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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  Nice (Car/Truck Thing) - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By CCD - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Love the new Murano. Only have had it for a few days so far I have no complaints nicest vehicle I have ever owned. Nav. system great. Feels like driving a Maxima but having a great view of the road. This vehicle should be called an UUV - Urban Utility Vehicle a brand new segment!!!

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  Un-bundle the fun - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By redawgleader - October 17 - 10:00 am

  13,000 km of tough weather roads, & Mr. MO still makes my ol heart race. Take me for another drive! I LOVE this thing. It has Sooo much cachet. And smokin fast in the passing lane. Only problem...EVERY time I stop for gas, hafta do a pump-side interview with the wannaowns who plan to buy one too, someday. Ah, such is the price of living with celebrity.

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  Buyer beware - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Phillygator - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Do not buy this car! Our mis-adventure began at the dealership (Sutherlin Nissan in Ft. Myers). To many negative memories to put into 700 words. Just beware when purchasing from Sutherlin. The car had 2 tires shred within the first 2 months of ownership. To top it off, the tires put on the Altima are not only cheap, but very rare, and impossible to find. The car had rust within 3 months, the steering fluid had a leak. The service department was as rude and slow as the sales department. Bad experience all around.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By RonSteinbach - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This car has it all! It is a hotrod, i.e., faster than most cars on the street. It is a luxury car. It is totally fun to drive, and it is an economy car (27 to 31 mpg on the highway). You can pay up to twice as much for very little more, but why? At 90 mph the car is rock solid in feel. I would highly recommend buying the SE model with the 5-speed automatic transmission. This transmission can shift much faster than any human can. If you insist on shifting, the automatic transmission has a manual shift mode. This car will place a perpetual smile on any enthusiasts face!

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  03 Maxima GXE - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By cd9403max - October 17 - 4:26 am

  This is my second max, first one still have 94 with 264,000 km and engine/trans tops. Only have 62,000 km on 03 and now first major repair, brakes all around. Got this as last Japanese made one and was afraid of quality control with 04 on. I may be wrong with the 04s on. This car takes off like a scared cat-make sure you are hanging on tight. I like the 94 more as it seems more roomer inside and with self adjusting shocks, real nice. However, very poor head lights-moved up to stronger ones to help. 03 lights, what an improvement over the 94.

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  NissanMan - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By nissanman - October 17 - 3:40 am

  Great Car! Fun to drive engine too powerful for front wheel drive. Needs to have Nav option

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  Take it for a test drive. - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By T-Bone - October 17 - 2:00 am

  The Nissan Sentra LE compares quite favorably to ever other car I test drove (Protege, Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Jetta). The 165 HP engine is at the top of the class and is mated very well with the automatic transmission. Handling is relatively tight - though perhaps not as tight as the Protege. Interior velour cloth is a nice touch and the stereo stystem is truly wonderful (180 watt with 7 speakers). I bought this car on the last day of March as incentives were to expire (they may well have come back by the time you read this).

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  Fun, Fun - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Nissan Convert - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Ive got 3,000 miles on the car so far and it is been perfect so far. The acceleration and handling are great. The upgraded Fosgate stereo sounds great too!

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  Very Nice Car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By beetle662 - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Have had this car over a year now, it has been wonderful. Only problem was a sensor for the air conditioner last summer, but that was covered by warranty. Standard maintenance is a bit pricey using Nissans guidelines (which I suggest that you do), but that comes with any vehicle. Opted for the 5 speed manual, which is comfortable and provides more pop to the I4 engine. Plenty of "giddyupandgo"! Abundance of interior room (the main reason we bought this car instead of the Sonata, Taurus, et al). Some of the interior features are cheap... the fuel fill release on the floor looks like an after thought. Some minor squeeks which are unexplained.

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  Best performance for the money. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By littlesue - October 17 - 2:00 am

  I drove the acura TL-type S and it could not compete. This thing is phenominal. It drives like a sports car with the comfort of a sedan and the ourstanding reliability that is synonumus with Nissan. And much cheaper than type-S. Nothing out there competes with it.