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:

• 

  Good Buy - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By NissanMan - November 29 - 5:36 pm

  Good Hybrid alternative to Toyota and Honda. Good rebates from Nissan and also could deduct the CT sales tax. overall good car

• 

  Noisy Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Pete Zappulla - November 29 - 2:20 pm

  Ive owned this vehicle since february of 2004, and have experienced a very noisy interior. I believe this noise is emulating from the tires. The dealership in sarasota refuses to accept the fact that there is a problem with this noise. I believe the tire size makes this car too tight in the corner as it sits too high, with heavy body lean. Nissan tried to get into two categories of vehicles by having a station wagon and suv merge. This car isnt a good towing vehicle nor is it comfortable for me to drive. My only saving grace is that my wife drives this as a daily driver. I hope to have some sort of satisfaction with dealer this weekend with tires.

• 

  Nice - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jackwebb182 - November 29 - 5:16 am

  Love it.. I wish it had heated seats like the Honda Pilot though. It looks good and drives great. A little unstable in high winds. Controls are positioned rather oddly.

• 

  Best Truck 2008 for Your Money - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Cuba - November 29 - 4:13 am

  I looked around for about 3 months for a truck (toyota, dodge, chevy, honda). My buddy was the one who took me to check out the frontier. I didnt like the 07 model, because of the roof-rack it had (UGLY). Its a truck, it dont need a roof-rack. When I saw the 08 which I got (no roof-rack), and test drove it, I fell in love with it. I got a great deal on it. This truck gets great gas mileage for a 4.0, handles and takes turns like a car, has a smooth ride, lots of elbow & head room. The outside looks tough, but at the same time sleek. Got lots of goodies for the bed also.

• 

  Like Driving a Clipper Ship - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Steve Davidson - November 28 - 10:36 am

  This is the first vehicle Ive ever owned that truly gives a feeling of control over the road. It has the feel of driving a clipper ship down the road, heavy but sharp and crisp handling. The lines are clean and the engine can throw out some great force when you need it. I was surprised to find the gas mileage better than the much smaller Explorer Sport I previously owned. Id highly recommend this vehicle.

• 

  Versa is best in class - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Bill - November 28 - 4:33 am

  Tested Fit, Yaris, Scion. none had the power or room that the Versa has. Took it on a 600 mile trip right after getting it and it was as comfortable as cars much bigger. 6 speed is tight and quick. So far so good.

• 

  Last of the 2007s - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By JC Higgins - November 27 - 2:13 pm

  Neither my wife or myself liked the 2009 for interior space or ergonomics so we bought a new 2007 loaded SL in Merlot with chrome wheels. Love it. Roomy because they resisted putting three rows of seats in. At low speeds the trans seems to drag the car down rather than freewheel like it does at high speeds. Mileage adequate at this point but switching to Mobil one synthetic seems to be good for two MPG in these cars so Ill switch after break in. The Bose is mediocre but then, Im an audio snob. No other complaints. My wife prefers my car to her 2000 RX 300.Get compliments on the cars beauty. Good road handling with touring suspension. We like it.

• 

  More filling, looks great. - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Rick L - November 26 - 1:16 pm

  Have owned other suvs but the murano has them beat. Really like the exterior and interior design. Handles great and rides well for an suv,although takes the bumps a little hard.Cvt takes some getting use to. Overall happy with car, but gas mileage is terrible,getting 13.3 mpg in city and 13.5 on highway. Car has only 3,500 miles,hopefully I will get a lot closer to listed mileage on sticker when broken in.

• 

  08 Frontier king cab - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By steve - November 26 - 10:36 am

  Great mid-size with plenty of interior space.

• 

  Runs like new @ 75K - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Seboe61 - November 26 - 1:10 am

  I bought the car brand new in 2004. Now have 75K miles. Still drives like new and still having fun driving it. Great Bose sound system (not sure why it has a tape player, never used it). Does not drive well in Wisconsin weather. Low pro tire needs replacement every 40K and pricey. Replaced by front grill b/c of peeling (common issue). Nissan great about fixing recalls. Overall pretty satisfied.