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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  The Grin is In... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By hpthorn - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I spent about 8 months looking at options and always kept coming back to the Murano. At the time it wasnt even available yet. I knew it had the technological edge over the competition, but it wasnt until I test drove the SE model that I knew I would be buying one. Ive now had it for a month and its been good to me, and yes that grin on the grill reflects the one on my face. This is one excellent drive, plus its reasonably sensible.

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  Awesome Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By bayerjv - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. Looks good, handles good, reasonable mileage for type of vehicle. Get appreciative looks whereever I go. Initial inspection revealed on minor flaw in the interior which I did not have fixed due to flaws location not being very noticable.

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  Morano Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By jaak - August 28 - 2:00 am

  After having numerous American and German vehicles, including a WWII halftrack, the Murano is a fabulous pleasure to enjoy. From the great Nissan handling and acceleration, the well thought out interior and innovative features such as the CVT, to common sense layout and easy access, legroom, adjustability and storage space, I can truly say there is no other vehicle in my 30 years of driving, that I have found as much fun and practical. Nissan you got it right, here! (What happened with the new Maxima? Oops!)

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  1 year Maxima Owner - Still Love It - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Go_Nissan_Max - August 28 - 1:16 am

  Ive owned a Premium+Tech Maxima for nearly 1 year now with 0 defects and 22 MPG avg. The ride and drive is a perfect blend of luxury and Performance - 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 secs, yet a nice comfortable ride on the highway. Very little road noise at highway speeds. I came very close to buying a Lexus GS350 but found the performance + cost superior in the Maxima. Same story with M35. I already owned a TL, so I didnt want to do that again;-) The Maxima also does a great job at the little stuff like a strong A/C system, large glove box, great iPOD integration, large map and cup holders, and easy to read owners manual. Finally, the bold exterior lines on this car are amazing!!

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  Great - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By altimacpe08 - August 27 - 3:46 am

  This is definitely the best car I test drove and finally bought. There is nothing I dont like about the car. Comparing this car to the Mazda6, Dodge Avenger/Charger and Audi4, this car blows them away with style and performance. Even though I have the V4 for CVT, I feel more power driving this than in any Acura or just any car I have driven. Easily said, Nissan has made a car that will be a collectors item in the years ahead.

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  One mean machine - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Pete Jones - August 27 - 1:23 am

  Outstanding vehicle. I am amazed by its overall power. Can hold its own against several V8s. A real monster of the road.

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  The best sports car for your money. - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By John Lei - August 26 - 8:36 pm

  The scrumptious little Z is back with a vengeance. This bad boy comes with a 3.5 v6 287hp (300 standard on 2005 models). The track model is an even better model than the rest for its lightweight forged wheels, vdc, brembo brakes, and underchin spoiler and rear spoiler. With a price of only $34,000 you cannot go wrong. The interior is a little bland but this is a real sports car remember? You bought this car not for the economical use but for the raw power and great suspension. This great coupe has one of the best suspension set ups Ive ever encountered. This is the budget mans Japanese porshe in my opinion. But they put in 5-10 grand and it is just as fast or even faster than a porsche.

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  2002 Black on Black SE 6M - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By 2002 Black SE 6M - August 26 - 7:23 pm

  This is a great car fun to drive. Gas mileage is pretty good. It requires premium gas at least 91 octane. I used 87 octane and the car sounded like a diesel engine. Not good! Spend the little extra money and use premium and the car will run a lot better. This is my 2nd Maxima. I previously owned a 94 Maxima GXE, kept it til 235,000 miles and everything still worked. I plan to do the same with this car. Everything is laid out pretty nice and easy to use, Bose stereo sounds w/sub really great. Ride is a bit rough on bumpy roads, but its an SE with sports suspension. GLE I suppose will have a better ride, but you cant beat the handle on the SE with 6sp gear box. Which rare car to find!

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  2006 Pathfinder SE - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dan - August 26 - 7:16 pm

  I traded a 2001 xtera which was also a fine truck. The pathfinder was a little noisy until I put good tires on it and the noise level dropped quite a bit. My se is very tight fitting, solid on door closing I find the front seats very comfortable and my wife likes the electronic pedal adjustment. We tow a 23" boat with no problem. 45,000 miles and not one problem. Over all the best truck I have owned.

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  No complaints here - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By jasinke - August 26 - 2:20 pm

  We love this van. The interior space is incredible, like a full-size van. The "experts" dont like the center- console instruments, but they take it for one test drive and make their verdict. After a couple of drives, it seems natural to look there, and its a whole lot better than trying to look around the steering wheel. The ride is very smooth and it has lots of power. My young kids love how easy it is to get into the van, and the gas mileage is fantastic - 25 mpg highway, 20mpg city.