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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  Bad back seat - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Mary Grow - April 15 - 12:32 pm

  Only a very small kid can fit in middle of back seat. Also the buckles in middle of back seat dont recess so you ride on hard buckles and they feel auful.salesman said you need not worry because I will be driving

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  Bad back seat - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Mary Grow - April 15 - 12:11 pm

  Only a very small kid can fit in middle of back seat. Also the buckles in middle of back seat dont recess so you ride on hard buckles and they feel auful.salesman said you need not worry because I will be driving

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  Extremely Reliable Transportation - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By nwhiker - April 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought my first Nissan, a 1999 Sentra GXE a couple years ago. It has been a great car. Freeway driving (only) has yielded 50+ mpg. Combined city and highway has averaged 36 mpg. It brakes very accurately and handles well. The 95-99 Sentras werent great sellers, but its hard to understand why. More comfortable than the Civic and Corolla.

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By jgerke - April 15 - 10:00 am

  Always a Honda/Acura owner I wasnt too interested in becoming a Nissan owner, until I drove this car. We purchased it new and now have 55,000 miles on ours... and it has never been in for repairs of any kind. New tires and regular maintenance only. What a GREAT engine. For 190 HP it gets good gas milage... 22-23 around town. Very comfortable ride. We feel we got a good one!

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  Its O.K. - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By joe from florida - April 15 - 10:00 am

  My car has 80k miles now, and if you want a reliable car this is the one. But if you are looking for great features, look elseware. The "leather" feels fake, and does not come with some amenities found in comparably priced vehicles. Exterior has bad paintjob and scratches easily. Interior has very weak plastic parts such as door handles and console area.

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  one year checkup - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By sham payne - April 15 - 10:00 am

  excellent vehicle

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  2002 frontier s/c long bed - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By paul ambrogi - April 15 - 10:00 am

  Just drove 600 mile round trip and loved it. More than enough power 60-85. Drove on beach in NC with plenty of 4 W.D. control. Love the opt. fostgate stero system. Averaged 17.5 mpg @ 75mph w/ air on. Get a lot of looks. We love our truck. S/C package best option package for compact truck.

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  the second car becomes my first car - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By seattle_ite - April 13 - 5:46 pm

  I was not convinced about buying the leaf at all. It looked weird and all the popular auto mags did not seem convinced. A friend convinced us to take a second look and we bought it as a second car ... that was four months ago. So far... - The lease + gas is approx the cost of my previous monthly gas bill. I am basically driving a new car for no extra cost. - - I have taken out my gas car about once a month ! I visited my Costco gas station after four months !!! Its comfortable, spacious and very well equipped. I would have preferred to buy the SV with the BOSE + cameras in hindsight. Bottom-line: if you commute < 60 miles / day, buy a leaf - you wont regret it.

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  Running Rogue - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By lisa hogan - April 13 - 4:35 pm

  This is my third Nissan Rogue and each one is better than the last. The car is comfortable for a wide range of heights, Im 52" and my friend is 64" and we both fit comfortably to drive with good visibility. The Rogue is the only car that I found that has the surround monitor where I can see 360 degrees around the car with the four cameras. The navigation system is very easy to use and the bluetooth quality has improved since my last Rogue. Acceleration is okay, but not great; we make jokes about the "roar of the four". All in all, I am happy with this car and the deal I got and when this lease is up, I will probably lease another Rogue.

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  Maxim value - 2017 Nissan Maxima
  By Danny Stevens - April 13 - 8:42 am

  Weve only had the car a few weeks but love it. We especially appreciate the safety features and are looking forward to being more comfortable on road trips. Fit and finish are excellent all around. Going to really enjoy the heated seats and heated steering wheel this winter. No complaints at all so far. Lots of compliments!