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:

• 

  Awesome - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Sarafina - July 8 - 2:00 am

  SO great, I highly recommend for any new drivers like m!

• 

  A dream to Mod - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By He2 - July 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car in on Jan 16, 2004 and traded in a 2002 SE-R Automatic. I took all my mods off the 02 and had them put on the 04 at delivery. (Stillen Cat back exhaust, Nismo CAI, Nismo Header, Nismo Cams) The mods are endless on the web. The car is now a few steps ahead of the SI or such. You really do not need to mod the car if you want to go fast but it sure is fun to do.

• 

  Got the Looks! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Vincent N. - July 8 - 2:00 am

  WOW! Awesome truck. Constantly getting the looks from other drivers. Couldnt be more satisfied! Got a good deal for under $28K w/a few options (K03,W01,T01,X94,L92,B10), before tax and license. Highly recommend anyone in the market for a full-sized truck to test drive the Titan. I sat in and test drove F-150 5.4L, Ram QuadCab, and Tundra D-cab w/ wife, and 2 kids w/ car seats. Titan won all our hearts.

• 

  Its a Blast - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Happy Guy - July 8 - 2:00 am

  I dont really like American brand. I also have the Toyota (Seqouia)which I also like it but when I went to see the Tundra, it was too simple to me compared to the Titan. (Features wised) and eventhough the Titan has a much bigger engined, fuel consuption, both will about the same. Even my wife that really againts on having a truck like this one also.

• 

  My 2nd Maxima and 3rd Nissan Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By azschaefer - July 8 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love this car. I loved my 01 SL but this is so much better. Roomy, fun to drive and it turns a lot of heads. I love the skyview too. I purchased in 5/03 and have more than 17K miles now...gets 26-27 mpg on freeway and 23-25 in the city. I sit traffic everyday and it still gets gas mileage.I didnt get the nav. system but love the display anyway, has a lot of useful info. especially the maintenance reminder. Will definitely recommend and purchase the next generation.

• 

  Not the Greatest Economical Vehicle - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Jessica - July 7 - 6:30 am

  inherited this car from my grandfather in early 2004. The car only had 13,000 miles on it! Ive put a lot of mileage on it driving to school and to work, and the car now has about 44,000 miles. Anyway, this car is nothing compared to a Toyota Camry or a Honda Civic. The cloth seats look like shower tiles! The dash looks quite cheap as well. The gas mileage is awful; I get about 23 mpg and most of my driving is on the highway. The body style makes it look like its from the mid to late 90s. The hubcaps make these awful noises. I recently had the brakes changed, and they still make awful sqealing noises. The passenger window slides down a little, so you hear the wind blowing against the car.

• 

  Mine has been great - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MattMPG - July 7 - 5:00 am

  Ive been all over the eastern half of the USA in my Pathfinder and its been great. I didnt get any check engine lights until 150,000 miles. Im fixing the problem and keeping the truck until at least 200k. My Pathfinder is 7 years old and has no rattles and the suspension is still feels like a new car. My next car will be a Pathfinder.

• 

  I love this truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Robert - July 6 - 11:36 pm

  I just purchased the truck and have only been driving it for about two weeks. I love this truck. I have always liked Nissan Frontiers, found them to be very reliable. This truck is a winner. I do wish the arm rest was longer though and it got better gas mileage, but overall Im very satisfied.

• 

  Great little eco car - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Digiburd - July 6 - 11:26 pm

  Just bought this car a few days ago and personally it was a tough decision. The price was the clincher. I was torn between the Hyundai Elantra 5Dr, and the Nissan Sentra Special Edition. Both cars had similar features and price. After test driving the Nissan handles better and feels more "solid" you get the door "thunk" in the Nissan that in my mind spells quality. The ride is smooth and quite, the stereo rocks (get the audio fanatic package), and its peppy. After all was said and done I paid the TMV price. Which with the refund got me way under what the Hyundai was going for. Plus you get a better True cost to owner with the Nissn. In my mind, a better choice.

• 

  Exceeds my expectations - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By ShiverMeTimbers - July 6 - 9:20 pm

  Ive owned my LE 05 CC for just over 4 months now (first truck ever) and couldnt be happier. The truck sells itself, even impressing some dyed-in-the-wool american brand only types. I think this truck might last as long as my old volvo (200k+ miles). As for the reviewers complaining about the ride, you really need to ride in a sport sedan like my wifes Maxima SE!! If you want a car that floats along the road, you need to buy a Lincoln.