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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  2005 Nissan Frontier - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By wvfrontier - August 25 - 4:56 am

  What to say? I absolutley love the look of the new Nissan Frontier. That was what first got me interested in it. After I took it for a test drive i had to have it. It has great power and acceleration. I havent gotten used to the turning radius though. After driving a little Subaru that I could whip into anywhere its takign me a while to get use to learning to swing out more to get into parking spaces, but to me its worth it. The interior is vastly improved from the old model. The Rocksford sound system is awsome. I love being able to play audio CDs, my MP3s, and listen to satellite radio all from the same system. The subs are nice but not overpowering. The seating material is very comfortable and looks like it wears well.

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  Nissan LE 4X4 4 door - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Zivko - August 25 - 3:43 am

  Most people rate their trucks a few days after they buy them. I have had this truck for several months and overall it is a very poorly manufactured/designed vehicle. Rattles everywhere, windows do not come down when it gets cold, door wont close when it gets cold. Engine noise at idle. I have had almost all manufacturers of truck and this is the worst by far. Not all Japanese cars are the same. Toyota, Honda are great, Nissan is not.

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  Good Performance but - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By joenoles1 - August 24 - 11:40 am

  powerful engine and very comfortable ride. There are some common problems with this vehicle namely, brakes due to crappy rotors, ignition coils, MAF and suspension issues. I have over 150k miles and it has been an excellent vehicle.

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  Durable so far - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Louis Desjardins - August 24 - 10:23 am

  Bought used with 36,000 miles on it. Well built, feels solid, durable. I drive 30,000 miles per year, mostly highway miles. Brakes were the only outstanding glitch"" as the rotors do not seem well built.

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  The Power Of Spec - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By bluspec - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a car for a true enthusiast. There is now other way to get close to the worlds greatest hot rod, the Skyline GT-R V Spec, for under $18,000 used. If you just want value for the money, stick to the 2.0 GXE or SE-R, but for that extra adrenalin rush on the road and at an import car show go for the bigger engine, nicer wheels, rockford fosgate in-dash with an 8" boom generator in the trunk which is part of the "audio fanatic" package. The car does 120mph as easily as 50mph thanks to a great stock body kit. This will be a classic that everyone will want once the Civic craze dies out in the near future.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By aaron L - August 24 - 10:00 am

  I just recently purchased this sporty car, and it has blown my expectations of performance right out of the water. It is sleek to the eye, ferfectly comfortable and a VERY fast little car. This car is for all who want to grip the road like a glove. Its fantastic.

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  Buy it NOW - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By str8butter33 - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is very spacious! Great family car! I love it!

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  Very disappointed - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By jtolleson - August 24 - 1:50 am

  Ive had my Altima seven months now, and have had way too many trips to the dealership for a new car. That is why I buy new -- to avoid dealing with problems! There are a lot of things I love about the car. But theres also a lot I hate about the car, especially the whine from the power steering pump (I complained so much that Nissan replaced the steering pump, but the new pump makes the exact same noises). That constant noise at low speeds drives me crazy. Ive also had it in several times because of rattles from the moon roof and bolts needing to be tightened, and the passenger airbag sensor not working.

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  first nissan for me - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By special - August 24 - 1:13 am

  although i looked at several cars the altima seemed to be the best buy for the money. it rides good, and is a good looking car. it has most of the nice options that add a lot of dollars that a lot of other cars charge a lot extra for. i got the 2.5 special model although i got hurt and have not been able to drive as much as i would have normal i have no complaints at this time

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  Im Impressed ! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By schuh - August 24 - 12:26 am

  OK, so Ive only had it for a week, but its impressed me more than any other car of its class. Ive read reviews that said the ride was poor. What car were they driving? My Versa rides more like a large car - very smooth - in fact its one of its best features. First tank of fuel averaged 32 mpg - mostly city driving, - expect to do better once its broke in. The CVT transmission is a blast. Incredibly smooth - I really have to watch the speedometer or I find myself speeding.