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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  what i think - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By missile558 - May 24 - 10:00 am

  i love the power!!!

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  Great Truck - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By hect2r - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Awesome truck, great ride, not so good on gas....but, who cares? Its a good looking truck and I love it.

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  Awesome - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Cade - May 24 - 10:00 am

  The car is a dream to drive, and handles like no other. Nissan really built the car right, it has a very strong construction. However driving in the snow....not happening

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  Awesome roadster - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By drum99drum - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is the most awesome performance car I have ever owned. My Trans Am was fast but too heavy, my Audi was under powered and my Volvo too sparse. This car tops all and is a hoot to drive.

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  lori - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Bizzy - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Great car-----fun to drive. Confortable to drive! Beautiful to look at. What else could you assk for in a car! I feell in love with it!

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  Sleek Appearance & Fully loaded model, overall good - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By danabrownva - May 24 - 4:01 am

  Had it for 2 months. Very stylish & expensive looking (Black w/beige interior). Overall good. Having issues with leather seats (wrinkling). Leather doesnt seem tight. Bluetooth crashing regularly, and auto on headlights not working consistently. Front seats seem a little narrow. Safety concern is the seatbelt warning. Only (3) low volume chimes. Then all quiet, with only a tiny, tiny red indicator light on dash. If youre backing up & cross traffic alert goes off wont hear the 3 chimes. Needs a big warning sign on driver display. This could be resolved with a simple software patch. Other than the above pretty happy. Has very expensive look and feel. Love the tech package/sunroof.

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  Good Commuter Car - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Aryan Ashtiani - May 24 - 3:03 am

  I am seventeen years old and this car was given to me as a gift from my father. I use it to drive to school and to my friends houses everyday. I find its comfortable and all my friends like that the interior is quite spacious. I drive this car allot, and have found that while it is great to drive alone, as soon as the car fills up with over four people, the performance begins to decrease extensively with the added weight to the point where driving becomes a big challenge. This car has two main flaws. One is the clunky gearbox which makes shifting into gear an uncomfortable chore, and the other is the pathetic braking ability. Stopping distances are dangerously long without ABS.

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  Its like riding in an Infiniti - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By David Montgomery - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Even though this is badged Nissan, it seems that in order to cut costs, they put the same build, comfort and quality that they put in any Infinit. I understand this and the QX56 are the same, but it seems they didnt sacrifice much for the Nissan name. It is a complete pleasure and joy to drive

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  The car is awesome in all ways.. - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By hlysoldier - May 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my SE-R 2.5 aztec red brand new so, Im careful how I drive but the anticipation is a killer. This thing wants to go-go-go! For being a 4 cyl. its got gumption! All i have to say is hurry up summer! Im hitting the roads!

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  Good but the body RATTLES a bit - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By uKnowWho - May 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Murano on 26th Dec, 2003. Its a 2004 SL AWD model. Just passed the 2000 mile mark and there seems to be a rattle on the left, behind the driver seat/door at 20-30 mph. I cant seem to figure out where; it could be the belt system or the rear door. I dont have any regrets, so far, but I will talk to my delearship about it.