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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  Nissan 98 Driver - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Ikondrar - February 28 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this car for 3 years now. Fuel economy isnt that great b/c the car sometimes seems to be like drinking fuel as we drink water, but otherwise its affordable and good value. I have pleasure driving it, from day 1 to day 7 and I love it dearly. Its a nice car to own. No , its not Acura but for the value I got a GLE luxury car as a first car I owned. It is my dream come true to have such an awesome car. I have 70000 miles on it right now and its 1998 model, not sure for how many more miles itll last me until my first major problem, but I cross my fingers. Noone talks good about high mileage Nissan Altima... so dont know who to listen to.

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  1999 Nissan Maxima - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Dman - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Great Car! Outperforms expectations. Very comfortable! Overall great quality

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  Speed Demon - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Mean Joe - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Best car Ive ever had

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  4 days and perfect - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Sharkky - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Murano for 4 days now, and I am nothing but impressed. Coming from an 01 Explorer Sport to this is like wearing an Armani suit as compared to someone elses old underwear. It is quite literally a luxury SUV for the price of a loaded compact.

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  Love van but OH the problems - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By so-so - February 27 - 11:10 am

  Previously owned a Dodge Caravan Sport which had no problems throughout 80k miles. Loved styling of Quest,bought 09/04. Travel freqently and very comfortable on long trips. Dealer service dept. has been great however we have been there to many times. Numerous recalls/service bulletins. transmission not smooth in low gear. All 4 rotors turned twice then finally replaced under warranty. Interior fit and finish not great. Only 35k out of goodyear eagles. Squeaks, wind noise, rattles very bothersome. power window mechanism replaced already. rear hatch pistons replaced already. Exhaust system was rattling upon start up. Wheel studs sheered off almost lost rear wheel on highway.

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  Average - Miss my Ford - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By igcc - February 27 - 11:00 am

  Not impressed with build quality... Drive train is great, interior rattles n shakes. Have had numerous small issues with gas gage and rattles. Dealer service is absolutely the worst. Tried multiple dealers and all provided the worst service I have ever seen. Mechanics were poorly trained, and management had a "go away" attitude. This is not the Nissan I have loved in the past. I sold an F150 to get better gas mileage in the city, and I miss it.

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  Fantastic - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By rtl - February 27 - 6:46 am

  It makes driving so much fun. It is everything I would ever have expected it to be and more. I have driven Nissans for years. I had a 280Z, and a few Maximas but the 350Z if by far the best one Ive owned.

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  Power and Style all in one - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By troy - February 26 - 12:33 pm

  Compared to my 03 Expedition the Armada is a far superior SUV. The interior is on par with others in its class. The interior is quiet at 80+ even with 22" wheels, the seats are comfortable and the fit and finish is very good. Kids love the DVD and theater seating. The Armadas trump card is its performance. This is FUN to drive. The acceleration is way above the competion. Steering feel is tight and suspension is perfect for its size. The 5 speed automatic always picks the right gear and should be great for towing. The rear camera available with nav system is perfect for tight areas, kids, and hooking up the trailer. Styling is bold and aggressive. Would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this SUV.

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  solid performance - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By holeintherock - February 26 - 7:03 am

  solid pleasing performance, have had in some serious off road situations and it has tackled them with confidence, ride is a little stiff on highway but that was expected with this truck as equipped, good ground clearance, would like to see an upgrade in OE tires, but they have done well,i could do without the roof rack that came with the truck, the only off road issue has been the side step rails that I have scraped a couple of times

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  Easy Maintenance & Great Mileage! - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By Lucas - February 25 - 11:03 pm

  We recently bought this car for my wife to drive. It needed a bit of work, but turns out the car is very easy to work on yourself, and the parts generally cost less then most (mainly because of popularity of the car). I really appreciated the diagnostic computer that you can use without any of the special hook up tools to figure out what that pesky check engine light really means. The car does have some weird vibration noises at times, but we got use to them, and the previous owner (friend) has heard them all along. Great Gas millage as well!!! We get close to 38 on the highway, which is better then my friend gets with his brand new Honda Civic