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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  too good - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By tom - November 17 - 7:46 pm

  Great fun car. Power, handling, brakes are excellent. Suspension is stiff but this is what you get with a car that is glued to the road. Great combination of straight-ahead speed and cornering capabilities. When applying the brakes, watch out for cars coming from behind you; no way they can slow as rapidly as you can. Exhaust sound is cool - reminds me of an Austin Healy 3000! You have to 50 years old to remember that car. Only problem is that on the interstate I cant tell if Im going 70 or 90 mph without looking constantly at the speedometer. Too many speeding tickets verify this comment. By the way, 70 to 90 acceleration is way good!

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  2.5 Automatic / Special Edition is Great - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By KerryC - November 17 - 11:13 am

  My wife and I love the vehicle. It drives nicely, handles nicely and has plenty of room for 4 adults. The Altima is sporty looking.

• 

  Love it! - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Bobby G - November 17 - 12:13 am

  I have had this car a couple of months. I was concerned about the CVT trans but am delighted to report that it is smooth and a good fit for the Maxima. It is a 290 horse engine that snaps and still gets almost 24 MPG on my routes . I am a long time Nissan owner but this is the first NEW Maxima and I couldnt be happier. This thing turns heads everywhere I go. I traded an 06 Altima that I also bought new. Its not even close.I love the new body design and everything about the car. If your looking, stop now and own the Maxima. You wont be sorry.........

• 

  Fas Kiwi - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Aaron - November 16 - 10:56 pm

  handles like a dream, I love the drive quality, not too firm but enough to use as a day track car. stops on a dime with the Brembo brakes. Its a beautiful car.

• 

  The smooth ride sold me. - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By brad - November 16 - 3:06 pm

  I got the 2.0 S model. I was very impressed with the smooth and quiet ride. I traded in my Dodge pick-up. I had set out to double my gas mileage and lower my monthly payment without having to settle for a bumpy ride. This car fulfilled all of that. I got the 6 speed manual because the cvt model was a little pricey for me. Both transmissions are sluggish, especially at low end, but I have more control over that with the 6 speed. The shifting is somewhat awkward. I am not happy with 29 mpg. The dash design is stylish along with the position of the shifter. I am impressed with how much room this car has. My advice: test drive this car and others to find out which aspects matter most to you.

• 

  Love the car, disappointing gas mileage - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Drivingmom - November 16 - 2:36 pm

  Purchased the car new in May 2007, mainly for the comfort and the projected gas mileage. However, we have seen the gas mileage drop from a high of 31 MPG to present low of 25 MPG. The sticker advertised 29-38 MPG. Big disappoinment since I do mostly highway driving during the week, errands on weekends. The horn button is hard to find quickly - I usually end up changing the CD instead of getting the horn.

• 

  Good car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Tom - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I put about 25,000 miles a year on this car and I have had one engine problem, a sensor that the dealership said was a recall on the 03 but not a recall on my VIN number. Considering it was a $300 repair, I wasnt happy but over all has been very reliable.

• 

  Very Poor Quality Vehicle - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike S. - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely will never, ever buy Nissan products again. The issues with this car are innumerable but Ill try and include them in order of decreasing cost to fix: New transmission (other complaints on this site) @ 70K miles, new paint job due to defective black paint that lasted only 3 years, new front struts at 65K miles, new front bearings @ 60K miles, front wheel shimmy is recurring issue since day 1, front headlamps are not clear due to sun after 4 years. The front turning radius is that of an 18-wheeler.

• 

  Thin paint - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By n25ks - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I very much enjoy driving this car. It rides smoothly and has punch when you hit the accelerator.

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  2013 Nissan Murano, SL AWD Like it a lot so far! - 2013 Nissan Murano
  By jeep53 - November 16 - 4:14 am

  Ive only the this SUV for a couple months now and have put on about 3,500 miles. I love the way it handles. The V-6 has enough power for my liking, along with the CVT. It is a very quiet and smooth drive compared to the 2011 Rogue I had before. Love the techology package and the panoramic sunroof. The manual says to use premium fuel but weve been fine with regular. Overall, I have no regrets with this vehicle. I like the exterior style, although I know its not for everyones taste. The fit and finish inside is excellent. I will write another review after six months.