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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  my first car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By pinaypincess - December 13 - 10:00 am

  i am a new driver, and this is my first car. i love it. its easy to drive, attractive, and very fuel efficient. i love how it handles and how its so quiet. i would greatly recommend this car.

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  excellent - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By vick user - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Great second car. Sporty enough for my college age son. Gets wonderful gas mileage.

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  A working Moms review - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By MommaJo - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I had previously leased the Sienna and switched to the Quest at the end of my lease. I love this van for the first reason of the fold down seats, with 2 kids this really comes in handy with bikes and camping equipment. And I am not yet in my "Old Mom" years so I like the fact that I am driving a minivan but still look good and have great pick-up and reliability in the van. Everytime I stop at the grocery store I come out to people admiring my van....that is a nice feeling for a Mom that works hard for her money!

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  Just a great car to drive - The Murano - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By JACQUE - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy the overall comfortability of this car. You glide right into the seats, you dont have to climb in or duck down to get in it. Its definitely my favorite choice out of all the SUVs on the market.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Rdlapaz - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Smooth ride and very comfortable with lots of options. Love the style and handling of the Murano. Very good pickup.

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  so far, SOOO good - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By newguy - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Bought this truck a little more than a month ago and I love it. It is a pleasure to own and drive. I hope that its long term reliability. Was torn between this and F-150, and found that the mechanical refinement of this vehicle outweighs the interior refinement of the Ford. So far, SOOO good.

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  Never had a problem - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By RebeccaD - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Except for the recall on my windows, Ive never had a problem with my car. Carries everything back and forth from college. Rides rough, but makes up in comfort. Needs airvents in back seat, riders complain of being hot. Stadium seating is a very nice feature, but hard for adults to climb up into. Easy to keep clean, seats resist stain. Gas hasnt been a huge deal, it gets good mileage.

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  BEWARE OF THE PAINT JOB (REDLINE) - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Desiree27 - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this car for one year.I was willing to deal with the minor issues of a first year car seeing that Nissan North America was supportive in fixing the issues. That has come to a screaching HALT. The paint is coming off in what I see as flakes leaving behind white spots over the entire car.This car has 9900 miles is garaged and pampered but now looks terrible.Nissan North America is stating that it is rock damage and will not rectify the issue.I drive on well paved roads and am not being pelted by rocks as they suggest.Major disappointment as I am facing thousands to have a one year old car repainted.

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  Excellent car for the price - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By JordanCS - December 13 - 3:40 am

  This Sentra replaced my Honda Civic Hybrid (too expensive to keep when I switched jobs and started driving 15 miles a day.) The Sentra is a great performer... nice acceleration, comfortable ride, though the suspension is a bit stiff. Interior comfort is excellent. I feel like I have plenty of room, and Im a large guy. Fuel economy has been excellent - getting 35 MPG highway, and about 26 in the city. Great trunk design. Controls are easy to use and well placed. Seats are comfortable. The only nitpick is the lack of two power outlets, which I understand they fixed in the 2009 version. Great car for the price!

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  Absolutely amazing - 2010 Nissan GT-R
  By Rushnut - December 13 - 1:30 am

  This car is all that youve probably heard it is, and much more. Ive owned a Premium 2010 GTR since June of 09 and it continues to amaze me every day, as its my daily driver. AWD handling both on and off track is amazing, as it the smoothness and quickness of the gearbox when you shift with paddles in manual mode. Not a cushy soft ride at all, but thats not what I want, or expect, in a racecar like this. For my tastes, the exterior is absolutely stunning in design with the hood resembling an Aston Martin and the rear end (my fav part of the car) reminding me a bit of a F-430. I find the electronics inside are excellent and the build quality is superb. Hats off to Nissan--brilliant.