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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  Nissan > Toyota - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Glenn - September 15 - 12:36 pm

  XE 5 speed...no frills but great gas saver Got newspaper ad special...so this way dealership cant stick you. Remember, the dealerships make a killing on those nice options you like. Dont forget to bring the ad with you. My new truck with zero miles cost less than a used truck (few years old) with 40 -60 K.

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  happy camper - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By mdukes - September 14 - 3:46 pm

  i love my Xterra, i had a pathfinder and wanted the Xterra as soon as they came out on the market and have never regretted it. reliable, comfy, and surpasses my expectations....

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  Lovely, but too small for family! - 2001 Nissan Quest
  By Nove - September 14 - 1:06 am

  This vehicle is smooth to drive, has decent pickup speed, handles well, and has every bell and whistle you can imagine - the sunroof is a nice touch! But the interior is very small, with very little leg and head room. The cargo area is equally lacking - and for a family of five, its a tight fit for a long drive. Overall, an excellent choice for a small family or adults who just want a few extra seats available - but not for larger families who do a lot of traveling.

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  Fun to drive - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Dee - September 13 - 9:10 am

  Fun to drive, awesome acceleration, eye candy. Getting in and out takes getting used to. Be aware of blind spots and limited rear view visibility. Bucket seats somewhat uncomfortable, the raised sides excessively squeeze my legs, I am only 170lb so I can only imagine how uncomfortable that might feel for someone of a bigger posture. AC seems to be slow to kick in... Navigation hard to read on sunny days.

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  GOOD - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By maxima-nissan - September 13 - 2:00 am

  I like the vehicle. The drive is very smooth. The engine pickup is excellent. At 30,000 miles, I replaced the windwasher motor.(it was covered under warranty). I have to replace the front struts at 45,000. I have to replace the front brakes at 45,000 at Midas. This was a mistake to go to midas. This damaged my rotors in 1 year. I have to replace front rotors. I replaced break lines on the rear and also break pads. I replaced back struts. Other tahn these the vehicle is running smooth now. I hope it will last for sometime. The mileage now is 88,000.

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  Just Makes Sense... - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By bgriffey - September 13 - 2:00 am

  This car just makes sense in almost every way. It offers practicallity along with styling and performance. Where else can you get all that for under 20K! My last 96SER has 120K miles and is still going strong. I hope this new one came from the same mold...

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  July 2007 - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By July 07 - September 12 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this truck from my father. I have had it for 2 months and it has 35,000 miles on it. Yes I said 35,000! Absolutely no power. Basically it is like driving a low model 4cyl sedan. Get the 6 cyl if you expect to haul anything. Forget about the accelerating with the AC on. Getting about 21 MPG highway as I really only drive on highways. Belts squeak a lot. I would recommend buying this truck if you can get it below the Edmunds vehicle pricing. It is handy to drive around. No mechanical issues since it was in the family - it was bought new.

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  Good! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By steve_bz - September 12 - 7:20 am

  I have a 2013, 3.5S. I got it because it was on end of year special and I expect excellent things from Nissan. Normally, I go for smaller and sportier. This one is very sporty, lots of get up and go. The sound of the engine is actually throaty, with a growl, surprising. Not loud, but it sounds good. It handles pretty well but the stock tires are just ok in winter conditions, found out just today. The seats are comfy and with this version the stereo/high tech is minimal but still what I need. The configurable display is actually pretty techy but I guess Im saying the S version stereo is minimal. Dunno if it is ok to say, but for 21K this was a steal of a deal. Had to buy at Xmas though.

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  Gas Bill is not believable - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Joe - September 12 - 2:41 am

  It is impossible to believe but ill give it to you straight! I filled to Full at Qt making sure Gas was 100 percent topped off to 20 gallons, Left QT drove 1.3 miles away and already burned about half a quarter tank of fuel. 60,000 Miles on car no issues at all! This 3.5L Altima can guzzle gas 2 times faster than a V8 motor, This altima has amazing HP but not worth even enjoying cause it drinks gas like you cant believe. The Interior is really nice, black dash and carpet, steering wheel has controls and hands free phone and high gloss black leather steering wheel, It has navigation and bluetooth and bose system.. Really nice car although my biggest complaint is the front seats and how uncomfortable they are. The back seats are very comfortable. this car has 9 cup holders and not sure why. My wife has a 2.5s and it gets the complete opposite fuel economy. She gets like 40Mpg even close to 60mpg when on freeway best i ever seen! 2.5s best fuel economy i ever seen even than hondas 3.5 SR worst fuel economy i ever witnessed in my life seriously!!!!! How does these 2 altimas are so un-alike??? Makes no sense at all! I will never buy a V6 again with name SR Altima on it! Most Altimas Bumpers are always falling off i have noticed! The inside was a great design and comfort is good just not cloth seats outside is not stylish

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  great SUV for the money - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By shocker0513 - September 11 - 10:22 pm

  i picked up my Xterra used in 2008 with 12k and now im up to 70k. i use full synthetic oil and so far maintenance has been super cheap. ive only done basic maintenance stuff with no repairs in 58k miles! the stock tires suck, but if you invest in a decent set of all terrains, this truck cant be beat for the price. acceleration is lacking, but you sacrifice giddy up for economy. ive gotten up to 20mpg out of this SUV no problem. AC and heater work great. 4wd is great. creeks, mud, water up to the doors. pulls through it all (if you know how to drive off road properly).