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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  Awesome Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Sean - March 9 - 8:50 pm

  I looked at last years and this years. What an improvement. Plenty of power, smart features. Basically like the Pathfinder, just a little shorter. I totally recommend it! I only have about 100 miles on it, but I love it already. Its a Nissan, so the engine should be reliable. AWESOME is all I can say.

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  What a subcompact!!!! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By bryandd08 - March 7 - 6:20 pm

  Maybe one day America will build a strong reliable subcompact!! Chevy cobalt??Test drove it,what junk!!Ford focus??Test dove it,I hit a small indent at a intersection at 35 mph,you had to hear the strut bang coming off the front left wheel!!Dealer pretended he did not hear anything!!!Honda civic,excelent car,but over-priced!! Toyota corolla, excellent car,but again over-priced!! Nissan sentra-S 2010,solid car,great quality,quiet,great build,and yes a strong history of strong reliability!! Had to wack the dealer somewhat,but eventually came close to my price!! What a car!!!! NISSAN DELIVERS!!

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  Best Truck I Found - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By Allen - March 6 - 4:23 pm

  This is my 2nd Titan, after owning an 2004. True, the Titan has changed much but I still think its the best looking truck. My neighbor has a new Ford and the Titan just looks better. So what if its been around longer? Before buying this truck I test drove a loaded tundra 5.7l immediately beforehand. The Titan felt more powerful, had better acceleration, and handled better. It was at least $5k cheaper too. I have the loaded LE with navigation and everything and the interior is really nice. Its also notably cheaper than the competition who must defray their frequent redesign costs. Nissan got it right in 04 and customers benefit from lower prices today.

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  Great first starter car! - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Hailey Adamson - March 6 - 6:49 am

  I got this car when I turned 16 and I have had this car for 6 years now. I got it will 100,000 miles on it and Im up to 168,000 miles on it and it has run so smooth! I only bring it into the dealership to get routine checkups and once I had to take it in because my engine was rattling which was due to a loose part, which I guess is a frequent problem with this car. It was a 200 dollar repair and thats the only issue Ive had on it!

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  Great small cargo van - 2013 Nissan NV200
  By demp223 - March 6 - 12:08 am

  I purchased this vehicle for my business Oct 2013 and could not be happier. Bought fully loaded SV with all options. I have been using full size Ford and Chevy vans for over 20 yrs in auto glass trade and the Nissans tall interior height combined with low floor make life much easier on the back. Averaging 25 mpg mixed and hitting 32 highway regularly. CVT transmission is very smooth and vehicle is sporty to drive around with little bit wider tire/rim combo 205/55/16. Factory headlights are plenty bright and wide,HID conversion not needed. Fairly quiet ride for cargo van. Great view of road especially out side glass compared Transit with 2 piece side with bar.

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  Finally green - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Carlsbad - March 5 - 3:40 pm

  Just bought our first hybrid and so far it has been outstanding. After driving a dodge durango for a few years (17 mpg on a good day) its nice to finally have a car that gives a little back. Great handling, quiet ride, smooth acceleration, and great gas mileage. Looked at other vehicles in same class, Altima won us over mostly due to its sporty styling and smooth ride. Highly recommend this car to anyone. One more thing, in your instruction manual it states that there are three instances which your engine will run automatically. They are engine warm-up, batt charging and high or low batt temp.

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  204,597 miles and going strong! - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Cheryl Boop - March 5 - 3:21 pm

  This car has been reliable for us! We bought it in Georgia (brand new) and now live in Ohio, so weve had the car in extremes of weather. Weve used it to move, to drive people around town, for work, and for play. I had to replace the air conditioning compressor this summer, and just had the exhaust system redone. But those have been the only big items maintenance-wise. I love my Versa!

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  Had to buy another one! - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Sam Vega - March 4 - 8:06 pm

  Bought the first Xterra in May of 07. Loved it so much that my wife decided to trade in her Ford for another Xterra last month. "Fun to drive" is the best way to decribe it!

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  After three years of ownership - WOW! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Jefferino - March 4 - 10:00 am

  A cars a car right? Not this time around. Ive always resected my cars and treated them well; typically getting 150k miles before trading them in. Ive had this car for three years and I LOVE it! It is the best car out there and I did not think that Id ever get hooked on a hunk of steel. Lots of power, great mileage (I got 30 mpgs the other day driving from Dallas to Austin), tons of interior space and a huge trunk. I had a freind who owns a Benz with me on the ride and he was blown away with how nice MY car was! And when we filled up for gas and I told him 30 mpg, he was shocked! Great car. Great, great car!

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  Better than an SUV or ordinary Compact - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By MARCUS - March 4 - 10:00 am

  An exceptional car for the price. Gives you a real sports car feel. The 175 horse engine and 6 speed stick really move. The 17" performance tires and sports suspension hug the road like a tight leather glove. The interior is functional and user friendly and is enhanced by the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Bottom line - The Toyota Corolla is "cute", and the average SUV is so big you feel like youre sitting in your living room. This car ROCKS and makes you appreciate driving again.