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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  Great Pickup - 1999 Nissan Frontier
  By alex_5626 - April 9 - 2:00 pm

  This truck runs great. No engine problems or design flaws. It would however be nice if it had four doors instead of two. Also the engine could use a little more guts, putting out 160 horsepower and 200 ft/lbs of torque. Other then that, great truck. It uses 90% of its horsepower at 1800 rpm and less, so passing on the highway can take time. This truck will make you happy.

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  Simply amazing - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By JEff - April 9 - 5:56 am

  I have only had the 05 Titan for a week, but its been incredible. It looks great, handles great and sounds great. The interior is roomy and the setup is loaded. I have had a Dodge and Chevy truck in the past, but this one tops both of them. The loaded package with everything is 34,000, if you wanted a loaded anything from the other dealers your talking at least 40,000.

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  Fabulous truck! - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By Julie - April 9 - 4:30 am

  I bought this truck this week for my birthday...my husband and I have been wanting truck for years, but refused to pay the inflated prices that came along with the "cool factor" of owning a truck. We love nature, and wanted a compact, comfortable truck to take us to the national forests to explore the gravel/service roads where our sedan shouldnt go, as well as handle all kinds of weather, and gardening chores. The Frontier is just wonderful...not to big, very comfortable. I can zip in and out of downtown with no problem; a fabulous sound system. Okay, the armrest could be longer, but the lumbar support is terrific. Forget the Tacoma, its not even close. Theres only one Frontier.

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  bbbb - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By mg - April 8 - 6:46 pm

  Good quality built car, only minor details that have gone wrong in the past two years. one is the windshield wiper solution sprayer on the drivers side does not work well.I have had better A/c in other models but it does the job.

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  The surprise cute-ute - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Dan - April 8 - 11:53 am

  I started searching for a small SUV to replace my wifes old 03 Outback. I had narrowed my choices down between the rav4 & crv. After finding that the rav4 equipped the way we wanted wasnt a good deal, I was sure the crv would be the car. We happened to checkout the new rogue, but we werent impressed with it. My wife however, liked the Murano. After realizing it was MUCH bigger than it looks, we took one for a spin, and liked the overall feel. We went to look at the crv, and did not like it, so we went back and got a murano. MPG is good IMO for a V6 SUV. Weve had the car for over 2 weeks now, and consistently avg about 20-21 mpg with mostly "city" (stop lights) driving. Great car!

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  BEST PURCHASE IVE EVER MADE! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By HiltonHamptonGirl - April 8 - 10:13 am

  This car literally rocks my socks. I have fallen in love with Nissans. By far the best made car I have ever owned. Went from a Mazda6 to a Buick Rendezvous and now this Nissan. Very clean and reliable car. Have a blast driving it! Plenty of room for my 7month old daughter and all her belongings. Who says you have to get a mini van after you have a child!?! NISSAN IS THE BEST!!! As well as their luxury end of vehicles (Infinity). Wonderful performance.

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  Beware - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By krismac - April 8 - 9:27 am

  I have major issues with my transmission at 11,000. Also still have extra travel while braking on uneven surfaces (city roads) and that is after recall

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  Z only car that matters. . . - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By m3000gtsl84 - April 8 - 7:50 am

  Excellent engine, and aside from a notchy feel, excellent manual transmission. Gets looks no matter where you are, and will dust anything aside from GTO or Mitsubishi Evo. Handling is excellent, and the car is one of the most solid feeling on the road.All in all, a successful advance from the excellent 300ZX.

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  Thoughts on Xterra - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Jack - April 8 - 2:40 am

  The Xterra has its ups and downs, the engine offers nice power, but fuel mileage is bad. Sometimes city/hwy average mileage as low as 13 mpg thats not even using 4wd. Aerodynamics are terrible roof rack, running boards, fenders, back bumper steps, heavy 4wd system. The auto tranny shifts well. Cargo area offers a decent amount of space. Overall satisfied.

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  Great Buy - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By M.ENGR - April 7 - 9:43 pm

  Bought the car with 10,000 miles, and Ive put on well over 20,000 in less than a year. My gas mileage has been consistently over 30 mpg, and Ive averaged almost 33 all summer. No problems at all. Great manual transmission with lots of power. Comfy ride and lots of room in back seat, even for large adults.