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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  Very happy with the Exterra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard Gillis - March 2 - 2:26 am

  Fun to drive,good performance,extremely reliable,excellent service from dealer,gas mileage a little disappointing but would not trade it for performance. At this point I feel this vehicle will be with us a long time. I am anxious to see how it will hold up. My wife loves the styling and looks. I like it too. We purchased it for her. I have my own vehicle. I enjoy driving it because it has very responsive steering and acceleration. The engine has a good sound to it under acceleration. I would enjoy a stronger engine such as offered in the new one.

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  In front----Frontier - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Mitchelm - March 1 - 5:50 am

  This truck has all things a truck should be, power,room for 5,looks, and NO problems. Quiet and smooth on less than perfect roads. Avg.20 mpg. Easy to park and get out of tuff parking spots. Sits high enough to allow you to see ahead of avg. autos on road today. I belive it may be one of the safer trucks on the road.

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  Fun, Fun, and more Fun!!! - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By kitkat - February 29 - 6:36 pm

  This car is very roomy for a family of four but yet sporty enough to satisfy the desires of most sports car enthusiast. I am very impressed with the power and agility of this car. I considered the Honda Accord, but overwhelmingly chose the Maxima due to its interior room, comfortable seats, and power. This car is fun to drive!!

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  A Awesome Ride - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By shane - February 29 - 2:03 am

  My wife and I Just bought our Quest. We love the space for everyone. The sporty look and the cockpit area is great. Everything is right at your fingers, and easy to reach. We are getting great gas mil. with the first tank of gas already, and you can not beat the power of the engine. My wife has joked about sleeping in the van. She is one happy lady and so are my three kids.

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  First Class Generation Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Harold Janhke - February 28 - 4:00 pm

  After owning a 1994 and 1998 Nissan Altima I put the new design 2002 head and shoulders above all competitors. My Altima SL 2.5 is now 3 yrs old and still awesome. Lthr, full power, 6 CD Bose sound, auto, 16" rims, etc. For looks, ride and performance it cant be beat in its class. Oh by the way it uses regular and has plenty of gettee up.

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  best "real suv" - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By kenneth - February 28 - 10:00 am

  The 2000 Xterra is infact a true suv.When i mean suv i mean the sport in it. Most suv should be called luvs (luxury utility vehicle)because there not sporty any more.The Xterra isbt your usual take your child to soccer suv. Even though the power plant is small it will push you up the steepest hills and tow your compittion out of the mud.

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  LOVE THIS CAR !!!! - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By geck - February 28 - 10:00 am

  just bought my wife a preowened 02 maxima SE with 12k miles on it. wow! is all I can say. we have had 3 other maximas before this one and it just keeps getting better. great car, great pickup, awesome reliability all we have done was maintenace and pay our insurance. I wouldnt waste you time looking at stripped down Hondas and Toyotas for the same money. Go out Buy a Maxima you wont regret it. As for those driving the BMW 3 series ill race your $40k car and guess what? you will lose! This car is awesome!

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  Murano Style - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By mlm5702 - February 28 - 10:00 am

  The car has been a real pleasure in every aspect but one. The actual gas mileage is way below the epa estimate. According to Nissans web site in January, if you got the Dynamic Control Package, your gas mileage estimate would be 23 city and 28 highway. The best weve managed is 18 city and 22 hwy. Gas mileage aside, the car is comfortble, roomy and a joy to drive.

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  Sweet ride.... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By ni2xg - February 28 - 10:00 am

  if the fuel economy was as good as advertised, this car would be as close to perfect as ive seen. i drive a new rental car every week and by weeks end, I am looking forward to driving my Murano. It is fast, smooth, & feels quite luxious on the inside. not to mention its good looks. my only complaint is the fuel ecomony. it advertises 20 to 24 MPG. I never expected to get 24, however, i was hoping it would be closer to 20. my results are closer to 17.

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  Fun car - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By JRM - February 28 - 10:00 am

  This is my first new car in over a decade. I drove a Toyota Camry for the last 10 years so I was leery about moving from a very satisfying ownership experience. However, the unique and refreshing styling caught my eye. The test drive caught my heart and mind. This car is fun and safe to drive. It has numerous creature comforts including the Bose sound system (feel the base) and the informative screen of data. My children find the back seat comfortable. I have found the sight lines challenging and the driver must be careful about other cars in the blind spot. Otherwise, I love my new car and look forward to 10 years of driving my Murano.