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:

• 

  Awesome, Comfortable, Fun to Drive!!! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By RMoore - September 18 - 5:46 pm

  I traded the Hyundai tucson GLS and have not had the first regret. the Rogue is fun to drive, easy on the wallet, and great at the gas pumps! I wish Nissan had these two years ago and I would never have purchased the Hyundai.

• 

  Beautiful - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Geared2Go - September 18 - 4:46 pm

  Its been said that its goofy looking but I think its grown up looking inside and out. Its quiet and is a nice commuter car in comfort. Huge trunk you could fit a body in. Lots of style. Mines loaded with goodies from bluetooth, upgraded speakers, keyless entry and start, power everything. I love my new car.

• 

  Love My Car! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By kajun8girl - September 18 - 1:59 pm

  I bought my 2004 Sentra with 10 miles on it. I keep up with my regular maintenance (oil, tires, filters etc). The only mechanical issue I have had was a sensor went out. $34 it was fixed (by me). I now have 195k miles on my car and it still drives wonderful! Yes I have some of the simular issues that others have had, my trunk only pops with the key (I know what is wrong but havent had time to take it appart-simple fix), the back door handles pop out on occassion. But for the price I paid for my car, the MANY road trips from TX to LA and the fact that I have 2 children under 10-I would say I have gotten my monies worth. I still get excellent gas miliage!

• 

  nice car - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By steve - September 18 - 8:26 am

  one of the funnest cars to drive ive had in a while. the cornering is amazing.the interior is nice and geared toward the driver. stereo is not bad but can fit a kenwood dvd nicely. real eye turner, expect compliments.

• 

  Excellent truck at a great price - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Bruno - September 17 - 10:10 pm

  I was torn between a Toyota Tacoma and the Frontier, and with the Frontier I got the same features for about $1000 less. Having owned a Frontier in the early 90s, Im happy to say the ride of the new Frontier is much smoother, very car-like, as opposed to the older truck whose ride was very stiff. Sit inside the XE and you will be surprised it is the lowest trim level. You ride high up like an SUV, and both interior and exterior are stylish. Only negative Id mention is that the 4-cylinder engine has a whiny sound. However, its got excellent acceleration, I was very surprised.

• 

  Further Update - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Hiker / Camper - September 17 - 10:00 am

  At 40,000 miles had Michelin LTX M/52 ORWL Tires installed. Also new brake pads, front wheels. Driver and passenger side engine mounts had to be replaced. Seems a little early for this to happen. So, my reliability rating has fallen.

• 

  My Fixes - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Ken - September 17 - 10:00 am

  As far as smart key and rear window problems, this helped very much for me. I could not duplicate the key problem for the dealer, but it was getting frustrating. I removed the battery in the controller and bent the 3 contacts up slightly at the folds, using a small pocket knife. It has improved 95% and contribute some to junk in my pocket. I improved my blind spots by installing small rectangular stick on mirrors to my side mirrors. I still look back when I pull out, but it does give you more visibility. Im 62 and I have more leg room than most vehicles. It has rapid response in emergency conditions. For the money, a nice little ride.

• 

  Great SUV - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By D Scher - September 17 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Murano & our 39th new vehicle. liked the newer body style so bought. Its a fun to drive nice looking sporty crossover & very quite. Not as luxurious a ride as the wifes Lexus RX350H but just as quite. I like to feel the road not float over it so the Murano is great in that respect. Great handling & gas mileage true to its rating. Had no troubles with my first Murano after 2 years & 18K miles so expect none with this one though Ill probably will be looking for new in a couple years as have throughout my spoiler life.

• 

  Love the car - but poor rear visibility - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Peter - September 17 - 10:00 am

  I have owned the car for about 3-months (purchased the vehicle new in June 2010). So far, very pleased. Its very quiet and powerful on the road - and a very smooth transmission. Reliable (so far). As far as handling goes, I noticed the car is not as stable as my 01 maxima. The steering is aggressive, and the brakes are touchy which leads to a jittery drive for your passengers despite trying to drive conservative. The center console storage has a door which is annoying to use and doesnt lock down well (it pops up as you drive). Other than that, seats very comfortable. The rear seat is firm and flat, allowing a passenger to sleep easily if needed on a long trip.

• 

  2010 Black SV - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Jeff - September 17 - 8:33 am

  I leased the 2010 Maxima SV in March. It was the best lease deal I could find after looking at many different cars, including the Buick Lacrosse and Acura TL. After three years in a Cadillac CTS Im overall pleased with the Maxima, but have a few peeves. There is wind noise at highway speeds I assume from the sunroof. The CVT seems to lock in a tall gear around town and causes the drive train to lug. This sends a vibration through the car. With that said, the car is quick when you want to accelerate, and the toys are great. The voice activated navigation and blue tooth blows away the system in the CTS. The Maxima is a well built car that is mostly an enjoyable ride.