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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  Happy Camper - 2009 Nissan Xterra
  By Jack Kansas - January 26 - 12:20 am

  A solid unit that tows like there is nothing behind. Two road trips of 2500 miles and was very pleased with the comfort for a truck that also is a tank off road. Handles much better in snow than my old G Cherokee. I looked at the fj, H3 and others but the visibility on the X was a huge selling point. If you want an "out door" vehicle its nice to see it. I would recommend and buy again. A good value.

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  Love to drive it - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By calchill - January 25 - 9:36 pm

  We have had this car for 3 months and we love it soo much. We dont drive very much but it seems we always find an excuse to take it for a spin. Car has everything we wanted. Sunroof very easy to use and with the deflector added makes it even better. Like the trip computer as u can keep track of mpg or how many miles u have left before refueling.

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  Love my Z - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By saildocva - January 25 - 8:23 pm

  Excellent in all aspects. Its a joy to own and drive. Very good handling and performance. Rear visibility is limited but good outside mirrors that adjust easily helps a lot.

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  A stylish and tough tow vehicle - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Patrick McDaniel - January 25 - 4:33 am

  I needed a comfortable vehicle that could also pull my 30 ft, 7000 lb travel trailer. The Armada fulfills my every requirement. I added an aftermarket induction system and exhaust so have even more horsepower. I can tow easily at 70 mph and still achieve 13-15 mpg. The LE comes standard with transmission temp gauge and self-leveling suspension which works well for towing. I would have purchased the optional exterior trailer mirrors but I like the LEs power folding mirrors so well that I left them as is. The front rotors have been revised so front brake pad wear appears to be much improved over early models.

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  New Titan vs Old Titan - 2017 Nissan Titan
  By Rooster - January 24 - 8:57 pm

  I had the older version Titan so I tried for the newer version Titan. 6 months in these are my opinions. At first I thought exterior looks were hands down Old Titan but after driving it I give the new bold, big look a tick under the Old Titan. Interior wise hands down goes to the New Titan. Spacious, lots of storage, comfortable all the way around, materials are great, layout is great just flows with you. Electronic wise the New Titan is upgraded but still has some of the bluetooth glitches occasionally and USB work great if you have an iPod or iPhone. But still has the Rockford Fosgate system that is way better than the Old Titan. I did have to replace front sonar sensor only after 2 months of owning. So I call it a draw. Power wise the new V8 dusts the old V8 and I thought that was a strong motor. The 7 speed tranny takes a little getting use to. Towing is off the chain and 4WD is a beast. Reality hurts when it comes to MPG, but my Old titan wasnt much better. I drive a mixed run of city and hwy and typically every tank of gas is 16.5 to 17.2 depending on if I drive more than the other. I have taken it on multiple road trips and it is by far a better ride, and power than the Old Titan. My only serious grip is that the New Titan does not turn sharp and is awkward in tight spaces where as my Old Titan never had these issues. Overall I recommend it over Tundra, Ram for sure. Just a simple test drive puts it over these two easy. I have driven a 2017 F150 and Silverado 4WD, in my opinion, Titan is very comparable to the F150, maybe a tick above in some cases but a tick below in others, but both of these fall a little short of the Silverado, which right now is top gun in this class. My deal came to financing, in which Nissan had the upper hand. It really is an opinion based, drive them, go from there. The New Titan has definetly come along way.

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  Fits my needs perfectly - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By LET-CA - January 24 - 7:53 pm

  I test drove the 6-cylinder versions and the fun-factor was right off the top of the charts. I really didnt need 261 HP though, and the poor mileage that went with it so I opted for the 4-cylinder XE with all the power options. Its not nearly as powerful as the 6, but the 4 cylinder is more than adequate for my needs. Im averaging just over 21 mpg and its improving a little with each tankful as the engine breads in. Id recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market; good build quality, wonderful ride, and fun to drive. Count me as a happy customer.

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  Still going. - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By JD - January 24 - 6:53 pm

  I bought this car with less than 23,000 miles now I am over 60,000 the car is smooth and still fun to drive. As for mechanical issues I have had a few my transmission was changed out at 53,000 due to harsh down shifts usually between 2nd and third luckily the car was still under warranty and had to replace a rear wheel bearing recently. Otherwise I still love the car my average mpg is about 22 in the city and 29 on the hwy. It seems that the only major issue that people are having is the transmission (which cost a fortune to replace) otherwise the car is solid. Maybe Nissan will own up to there defect.

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  GOOD CAR - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By WHITEBOY - January 24 - 3:13 pm

  Got the car 3 months ago with the SL version. Love the nav system and the Bose stereo. Noticed the same problem as Alex B with the bass. Even at 0 level and treble at 3, the back ledge by the rear window does not hold the bass. Probably needs more padding to damper the vibration. Looks like very thin shelving for speakers and subwoofer location. Besides that love driving it. Gets good mileage for both city and highway. Live in N.Y.C. and getting 20/35. Not bad compared to my 96 Murano. Only downfall is none of the cars come with some pkgs. You have to get all, meaning all the pkgs are connected to each other. Adds a lot more to base price. Got windows tinted, looks great.

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  AWESOME!!!!!! - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Richardo - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle. I have owned mine for about 7 months now and have enjoyed every minute of it. The only thing that I have had going on is that there seams to be some noticable squeeking when going ove rrough turain. Other than that it has been perfect.

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  What a difference 6 months can make - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By hawthfinan - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I purchased an Armada in December....one of the first produced, and liked the vehicle but was disappointed by build quality.ie squeeks, rattles, loose pieces fit and finish, and it just did not feel right. For a variety of reasons I trades it in on another one lasy week and the difference is night and day. Fit finish excellent, tight, no rattles and is a joy to drive. The navigation system is easy to use and a must and the DVD system is great on trips. I am thrilled with the second one and I attribe that to quality improvements at the plant and the Infiniti QX56 has come on line there snd they were forced to deal with quality issues. The second car is great