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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  No better deal - 2011 Nissan Maxima
  By ufgator_meche - June 15 - 9:25 am

  Just a smooth ride! Love this car. Dont have any issues. My AC is super cold, love my cooled driver seat, no rattles, bluetooth is smart. It recognizes who gets in the car more, me or my wife, and automatically connects to the most frequent driver. This car has THE BEST stock stereo I have ever had. The BOSE is awesome. You really dont know how good it is until you turn it up to just two or three bars below max volume and set the equalizer like you want. I am a spirited driver. My main car is a Mustang GT. This car has plenty of power. More torque steer as my tires wear and get older. But the handling is still superb. Suspension is tight but smooth.

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  Fullsized Midsize - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By mossinit - June 14 - 1:06 pm

  The drive train on this truck is rock solid. The 4.0 begs to be revved but still has surplus power off idle. I optioned the 6 speed manual that came mated to a Dana 44 rear axle, heavy duty stuff for a midsized truck. I have used my truck extensively off road in the Adirondacks and found its size ideal for mountain fire roads.

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  Its ok but keep looking..... - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By tmw1207 - June 13 - 11:46 pm

  I leased a 2013 Altima after returning a 2010 Camry...the noisy engine is driving me nuts! It doesnt last the entire time but upon acceration it is noisy and shaky like an old car. I didnt notice as much during the test drive but I really hate this car... I hate it. I now wish I bought out my lease with the quiet, reliable Camry. The acceration on the car is good and the value is good- the design is great, its a nice machine to look at. The lighting is poor. The driver seat is comfortable after you manuever every which way to make it so... Passenger seat cant be adjusted as much and is horrible. If you can handle the noise go for it...its not SO BAD but its a deal breaker for me.

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  Love the 6-Speed Manual Transmission - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Jim - June 13 - 8:13 pm

  I purchased this vehicle about two weeks ago and have already made a couple of highway trips. Significant improvement over my last car! Despite frequently traveling 75-80 mph, road and engine noise is very quiet. A great deal of standard features and the upgraded engine over the 2006 model made this vehicle an easy sell.

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  Xterra is a great SUV - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Caroline - June 13 - 5:10 pm

  Ive had my Xterra rear-ended 3 times in 6 years and have never had any damage done to my car (granted all less than 5 miles an hour) but the same cant be said for the cars that hit me!

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  nissan exterra disposable - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By sadnissanowner - June 13 - 3:50 am

  after 5 yrs of maintenance, it now needs 5000$ worth of work just to be safe on the road. I have kept it maintained...costed more than my toyota tundra which is older and still like brand new

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  Differential Problems - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Tim - June 13 - 2:53 am

  The ability of the 2005 Nissan Titan to tow was what caused me to purchase the vehcile. The 5 speed transmission does an excellent job of towing a 4,800 lbs boat. However, at 75,000 the rear differential developed a noise, which required its total replacement. It wasnt a failure of one or two parts, but a complete failure where an entirely new differential was put in. The rear end appears to be undersized as I changed the fluid every 20,000 to 24,000 miles which exceeds the maintenance requirement. The dealer has replaced 2 or 3 others all around 60,000. I talked with the dealer and Nissan who said it was out of warranty so tough luck. This truck cant be counted on to hold up!!!

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  Awesome car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By vignesh - June 12 - 6:13 pm

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  Great Value - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Guy Emmons - June 12 - 5:53 pm

  My overall experience in owning this Altima was very good. The maintenance was at a minimum; only taking care of the essentials in the usual required schedule. The only thing that was ever an issue was the transmission not downshifting when there was sustained driving; it would hang there in 3rd gear. The dealer was able to get Nissan to install a new transmission and extend the warranty for another 12 months or 100,00 miles. The idea of Nissan making it right goes a long way with me and I have told many people about my experience in owning this Altima.

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  Not for the Faint of Heart - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By Dare To Compare - June 12 - 5:33 pm

  This is my second Titan, Just drive one. The Titan started the trend and years later builders are still trying to catch up. Did i mention thousands less. In a thousand words or less i could not even begin to tell you how happy I am with the Nissan Titan.