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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  Luxury, Style, and Reliability - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By seb93760 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  This is the second Nissan Pathfinder LE 4WD and it is every bit as reliable as my previous model (99 LE 4WD) but with more power. The Pathfinder has all of the luxury items of many other expensive SUVs at a much better price tag. We have not had any malfunctions with the vehicle and the only maintenance that we have had is scheduled. This is identical to our last Pathfinder. If you want an SUV that looks like an SUV (not like many of these new ones that look like mini- vans) but also rides like a car, the Nissan Pathfinder is an excellent choice.

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  Great mid size SUV - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dan Castro - November 21 - 2:00 am

  This is the best truck Ive ever owned, with plenty of power and quality. 26000 and no problems whatsoever only oil changes. I love to drive this truck however, if you are going to use the back seat a lot it is not as confortable...I highly recommend this SUV.I have been using unlead gas eventhough premium is required and I have noticed no change in perfomance or increase or decrease in my mileage. Premium gas only once/month.

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  A sport sedan in an SUV costume! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By rbridgman - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Im loving the Murano so far...got an SL with Leather, Cold, and Premium packages, plus sunroof. This car has some amazing technological features and incredible comfort, plus enough headroom for my 64" body, even with the sunroof. Its as tall as my Quest minivan, as long as my Maxima, and has all the best attributes of both.

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  best buy in the market - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By 8995.00 - November 20 - 9:06 pm

  This is an unbelievable value. quiet, smooth shifting, comfortable, economic and tight little car. I purchased it to keep the miles off my diesel truck, but my daughter liked it so much she kept it for her graduation gift. No problems, no repairs. I guess I will have to purchase another one for me.

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  Worth It - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Bob - November 20 - 8:16 pm

  Found the Altima Hybrid when doing on line research for a new car. Liked the reviews and comments. Drove it and was very impressed. It is as close to a sports car as I could get with my size. Believe it or not at 69" and 280 lbs I am as comfortable in this car as any vehicle I have ever been in. We live in the California foothills and so dont get much of the city driving. However on the windy country roads I am on EV more than I expected.

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  Not a Cadillac, but who cares - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Karen - November 20 - 10:50 am

  I came to own this car after my second used car died on me and felt that it was time to get a car with a dealers warranty, and Nissans bumper to bumper warranty caught my attention, and then the Versa Ive read reviews where people have not exactly found this car to be particularly sporty, however, I must say I disagree. With the trend in cars that are on the road going to cars designed like the Versa, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris, the Versa is a winner. The design I feel is more classy than it is modern or trendy. The tapered design is nice and economic and it most certainly is a comfortable ride. The space is a major plus, I never thought a small car would have this much room.

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  3 Months 3000 Miles A+ So Far - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Paul Z - November 20 - 9:33 am

  This is my second Altima. My first was a 1995 that has almost 300,000 miles on it that I am keeping as a second car as it still runs great. How could I not by another Nissan? I love everything about this car. While I only have slightly less than 3000 miles on it I just got 34.5 mpg on a trip from Cincinnati to Memphis driving 70-80. Combined city/hwy I am averaging just under 30 mpg. To imagine getting this kind of mileage on a car of this size is hard to believe. My engine is hardly broken in! The styling is amazing and the interior is very spacious (Im 62). The CVT is awesome as is the keyless entry and trunk release. Push button start is great. Make this your next car!

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  Another happy Pro-4x owner - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By albertr - November 19 - 2:43 pm

  Got the 2009 Pro-4x in black with leather seats. Like the truck, its fun to drive. Own it for just a week, I hope it will be as reliable as my previous Ford truck.

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  Nothing but excellence for the Murano - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Michael - November 19 - 3:06 am

  My wife and I purchased a new 2007 Nissan Murano in February. This is perhaps one of the finest cars we have owned and we enjoy every aspect of the vehicle. We purchased the Pearl White Murano SL with a sunroof and DVD entertainment system. The only regret I now have about this vehicle is that I didnt get Navigation. However, I do have that in my 2005 Nissan Murano SE.

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  A Fun Car - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Marg Hellenberger - November 17 - 9:40 am

  This SUV is a great vehicle. It combines the off-road ability and the comfort that my family needs when we go camping. We had looked at the BMWs Lexus and Acuras and had found them more aimed toward on road than off road. This car has been totaly redesigned for the 2005 year and it is a must see.