my Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By rogue4u - January 11 - 6:10 am

  Just got my new Rogue and love it. A vehicle that looks as good as it is fun to drive. I would not want to have any other vehicle in the Crossover class other than this one. Out of them all this one is the BEST!!!! Any doubts take one for a test drive you will fall in love with it like I did.

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  Finally a comfortable 2 seater - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By stogie - January 11 - 5:30 am

  Finally a comfortable and performance based two seat roadster belongs to me. Nissan has a sure winner having provided this sweetie with loads of torque, incredible power and good qaulity. I drove the Oregon coast last summer with the top down and it was worth the price of the car. Great automobile!

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  Well-Built, Dependable Altima - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Steven - January 10 - 2:13 pm

  Replaced a 93 Maxima w/06 Altima, and would do it again. Only problem was replacing a leaking steering oil pump, under warranty, n/c. Otherwise, just standard oil changes after 2+ years of ownership. On one long-range trip, got 27.75mpg w/continuous ac use. This car is well-built, stylish and inexpensive to maintain. Plenty of power w/6 cyl. Only real criticism: ease w/which the rear bumper can show scratches, scuffs -- just be careful! Good visibility all around. This is a great mid-size, mid-priced sedan.

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  Awesome truck - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Jamie - January 9 - 7:46 am

  My first Nissan and I like it. Ive owned ford, chevy, mazda, jeep and I like this Nissan more in the first thousand miles that I drove it than I ever did the others. The reviews that are bad on this truck, they are really nit picking this truck. My wife and I really like this truck. I drove a tacoma and a ford ranger. this was the better choice.

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  Excellence in function and design - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By dchrisj - January 9 - 6:36 am

  With 195 total miles on car when purchased, took a 139 mile trip, with mostly freeway speeds of 75 mph. Totally surprised with first tank of gas at 37.3 mpg! Interior design is spacious and well thought out. Instrumentation is well designed and readable, however, like every Nissan Ive owned (Pathfinder, XTerra, and Titan) light and visibility in bright daylight is not on a par with the rest of the interior design. Although readable, it is only just. Fabric on seats with SL option is great - very comfortable and appears to be durable. Bluetooth was a total surprise. I never thought I would use it. But after a very few minutes of setting up, found it to be intuitive and fun.

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  I love this car! - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Z03231999 - January 9 - 2:00 am

  I have bought the Altima used with about 13,000 miles. In the four years I have owned it, it has not failed me once. Short of normal maintenance, I have never had trouble. I drove it cross country from Florida to Washington State and back and not a single glitch. The exterior is kind of boring but I would not change it for anything. I am going to keep it until it falls apart. It probably wont.

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  Prons & Cons - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By jpires - January 9 - 2:00 am

  Great handling and smooth ride. Fuel efficiency is best in class with 21 MPG in highway at 75 MPH (probably better at lower speeds). CVT transmission is a definitely plus. Great stability in all types of surfaces, very comfortable and quiet ride.

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  Great car with just a few bugs - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By dblind1 - January 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the car in August and had 2000 miles on it before Sept 1. Im up to 10500 miles and have had no reliability issues. This is the first real new car I have purchased, and Im very pleased with it. PLENTY of power, but torque steer is BAD. There would be a few things that could improve the car but most of them are minor. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a sedan with plenty of passing power (and long drives). Very comfortable interior (although cheap materials). It doesnt handle as well as a Lexus IS 300 but it is $5000-$7000 cheaper.

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  Loaded Versa & Lovin It!! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Jeff & Alie - January 8 - 3:16 pm

  My wife and I test drove everything out there $5K above and below the price of the Versa and were hard pressed to find anything that truly compared. Leg, head and foot room are amazing in both the front and rear seats and the ride is that of a car two classes higher. Ride noise is minimal at worst and handling is better than most in this size group. The car was suppose to be a third car, one my wife could use to show clients properties way out of town, but has quickly become the vehicle of choice for the first one out of the house in the morning. If youre considering a Fit, Civic, Corolla, Matrix, Focus or anything of the such, give the Versa a try and see the value for yourself.

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  Best mid size car and Better than the competition! - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By Diego Castellano - January 8 - 1:32 pm

  First this car is a very good looking car that know how to be elegant and sporty at the same time. The comfort of this car is amazing starting with the zero gravity seats. I drove a Hyundai Sonata and the ride and seats are like riding over rocks, very stiff and very strong odor of plastics inside and very slow. The Nissan Altima has excellent power and fuel economy 41mpg in the highway and is fast compared to the competition, due to the light weight of the car. I drove 5 cars of the competition and for price and the reliability of Nissan I bought this car. The CVT transmission is a dream, very responsive and quiet, this is not my first Nissan anyways, I had many of them in the past with 0 issues like Nissan Sentra, Bluebird, Sunny, Junior, Bluebird Ateza Awd, Stanza and others.