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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  Decent sports car for the money - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Jim - July 9 - 11:06 am

  I was driving a Cayman S and the Z car is a totally different animal. I know they are suppose to be competitors but the Cayman is much more comfortable and feels like the precision Porsche Euro sports car that it is and the Z car feels like a cramped Japanese sports car which it is. No comparison but I just wanted to try the Z car for a year or two but im going back to the Cayman S next time. Dollar for dollar the Z is a good value though and if you arent 6-1 like me its probably a better value . A smaller person might not feel as cramped as I do. I just fit in Euro cars better. Acceleration was ok but the Cayman S just feels more exhilarating for some reason.

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  2006 NISSAN SE4.0 - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By jerry - July 9 - 4:43 am

  So far so good, ride a little rough in town, power is great. Seating is firm but support is good. Very good gas mileage,16-18 in town and not broke in yet. Have not made any long trips but hoping for 22-23mpg.

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  Nissan strikes again - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By RezMan - July 9 - 3:16 am

  Bought a Hardbody new in 87...best purchase I ever made. Bought the Frontier last weekend; great truck. Looking forward to a lot of miles with this one, too. Avalanche color with Steel cloth interior. Alloys. 6 bed. Nice ride. Smooth, quick motor. Seamless cruise engagement. More rear leg-room than the 98 F-150 cab-and-a- half LWB I traded in. Ive read comments about the large turning radius, but its more maneuverable that the Ford. Shopped for seven weeks before settling on this one...definitely worth the wait.

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  Unsatisfied after 3 years - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Steven - July 8 - 5:13 am

  I just traded in my Altima after 3 years and 57,000 miles because of a few fairly large issues in my opinion: 1) Loud Road Noise 2) Rough ride over bumps 3) Replaced front breaks at 35,000 miles 4) Replaced back breaks at 45,000 miles 5) Replaced bent rim at 35,000 miles 6) Replaced battery at 56,000 miles 7) Very wide turning radius If you want a FUN car to drive, this car will do it for you. The 3.5 engine is simply unbelievable. Its also a very attractive car. However, if youre looking for ride quality, steer completely clear of this vehicle because you will be very disappointed.

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  Best Vehicle on the Market! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By alventura160 - July 8 - 3:06 am

  My wife and I needed to trade in her 2001 Nissan Xterra that had 95K+ miles on it. We were looking to purchase a 2008 Pontiac G6, but decided first test-drive the Altima before purchasing the G6. We both loved the Altima so much after our test drive that we purchased the vehicle that same day. We also own a 2007 GMC Envoy, but the Nissan is a much better ride. I was fairly sure that the next car I was going to purchase was going to be a General Motors vehicle, but Nissan makes too superior of a vehicle. I encourage anyone that is shopping for a safe and comfortable car to test drive the Altima. You will not be disappointed.

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  Not perfect, but I love it - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By DeeTee - July 7 - 6:10 pm

  Well I was the first one to write a review about this car. I have now been driving it for 5+ months, and I have 12,313 miles on it. It is a lot of fun to drive, sure it isnt fast but then again thats not the point of an econobox. I average about 31 mpg in mixed driving. Comfortable, ROOOOMY, and still gets a lot of attention both good and bad, I prefer the bad =D. I have had issues with the fuel gauge meter, had to be replaced, and it had to be realigned TWICE already. Brakes started screeching after 3,000 miles, but dealer will fix. All in all, it is a great buy, fun to drive, and am very pleased with my choice of car.

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  Simply flimsy (looks can be deceiving - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Moises - July 7 - 3:43 pm

  I just purchased a 2004 Nissan Maxima. I am pretty upset because of the poor flimsy body. The car is not solid, and the quality of material is so cheap. The car thus is reliable but lacks the German craftsmanship in every aspect; especially in the suspension, interior quality, and the solidness. It seems that Nissan attempted to make this car out of aluminum like metal all the way around.

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  Still going - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By TLS - July 6 - 9:03 am

  Lets just say this is a damn good car if its still running after a year of my husband behind the wheel he has a record of tearing cars up in less than 6 months and trust me this little car has been threw hell but I still feel confident getting behind the wheel it take me where I need to go comfortably and shes running like a top to this day.

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  Best-In-Class, No Doubt - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By OffRoadinFrontier - July 6 - 5:43 am

  Traded in my Nissan Armada (fell apart on me!) for a 4x4 Nismo CC with all options. The ride is excellent, the fun- factor is higher than any other truck test-drove (of course, I stayed away from the 45k+ "sport" trucks). Ground clearance is excellent for us newbie off-roaders. VDC is excellent, will never get another vehicle without it.

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  Lucked out with a great Jaded SE - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By seanv - July 6 - 5:36 am

  Green Machine has been great since day 1! Am original owner for 8 years and still happy with it as day 1. So far engine still totally reliable. Will drive this until it stops running, which seems to be a long way away! I would be a fool to sell/trade it the way it (and the economy) is going. See below for pros and cons. Overall the cons are minor. No car is problem-free and this was a great graduation gift from PT school from my dad. I could trade it in for something new, but there is no justification for it, esp as it runs too well. May modify it with front fascia and will repaint the top. So far the only mods are tinted windows. Dont know if I lucked out or if they are all this good!