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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  A Bargain Worth Driving - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By sdaigle - June 13 - 2:48 pm

  At the time of writing this, Ive owned my 2012 Versa SV sedan for 4mos. and have driven it 11,000 miles. So far, its been a fantastic little car and I love it! Fuel economy has proven much better than the EPA rating of 30/38. My lowest MPG on a tank was 39 and my highest was 49. Seriously! I have my little quibbles with the car, but what car is perfect, right?

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  Long Timer - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By John Reed - June 13 - 1:06 pm

  The 2000 Nissan Frontier SE Crew Cab 4X4 is the best truck I have ever had. Millage get this at 210,000 miles its only had the 5 speed manual transmission and clutch replaced. Other than routine maintenance the ususal spark plugs, wires, O2 Sensors, oil and coolant changes its is the performer. The truck averages 17.5 mpg and it is a vehicle that have been dependable for over 8 years.

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  Tundra Trader - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By tundra trader - June 13 - 11:36 am

  I traded in my 2006 Tundra sr5 4x4 doublecab for the Frontier. it outshines the toyota by miles. parking, cornering in tight situations, gas mileage, you name it. Its too bad more people dont test drive these trucks cause they rock.

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  Love the Car But.... - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Zoom.... - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Love the Cars Performance, its a blast to drive, and it gets lots of looks... BUT...the door sills are high which makes it difficult to use drive through banking services, it is somewhat difficult to get in and out of the car, and replacement tires for this model are very expensive. FYI...You do not rotate the tires front to rear on the touring model...the tires are directional tires and the front and back tires are different sizes. The dealers do not inform you of this...I just happened to ask while I was closing the deal. However, these factors did not prevent me from purchasing the Z.

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  Awesome car - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By shager - June 13 - 10:00 am

  This car is Great It quick, Awesome looking and handles like a dream Power is good for the every day driver or the track. The only complaint is that the motor is a bit lowed you can hear the valve train win driving All though the exhaust helps to cover it up. Grat car and a lot less than a vette or mustang cobra.

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  Very good perfomance and reliability - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Alexban - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Superb reliability. I did not have any mechanical/electrical problem yet. Some disadvantages: small cabin for the sedan class and slow acceleration. Plus: very good riding (somehow better than high altitude contemprorary cars) and quality of interior materials.

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  FAST AND FURIOUS!!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By specvissweet - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I just bought this car a week ago, 2003 blue se-r spec V. I was surprised by the performance and how many heads it turned. My friends love the 6 speed stick, and everyone will want to drive it. This is a great buy for 19000, I recommend it, but if ur gonna buy a sentra, make sure its the spec V.

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  Upgrade to the Supercharger! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By msy1 - June 13 - 10:00 am

  My Xterra has been great! You cant get this much truck at the same price from another manufacturer. I bought the SE/SC with the optional 17 wheels and have found the extra sticker price to be worth the fun factor. This truck has exceptional stop light accelaration and plenty of power when passing on the highway. I test drove the standard V6 before I drove the supercharged version, dont waist your time with it, get a mini-van a save your cash. The larger wheels give it a look that sets it apart from the other Xterras. It is worth it!

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  Highly recommended! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By vargawerth - June 13 - 10:00 am

  We own this Murano SE for a few months now and we just love it. The build quality is superb, the luxury appointments all one could ask for. The engine is powerful and responsive, the unique seamless transmission smooth as could be. Its a joy to drive. Even though this is my wifes car (so to speak) and my car is a BMW Z3, I thoroughly enjoy driving this wonderful car. I cant really judge the "reliability" because we havent owned it long enough, but based on the quality weve observed so far, we expect the best.

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  Disappointed - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By dj speed - June 13 - 9:53 am

  Having owned 2 older Altimas Im disappointed with my new 09 Altima 2.5S 6 speed manual. The engine sounds horrible when cold. Acceleration is not good when trying to merge onto the highway but its ok around town. The cheap plastic door panels vibrate way too much when playing the music loud (very annoying). There is too much wind noise. The drivers seat is not comfortable. I hate the handling. The cheap tires and soft suspension makes the car floaty and unstable. On the highway the car is all over the place especially on windy days. Ironically it corners fairly well. On the good side, the ride is nice, it has plenty of room, it looks good and it gets great fuel economy.