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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  Cali Review - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Cali Review - August 22 - 9:06 am

  The biggest yardstick that will measure this vehicle will be quality of the product and maintenance. I like the comfort and horsepower. City driving is expensive, especially with gas prices. Overall, I like this vehicle a lot.

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  I really wanted to love it - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Linda - August 21 - 10:24 pm

  Ok The absolute truth here. I rent cars by the month for the past year. I have driven many different cars. I loved the Nissan Altima but prefer an SUV so I assumed the Rouge would be the comfort of the Altima in an SUV. I now have the Rouge SV model and I have to say the difference is night and day and not in a good way. The Altima I had was the SL model with leather trip and those zero gravity seats. The Rouge is not leather and the seats are terrible. I dont mind cloth seats but these seats are weird and I cant get the driver seat adjusted properly. I do not get where all the great comfort reviews come from. This seat is small and not supportive at all. The worst part is I cant reach the top of the steering wheel. If I move the seat forward my right knee is in the dash. It is a very uncomfortable drive. I have to drive 10 hours in this thing. So my reason for the review is to just warn those considering this vehicle. Go sit in it. Test drive it. Comfort is relative to each individual. I had very high hopes for the Rouge and maybe the SL model would fix the issues I am having but I cant request that in a rental pool.

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  Warning: Do not buy this car for now - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By lothario - August 21 - 11:36 am

  My tires are feathering on the insides after Nissan did re-alignment several times and it still prematurely wore out. The car drifts to the right immediately when i drove my car the 1st week i got it. There are structural problems of suspension ,expect a loud roar from your tires. Nissan only will prorate your tire eventhough the warranty is still valid. Poor customer service, lack of respect for customers. 3rd gear grind had to get transmission replaced, headlights condensate on the inside which dealer wont fix.

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  This is the car that you want - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By lloryap - August 21 - 11:30 am

  If you are looking for an outstanding car for the price, comfort, features, power, build quality, style (compare style with Infiniti G (Infiniti is Nissan)), and great fuel economy, then this is the car that you want. Freeway - average 35-40+ mpg, city - average 25-29. Professional, sporty, and not pretentious. Every time I see, get in and drive my car, I know I made the right decision.

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  2015 Rogue SL AWD Fog Lights & Radio - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By steve350 - August 21 - 5:44 am

  Purchased the 2015 Rogue SL AWD in Nov. 14 and currently only have 5000 miles on it. Bought the 15 because of the outstanding experience I have had with a 2010 Rogue S. The 15 appears to be nearly as good except that Nissan installs an inferior radio in this high end vehicle. The dealers explanation is that in order to have the SD card slot for the NAVI System they removed the Scan feature for the radio. Only vehicle I have ever known to have done this. Not too smart on Nissans part. Also, big issue with the fog lights. The lens cover is glass which cracks easily upon impact instead of the high impact plastic used in the headlight lens covers. Again not too smart on Nissans part

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  Best bang for the buck - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By Best bang for buck - August 20 - 12:56 pm

  Ive had my 2010 Titan for about a month now. This truck is terrific, great power, smooth ride, precise steering. I test drove the big 3, and there was no comparison. Chevy, Dodge and Ford have similar power, but the Titan handles better and just feels more agile.

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  Love it - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Dan - August 20 - 12:43 pm

  It was between a Ford Sport Trac and The Nissan. I have a 99 Ranger with 334K on it and still running with no major repairs. After comparing the two, Sport Trac vs Frontier I picked the Nissan for mainly two things, price, Frontier was less expensive and second, it had a longer bed.

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  Beautiful car with great features - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By crosstrack - August 20 - 11:59 am

  Looking for a vehicle to replace my 2008 Explorer, I wanted room for 3 car seats in the rear while still getting 30+mpg. I came across the Altima after thinking how great my 2005 Altima was, and after looking at it in person, i was not disappointed. The front seats are extremely comfortable, took a 14 hour road trip one week after purchase and no complaints with comfort. Rear seat holds 3 carseats snuggly (its not an SUV), headroom not an issue for my kids. Trunk is massive. Leater is soft and comfortable. Heated seats get very warm on hi and heated steering wheel is a nice plus. No issues with bluetooth with iphone 5. Averaged 34mpg on hwy driving 80-85mph. Average 32 in city.

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  Cant find a better replacement - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Lance - August 20 - 5:43 am

  Im looking to buy another commuter car this year, and Im having a tough time coming up with a better choice for under $20K!

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  The best Maxima yet - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By NissanRon - August 20 - 1:46 am

  I just bought my 3rd Nissan Maxima. The 2007 Model is the best yet. The car performs flawlessly and incredibly smooth with the CVT. Once you get used to a CVT, you will never want to go back to a regular automatic. There is no hesitation problem, unlike another Japanese brand. No RPM spiking on transmission shifts, and no snap ring failures requiring a new transmission. (Do I dare mention the 2007 Toyota Camry?) The engine is silky smooth, and has been on Wards 10 Best list since that list was first published. The fuel economy on my 2007 is so far doing better than on my 2002 and 2004 Maximas, which got about 23 mpg overall, and 28 to 29 mpg on road trips.