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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  I bought TWO!! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By pulgar - July 3 - 9:53 am

  I drive all over the South Western U.S. and bought an 04 last August. I liked it so much I bought another and gave the first to my son who was moving to NorCal. New smart key and rearview camera for backing are nice additions on 05.

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  I would buy this over and over - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Polo - July 3 - 3:50 am

  I looked at large suvs for over a year. Not for one second have I regretted purchasing my Armada. Its huge inside, the engine roars get out of my way, and the thing moves. If you know how to responsibly drive a large suv, youll love this truck. My friends are amazed at how this thing handles. And Im never short to offer rides. Lets face it, all large suvs have paltry gas mileage. But, you gotta pay to play. I absolutely love this truck.

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  Amazed - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By ambulatsolum - July 2 - 2:26 pm

  Set out to purchase a Tacoma, have owned them in the past. The Pro4x, though, blew me away. The interior of this vehicle is incredibly high quality and supremely comfortable. The paint is terrific, body panel gaps consistent. The ride on broken Northern pavement is great - no see-sawing - handles bad roads with aplomb. It is a blast to drive, handles well, easier to manage in tight confines that a full-size. Live in a rural area; has handled flooded roads and off-road conditions well. Burns regular grade fuel. Great truck!

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  So far so good - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By New Nissan Owner - July 2 - 3:10 am

  Well, I traded in my previous vehicle of 6 years, a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. Do I really need to say more here? Ive only owned the car less than a week but this car is terrific. Its exactly what I was looking for. I was between this and the Honda Fit. The view from the Fits drivers seat felt like you were too far back-it just felt uncomfortable. Anyway, going from a vehicle with a mpg rating of 15/11 to 33/27 is certainly going to have an impact on my trips to the gas pump (or lack there of), not to mention how much less it will cost me per fill up. Im very pleased with its roominess, and the 1.8L CVT engine has more pep than most people will think. Spend the extra $$ for the SL if you can!

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  Tough to find a better car for the buck - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By BEMILLETT - July 1 - 10:00 am

  In my experience the 2001 Nissan Maxima SE is a solidly built car. The ergonomics are right on, and the comfort is there. Performance is where it takes the cake. Try to find another make for around $21000.00 (thats what I paid new), that can outperform this car. Not an easy task.

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  So far so good - 2009 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ncintoronto - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Thrilled with my purchase. Not concerned about the lack of space for passengers as all my passengers are under the age of 7. Lots of fun for the kids. And super comfy for us in the front. Had a wonderful drive from North to South.

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  2000 altima gxe - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By ralph - July 1 - 10:00 am

  The only problem I have is getting pulled over for speeding. You dont feel the speed in this car its that awesome. Never had a problem in the 2-3 years and 51000 miles that I have it. I bought it brand new. Regular oil changes and two new tires and twice the air filter are the only maintenances that I have done to this car.

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  2000 altima gxe - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By Ralph - July 1 - 10:00 am

  The only problem I have is getting pulled over for speeding. You dont feel the speed in this car its that awesome. Never had a problem in the 2-3 years and 51000 miles that I have it. I bought it brand new. Regular oil changes and two new tires and twice the air filter are the only maintenances that I have done to this car.

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  Poor navigation - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Gerald Davis - July 1 - 4:37 am

  The navigation is way off for distance and time. example trip of 266 miles at 4 hours 49 minutes, the navigation shows 324 miles and 5 hours 55 minutes. We called Nissan Customer Affairs, they repeated several times " the system functions as designed" I said your design is incorrect with being this far off. Ask for a supervisor, was told there is no one else to talk to. This is only one of several times we checked all are off. The dealer said there is nothing they can do. you would think a $40,000 vehicle would have an accurate navigation system. My 10 year old Garmin is more accurate that I use in my pickup

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  First-time Nissan owner - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By swhite - July 1 - 1:20 am

  I bought my first Nissan last year after owning a Saturn. The Nissan is MUCH more reliable than the Saturn was. So far, Ive only had routine maintenance work done. I feel safe in the Altima.