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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  waited for years, now I have the one I wanted - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Karen - February 14 - 9:03 pm

  The ride is great, it has all that a luxury SUV should have. The only thing I found was a blind spot, if I didnt have the tech warnings, it would be dangerous. The only other frustration is the blue tooth connectivity is inconsistent so hands free driving is difficult.

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  Needs more power - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Joe Mas - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Very nice vehicle. I tow two snowmobiles up to the mountains in New hampshire and there are many times when I wish I had a more powerful engine. Nissan addresed this problem with a 3.5 ltr. engine in newer models.

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  Im Sold! - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By nissanhappy - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive had nissan for a while now, all i can say is great car, great power if you need it. You just barley touch the gas peddle and your going the speed limit! ADVICE: dont take out your stock cassette deck for a cd player, the car shop has no clue on how to hook up the radio antenna. If you want a cd in your car buy a cd changer for your trunk. Otherwise great car!

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  Very good car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By happy owner - February 13 - 11:13 pm

  I have my Nissan Altima for almost 4 years now. A very good V6 engine that gives you a nice feeling driving it. It stays good on the road and reacts and can be handled well in various weather conditions. Didnt have any problems with it.The only one was changing the battery in the first 8 months. A good and robust car that gives you what you ask for!

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  V-6. Sl - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By BRUCE LOESER - February 13 - 12:31 am

  Good value, runs great so far

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  Best SUV - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jsail - February 12 - 4:33 am

  I am very happy with my new Pathfinder. I too came off of a very BAD experinece with my Honda Odyssey tranny problem and numerous problems. So far I love the truck and the room is great. Have had several problems in the first 500 miles. Had a bad O2 sensor that was not clear the first time. My gas mileage is real low, 13 mpg. Towing is great and so is off road. Not the normal roll that you get in other SUVs. Overall would go down and get 10 more if I could.

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  2006 Armada - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By andy - February 12 - 2:10 am

  Bought 2006 Armada LE Tech package sirius and DVD. Love the performance and comfort. The 3rd row split is great for cargo and kids. Pulls our boat like there is nothing behind it! Yes it gets low gas mileage but we have 4 kids and a boat and their is nothing that compares to this SUV!

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  GREAT VALUE, GREAT TRUCK - 2014 Nissan Titan
  By beefcherry - February 11 - 7:02 pm

  I have owned my new LOADED 2014 Nissan PRO-4X TITAN for about a month and couldnt be happier. Yes the MPG is not great, but I knew that. I saved around $7,000 by choosing a TITAN. I looked at a RAM 1500, Sierra and Tundra all comparably equipped and all were a minimum $7,000 more. The money I saved I will use for fuel. And by my calculations, itll take me about 7-8yrs to breakeven. The tech inside is fine. The interior is fine. The ride is better than all and the steering and handling is great. Its all subjective, but to me it works. Go scoop one up before the redesign and they jack up the prices.

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  WOW what a truck for the price - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By WOW Best for your $$ - February 11 - 10:23 am

  We had a 2002 Frontier. It had 89,000 on it and the only thing went bad was we had to replace the darn battery, can you imagine. We traded it in on a 2007 with 261 HP V6 4x4, wow. A lot more truck than the 2002. 1. The best is way more power. 2. The double doors no extra charge. 3. It is a bigger truck, bed is 10" wider, inside is bigger for more room. 4. Finally they changed the darn emergency brake to a hand and the gas fill is on the drivers side. 5. Just looks nicer inside, interior is as good or better, roomy and comfortable. 6 4x4 shift is just a dial now. GREAT for moms in bad weather.

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  You can have it all!!! - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Dan - February 11 - 9:36 am

  Ive had this car for two weeks and its easily the best car Ive ever owned. Want good looks? Its one of the hottest looking sedans on the market. Want space? Im 6 4" with a long torso and Ive got more head and legroom than I know what to do with (I hit my head in the back seat, however). Want fuel economy? Try about 29 on the highway and 27 in commuting (currently getting 26 and driving somewhat aggressively). Want torque and acceleration? Floor it even in 2nd gear and get tire spin. Watch the Porsche Boxster disappear into your rearview mirror as you hit 60 mph in under 6 seconds. Want reliability? Check Consumer Reports and be impressed.