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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  great car - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Chandler1983 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  what an awesome car.. the automatic climate control is very nice and it maintains a constant temp. heated leather seats are supportive and adjust to a nice position, bose sound system is great.. acceleration is smooth and powerful.. all in all, this is a great car.. i love the way the interior is laid out.. awesome car..

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  My Max - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Roy Conaway - June 12 - 10:00 am

  The Nissan Maxima gives you the speed and power of a sports car. It is the most powerful in regards to speed as any car I have been in or have driven

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  Satisfied with my purchase! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By monique - June 12 - 10:00 am

  as soon as i test drove the car, i fell in love, it runs so smooth, i could hardly notice the car was on.The drive is so smooth and easy.

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  silver bullet - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By sam - June 12 - 12:16 am

  my experience w/my murano has been wonderful, my salesman said when i purchased it that each day i would find something new that i liked about it and he was correct. i dont not have anything bad to say about it. i love it. it drives beautifully, is very very comfortable, roomy, and fits everything i need and then some. it has already taken quite a few trips and has passed all tests with us. we call it the silver bullet, and it is living up to its name. what a great product...

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  Great, GREAT automobile. - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Joev - June 11 - 8:43 am

  Have this vehicle 8 years, have never been back to dealer for anything. Oil changes, tire replacement, fan belt and brakes have been replaced. Thats it. Fuel economy 25+ on the road and about 20 in town. Thinking of selling but afraid what I get to replace it wont be as dependable. Overall in my opinion the Altima is the best value dollar for dollar among any car on the market today or ever.

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  Cant believe how nice it is! - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By uga91 - June 10 - 1:23 pm

  I cant say much except that this is one nice vehicle! You will love its comfort and performance. Drive it and you wont be disappointed.

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  Nice ride - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Mark - June 10 - 12:50 pm

  traded the Altima SE for the Maxima and very happy with the new car.

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  I would have never thought - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Great Truck!!!! - June 10 - 7:00 am

  I went to the dealership to look at a used Chevy Silverado. I ended up with a Nissan Titan. My initial disappointment has turned around 180 degrees. I love my Titan. This is what a truck should be. Power, comfort, handling it has it all. I originally intended to keep this truck a year and trade for a chevy but now it has found a home.

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  BUY ONE!!!!! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Alec - June 10 - 6:33 am

  I use my truck for hauling, towing, hunting, and as a daily driver. I get around 18 mpg all around mostly in city driving with my mom driving a lot of them and she is bad at driving a stick shift. It has very good offroad capabilities. It is very fast and has a lot of power and torque. It has a very big bed and i can fit my yamaha kodiak (fourwheeler) in the back. People and edmunds often complain about the hard plastic interior, but you have to remember that this is a truck not a little car and hard plastic is tough and will last. Buy a Frontier

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  After lots of searching - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By drive a lot - June 10 - 2:50 am

  I needed a vehicle that is comfortable to drive and has some extra room. Traded in an 08 Outlander XLS, which is a great small SUV...but just too small for me. Looked at Lexus Certified, way too much money, Toyota Highlander, rough ride. Tried to buy American but the interest rates have skyrocketed. Murano SL AWD with everything except nav, have my own portable as I travel a lot and didnt need to spend the money on factory nav. Car is smooth, gets 24 to 25 mpg on highway, 80% of my driving. Put on 2000 miles in 3 weeks and everything fine so far.