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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  Not the "family" vehicle... - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Family Guy - December 9 - 8:36 pm

  No question that the Xterra is fun to drive; it is rugged and has presence. Keep in mind that this SUV is built for an active lifestyle and all of its features and capabilities are on target. Vehicle handles well, sport-like in how responsive it is when weaving in and out of traffic. Smooth ride, even on uneven pavement. Truck-like in that the engine is more than enough output, very quick acceleration, powerful V6. Interior space is a bit tight, comfortable for 4. Cloth seats are comfortable and make sense for those X-treme adventures. You are seated high in the cabin, but rear seats are too upright. Lots of plastic used in the interior, but its the best (real) SUV bargain.

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  It has it all over the 07 Matrix - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Dennis - December 9 - 8:23 pm

  Ive only had this car a few days so the above numbers can and will change. I traded in my 07 Matrix which was under powered and had an extremely loud engine. It was literately trying me crazy. Especially on the highway The car had only 25000 miles on it. I have to say when test driving the the SR it made me realized I could no longer tolerate my noisy but dependable Matrix.

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  GreAT Value - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Phillip - December 9 - 10:37 am

  I wasnt expecting to get the MPG that Im getting, EPA rated at 39 highway, And on my drive to work I average 40! Very Quiet, the only complaint I have is the location of the usb, I had to buy a longer cable to charge my phone. Other than that, for the price the car was, its stunning. The dealership I bought from was incredible, if any body is in the santa barbara area, stop by the local Nissan Store and ask for Ryan, incredible service, like a 5 star restaurant.

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  This Car Turns Heads - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By Dave - December 9 - 9:53 am

  Wow!. This car not only turns heads, but its fun to drive and ride in. Always being stopped to be told, "Nice Car, man!" Quick, sleek, sexy hotrod. Gotta love it! Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun. Gotta go. My Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz is calling.

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  A great, fun, economical, cheap, vehicle - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By VeryImpressed - December 9 - 6:06 am

  Finally. We have a crossover that is all car in terms of comfort and luxury design. And yet tall and visible like an SUV. The Rogue has an impressive road presence that I really enjoy. It certainly isnt as tall as the Xterra I turned in. But it impresses me in every category. For an i4 this car is very torquey but you will want the manual shift... otherwise it is slow to respond. The leather is beautiful. Bose system is a typical Bose system :). I should have gotten a moonroof. The car whips around turns and turns heads. It feels slow but it is because of the great suspension. Youre actually outrunning all those people around you. Buy a Rogue!

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  99% Perfect - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By kp - December 9 - 2:16 am

  This is my first Nissan vehicle, and it wont be my last! This thing is incredible, the coldest days of the year it starts with out a problem. Whether its on wet, snow covered, dirt, muddy roads or going uphill downhill or around a tight curve i have never felt unsecure driving it! I have had it now for about 1.5 years and its got about 85k on it and runs like its new! Nice job Nissan

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  2011 Juke - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By ilady2020 - December 8 - 10:03 pm

  Love my new car. So fun to drive. Love the crossover convenience but in a sportier package. Drawbacks: not seeing the gas mileage as expected. smaller cargo areas and storage areas in general. love all the options.

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  Good Car.....For the Most Part - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By NR - December 8 - 12:06 pm

  I bought this car 2 1/2 years ago with 37,000 miles on it. Now it has 63,000 and running strong. I read some reviews and heard it was a pretty good car, so I thought Id try it. So far its been pretty good. I like the power and the exterior styling. The 222hp really gets it up and going for a bigger car. But it has some down sides too. I think the interior looks kind of cheap. The dash set up looks pretty plain but the seats are fairly comfortable. So far Ive replaced/fixed the exhaust(55,000), 1st coil(57,000), 2nd coil(60,000), and an O2 sensor(61,000). Right now I think the passenger side window motor is going bad and a a/c is acting up. Overall you get what you pay for.

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  luv my Titan - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By philup44 - December 8 - 9:26 am

  Only had this Titan 2 weeks but it is a blast to drive. Too early to tell about reliability problems, but runs great so far.. gas is not too bad considering it is a full size pickup. I love the smoke color and get a lot of looks from others. Some even come up to me in traffic and ask how I like it! So far so good. I would recommend this truck to anyone!

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  One Happy Juke Grandma! - 2016 Nissan Juke
  By Evangelist Tabace Burns - December 8 - 7:27 am

  Do your research! Once I drove a Juke I was not surprised by the few things Because I already knew about it....from my research.