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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  2003 Murano SL - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By dag - February 22 - 8:13 pm

  Bought our gold Murano new in 2003 and use it for long long road trips. Weve put over 75000 miles on her and shes going strong. We checked out the Mercedes and Lexus SUVs at the time, and they were noisier. We enjoy the quiet ride of the Murano. We can carry on a conversation without yelling. Theres lots of room for the two of us and our dog. The ride is great; theres power to spare. Gas mileage is so-so (20 mpg), but we have only used regular gas and the engine runs great.

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  LOVE THIS CAR!!! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Jennifer Jones - February 22 - 10:00 am

  This car has been wonderful. The only problem it has had in the seven years I have had it, other than maintenance (eg. tires, brakes, clutch), is a new starter. Its too bad they changed the body style recently. I can only hope the new ones perform as well as mine. I LOVE MY CAR!!! Im driving my car until it dies, which even at 185,000 miles, it still wont be anytime soon. It still drives perfectly. I recommend this body style Maxima to any and everyone.

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  Great all around sedan. - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By MBowen574 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought a 1998 Maxima GXE in Jan. 2004 w/ 128,000 miles. Perfect! I wouldnt own any other car (this is my first car). It gets all the ladies, even though it is purple (maroon) and has wheel covers. I love everything about it. I dont want to sell it. About $100 in repairs in 4,000 miles on a well-used 6 year old car! And that includes $60 for its first brake rotor replacement. This cars virtues are simply too numerous for words.

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  The Nissan Family - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By ADP37 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Love this car. This is my third Nissan (simply because I love cars ) My mother has the Quest and My father has the Murano. They are the best car, they never breakdown, the Engines last forever, and it is excellent on gas, plus the ride is smooth

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  Nissan X-Terra - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By jkirvin23 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  For those who like to use their SUVs to its full capacity this is the best one for you. It is very sporty and rugged. It doesnt have all the bells and whistles that other SUVs have but it is very enjoyable to drive and to get around in. There is lots of room and most importantly it has the reliability of a Nissan. My brother has a Pathfinder and he hasnt had a problem with his and he has over 100,000 miles on it. It is a good looking car with lots to back it up on its value!

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  LMc 350Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By LMcc - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 350 Z for only 3 months and have really enjoyed driving it. The car is comfortable and is very easy to drive. The ride is firm but not hard and the interior is very quiet with the windows up. Nonething but a very fun car to own.

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  great - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Tha Don B - February 22 - 10:00 am

  very fun, very smooth

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  Nissan Altima- a great car to own! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By wamavrick32000 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Love this car! Drives nice, very comfortable, roomy too. Not one thing I dont like about it. I drove Hondas, Toyotas and Buick and really the best car is the Nissan, certainly more car for the money.

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  Best non-lux midsize suv - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Auto Rater - February 21 - 9:53 pm

  Throttle on the 4.0VQ is very responsive for an SUV. Handling is great for a vehicle this size. Braking is great as the vehicle stops well under control when the brakes are slammed at 40mph. Nissan creates a great blend of on road manners and performance with true off road capability. This Pathfinder defines sport-utility. Only the 4Runner and Grand Cherokee can compete, but the Pathfinder gives you more for less and is standard with third row seats for the growing family. The interior feels Infiniti and the Bose system sounds great. Suspension is much improved, but could be better. 4Runner is softer over bumps. Seats could be softened a little too for improved comfort.

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  The Real Review of the Sentra - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By ptkchic - February 21 - 5:24 pm

  I tried the new Civic, Elentra, Dart, Mazda 3,Corolla, Focus. Basically every car on the compact market. When I test drove the Sentra, I liked it the most. I have now owned the car for 4 months and I still love it from day one. I will admit there is a major lack of power. You are not getting up to speed very quickly. The CVT is/can be very loud (but if you have the radio on, it tends to make the CVT quieter.) Slow down then step on the gas, the CVT gets even loud The styling inside and out are great, but the hubcaps on the car are awful. The handling is good, but you have to take sharp turns I would recommend going slow. The suspension is stiff, but I find that it come in handy over bumps.