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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  BEST I EVER HAD - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By BALDEV - May 30 - 2:00 am

  NISSAN FRONTIER IS EXCELLENT...LIKE ALL NISSAN PRODUCT ...EXCITING,FUN AND BEST VALUE

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  nissan deteoriates on quality - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By chasaschba - May 30 - 2:00 am

  the dealerships are less than knowledgable or informed.... radio/cd changer failed twice brakes are bad news and very soft... dealership and manufacturer are unwilling to address issues exterior build is poor...decals peel off plastic falls off and warps...almost like a Renault....HEY ! maybe it is in disguise transmission could use updating Not the old Nissan and it shows...thrown together.

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  Rattles and buzz - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By chazzi - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Car was great for the first month. now we get a grinding noise right after shifting into drive and the gas pedal and steering wheel buzz and shake. Been to the dealer twice with no results. Last Nissan this family buys.

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  Nice Sporty Ride - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Worm - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Test drove this SUV twice to make sure it handled and performed as well as I thought the first time. Handling is great and stable. The engine has excellent performance and runs very smooth. I just think it might be priced a little high considering nissan does not have high residual values like Acura or Lexus but it is priced around 38,000 for a loaded SE.

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  Move on a dime - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Hamzah Abdur-Rahman - May 30 - 2:00 am

  When i test drove this car I feel in love with the way it took off and the handleing on the road, but before that i allso test drove the camry,and the honda accord 4cyl. and the altima beat them hands down. so that was the reason that sold me.oh yeah and the price was real good too. thank you nissan.

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  The altima is a great car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By maria - May 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is great. Ive had a Maxima before this, and it doesnt even compare. The stario system is especially great. There is also alot more room, too.

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  great truck - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By Tony Eberhardy - May 29 - 11:43 pm

  I bought my truck used 10/05. I love this truck and plan on buying another one like it whent the time comes. It has good power, great looks, and is very reliable. The only drawback is the gas mileage, I get about 18 miles a gallon.

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  My Murano - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By cortnie - May 29 - 10:26 pm

  This car is everything. its not to big and not to small. Its very fun to drive and very comfortable.

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  2012 Quest ... Luxurious with Creature Comforts - 2012 Nissan Quest
  By joecool7 - May 29 - 7:06 pm

  We never seriously considered buying a minivan until we saw the 2012 Nissan Quest. Finally a minivan that has styling. It has the looks and feel of pure luxury like in first class all the way with creature pampered comforts of a hi-end Infiniti. We bought the Quest SL in Pearl White a couple of weeks ago. Drove it on vacation and have put on 1,000 miles. It honestly gets 24 mpg highway. We got as much as 25 mpg highway driving. Hard to get the 19 mpg city as advertised though. We got closer to 16-17 mpg city. However, with the comfort we experienced on the long road trip while on vacation, the trade-off in mpg is worth it. This is a fantastic vehicle!

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  Great SUV - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By JSG - May 29 - 6:23 pm

  I recently purchased my Xterra, so I do not know much about "true" reliability yet. My experience so far has not had anything to suggest that reliability will be poor, so I am giving it the benefit of the doubt in that area. The Xterra has done exactly what I have asked it to do so far. I have put 1600 miles on the vehicle in a short time. In that time I have been impressed by the ground clearance as well as overall 4X4 capability. The Xterra was able to go places that other vehicles couldnt (or wouldnt). I was able to pull a full size truck out of the mud with no trouble at all (the truck was stuck in a stretch of mud that the Xterra just went through). Has full size power, midsize thirst!