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:

• 

  Excellent Sporty Sedan - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By glemon - February 1 - 10:40 pm

  My first four door car after owning sports cars then a Nissan Sentra SE-R. Bought off E-bay with 40,000 miles and extended warranty, didnt need the warranty, now at nearly 80,000 and literally nothing has gone wrong with the car, not even a bulb out. Got it because I wanted more room, practicality than my Sentra SE-R drove a 5-speed Maxima and it felt like a SE- R with a little more room, power and torque. Plan on keeping it for a long long time, little to fault with this car

• 

  Best Value Pickup - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Dave - January 31 - 7:30 pm

  The Titan King Cab XE is powerful, quiet, handles very well and has attained surprisingly good gas mileage so far. On a road trip through the Oregon Cascade Mountain Range with A/C on all the time I achieved 21.4 MPG at speeds of 60 - 65 MPH. Couldnt be happier!

• 

  Great truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By springbranch - January 31 - 6:10 pm

  Perfect vehicle for someone who needs a work truck and family vehicle at the same time. Not too big, not too small. Rides great.

• 

  Comfort and Quality - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Joe - January 31 - 11:00 am

  I wanted a truck that would handle not only my towing and hauling needs but be very comfortable. The ride and handling are first class. The ride is smooth and quiet. The captains chairs are very comfortable. The Rockford Fosgate sound system with the XM radio is exceptional. It makes you feel as though you are driving in a luxury automobile. The build quality is very good. There werent any defects at delivery. The gas mileage is as expected for a large truck with this much power. I get approximately 21 MPG on the highway going around 68 MPH. Around town about 14. The king cab provides plenty of room even for a six foot tall adult. This is a quality vehicle at a bargain price. Great truck

• 

  SUV that is really solid, not fake - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Joaquin - January 31 - 10:16 am

  I have owned this car for 6 months now, and have no complaints at all so far, is solid like a rock, and very fun to drive. Is not like one of those SUV that look much more like a sedan on the inside, is rather basic and rough, but is still very quiet in the inside, seats are comfortable, and has a lot of pockets and compartments all over. AC and heater are great, factory stereo has a decent sound, manual transmission is smooth (for an off-road SUV) and looks fantastic, all your neighbors will notice it, thats for sure.

• 

  Love my Versa - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By JazyJc - January 31 - 4:13 am

  It was between the Versa and the Honda Fit. I was impressed with the Versa from the beginning. Interior space and overall comfort cant be beat. Everyone who rides in my car comments on the comfort, even in the back seat. The ride is smooth and quiet, the interior feels high end. Plenty of power on fwy and hills. Sound system is good. Love the safety ratings. Didnt get the suggested MPG until about 900 miles in, so hang in there. I am very happy with this car.

• 

  08 Frontier SE 4cyl 5spd - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By 20Frontier08 - January 31 - 12:56 am

  Bought the truck brand new w/400 miles on it. I have 19,435 on it now (still low miles). Gas mileage is great and I love everything about it. I am a tech for Nissan at the dealership I bought it from and they treated me great! I upgraded the exhaust to an IMPO side exit exhaust and added a K&N air filter and it really helped it a lot. I drive the interstate every day, 40 miles round trip just to work and it handles great on the highway. Everything about this truck is so pleasing and fun to drive too.

• 

  Best Car in its Class - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Vijay Yadlapati - January 30 - 3:00 pm

  After doing extensive research before I decided to purchase the Rogue, I found that the Rogue costs less, has more room, has a better engine, looks better, and has better fuel economy than other cars in its class such as the Honda CRV. After test driving both cars, it was very clear to me that the Rogue was much more superior than the CRV in almost every category you can think of. I am very happy with my purchase!

• 

  Great step up over competition - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By LewisC2639 - January 30 - 6:26 am

  Nissan really stepped up this year with the redesign of the Altima. Not only does it far surpass comfort, features, and technology of Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, but it surpasses its own 2006 model. To have the option of Navigation in a 4 cylinder model and to have standard intelligent key is genius! The fit and finish of this vehicle is that of Lexus, Mercedes, and Infiniti. Far FAR above Toyota and Honda. Great job Nissan!!! And Don Davis Nissan in Grapevine for the amazing treatment

• 

  My Z - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By sdk - January 30 - 3:50 am

  Great little car with a high fun quotient. The car is well made and very responsive. Overall, this car is a winner and I have been very pleased with my purchase.