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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  Extremely happy - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By hts1190 - October 8 - 3:43 am

  The first 18,000 miles have been totally trouble-free. No glitches or repairs at all. Quiet, comfortable, smooth and powerful and with all the bells an whistles (except for satellite radio and GPS).

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  Great Buy!!! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Mario Carrasco - October 7 - 7:26 pm

  2002 Altima, is a maintenance free car, driving 100 miles per day in highways, just change oil every 3K miles and add some coolant fluid, that is all the maintenance needed. Nothing compares very strong engine with tires even better!!

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  Grandtouring AT - 2008 Nissan 350Z
  By tommy86 - October 7 - 3:57 pm

  This is my 2nd 350z, my first was a 2003 touring 6MT And hydroplaned it on hwy doing 80 mph Vdc was off.. wont do that again, however i now have a 2007 grandtouring AT due to broken pelvis dont like the clutch, love the new HR motor much faster, but i really miss the manual trans, VQ35 TILL I DIE!!!!

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  Nissan Rogue - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Donna Raposo - October 7 - 3:56 pm

  Took it to the mountains this summer, brakes buck and vibrate when braking going down hill. Very difficult to back up or change lanes due to back windows being too narrow to see out of. Makes whistling noise when going over 60 mph. Very annoying. Also, makes weird humming noise when slowing down. Recall on transmission. But they did extend my transmission warranty to 10 years or 120000 miles due to the recall. Otherwise, I do like my vehicle. It does drive very smooth and it handles well. Plus the bose stereo is awesome.

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  the pathfinder - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bigtard - October 7 - 5:50 am

  Ive had my pathfinder for about a month now and i love it. The only downside that i can think of would be the gas mileage. Other than that my frieds love it since i put the DVD entertainment system in it. I have had no problems with my pathfinder so far and i hope it will continue to be that way. So to whoever is looking for a awsome midsize SUV this should definitely be on your list

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  Excellent but for a few mech. issues - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By TCWTW - October 7 - 12:10 am

  This a good vehicle. If would be very good except for a few items. 1.) Sometimes takes several miles to switch out of 4 wheel drive (up to 20). 2.) The fuel level transmitter went faulty at about 53K (1.5 yrs). 3.) The front wheel bearing sounds like it is going bad. It was the best vehicle for the money when I bought it and if you want a lot of power and dont mind the poorer gas mileage, this car is for you. The seats on the base model are not that comfortable. I would highly recommend this vehicle for college students going off to college.

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  Ignore the cup holders. - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By A Bryden - October 6 - 2:33 pm

  I bought my Sentra after owning a feisty 99 Cougar. Lets just say that this is a welcome change. I decided on the Sentra because of the superior gas mileage, and after test driving the Civic and Corolla, I decided this was the best buy for my taste, as well as having the most horsepower out of the three base models. I have had only one problem with mine so far; one of the belts came off because a bolt was not tight enough. However, it was easy to fix. I have the 1.8 S Special Edition, which comes with a Rockford Fosgate soundsystem (and subwoofer). I love it; probably my favorite feature on the car. This car is very reliable and wonderful on the highway.

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  Sweet Ride - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By Drew H. 23 - October 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is pretty awsome if you are looking for a car with good power and a smooth ride.

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  Not enough power - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Blacksheep - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Good truck if you dont want to use it to tow anything. The design is nice and it is very capable in 4WD. At 140 horses, it just doesnt have enough power. The gas mileage (18-15MPG) should be better. No problems mechanically. Looks nice and design features (cargo netting, rear power point, roof rack, etc.) are useful if you are an out-doors type.

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  Excellent ! Nissan is Number 1 - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By George V - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Saw the concept 2 years ago,just had to wait for the production model. Awesome, simply awesome, no other minivan comes close.The room is unbeliveable, the center pod and instrumentation make so much sense placed the way they are.My 3 kids just love this vehicle.Checked out Honda,Toyota and Mazda. The Quest is miles ahead of the competition. If your in the market for a minivan do yourself a favour and test drive the new Quest you wont be disapointed. Excellent, simply excellent, way to go Nissan.