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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  New Truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By pahunter - November 4 - 1:53 pm

  Only have 170 mi on odometer. Drove home to Littleton from Greeley, CO on I-25 at 75MPH. Truck surprised me on the broken concrete with the amount of bump steer. Front end of the truck gets light and jumps all over. Wife following me in our van and I noticed swaying in the long bed when changing lanes at 75 MPH (not to severe). Other than that this truck is a pleasure to drive. I enjoy the power and solid truck feel. I bought the truck to tow my Ford Windstar while we are traveling. Surprised to find out that UHaul considers this truck too small to haul my Windstar on their tow dolly. Nissan owners manual also recommends electric braked trailer to haul anything over 1000 lbs. Recommend!

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  For the price you cant complain - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By SentraOwner2006 - November 4 - 1:06 pm

  I have owned this Sentra for more then two years. The only thing that broke so far, was the CD player. It would not play CDs. Other then that I have no problems. I generally get 31 mpg and have no problems speeding up or braking. Back seat area is cramped if the car has passengers over 6 feet all. Seats are comfortable enough but the head rest could go an inch higher. The track area is great. Engine is noisy when going over 3.5 rpm. Overall I am very happy with the car and would purchase another Sentra.

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  great truck - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By mike grillo - November 4 - 12:23 pm

  Love the truck, however according to my nissan dealer the power package i got on my se did not include keyless remote,and according to nissan it cant be installed. with no outside door lock on the right side, its very inconvenient without a remote

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  Awesome Car!! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Brian - November 4 - 10:53 am

  Just got mine yesterday and loving every minute driving it.The car is real SHARP looking! Even with my neighborhood littered with Altimas, mine still turns heads. The Sheer Silver with the chrome accents on the door really puts an exclamation point on an already gorgeous car. Also like the new alloys for 05 and the redesign of the interior.

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  Nice Car! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By flamekrazee - November 3 - 10:23 am

  This is a very classy car. I test drove at least six other 4cyl cars and none even came close to having the pep of the Altima. This car flies for a 4 cylinder. The Bose audio system is outstanding, but the radio reception is weak. The blond interior is sleek and beautiful with a rich feel. This car turns heads as you drive. The things I dont like are the door locks which are easy to accidently lock. I also had a torn CV boot at 4000 miles. The trunk lid has a problem staying open especially with a spoiler. Since the good points overweigh the bad, overall I am happy with this car.

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  I own one an love it - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By 037 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I had several cars in mind when I was shopping for a car. Camry and Accord looked too plain for me. Passat in the long run would be more expensive to maintain. This car has one of the best engines in its class. The only problem I noticed with it is the pathetic down shifting on auto transmission. The answer to it is very simple, TURN THE OVER DRIVE OFF! Once that is done, the car leaves pretty much any V6 in the dust.

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  2003 Nissan Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By jm37j - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I chose the six speed manual transmission with titanium edition package. The car is a lot of fun to drive and very well appointed. Before choosing this car I also test drove a BMW 540i and found them similar in comfort, performance and handling. The BMW, however, was not in the same price range or even close to it so I let the price determine my choice.

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  fast and fun - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By corylitvin - November 3 - 10:00 am

  it is awesome. speed is definately a big bonus on the car.

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  Joe - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Joe Brooks - November 3 - 10:00 am

  Excellent Luxury Car!!!!!!!! This car is awesome, I have owned a 1979 280ZX and a 300ZX and you are back! I love you car and I like the 2003 over the 2004, it looks like a Altima!!!!! The grill is the only thing that make it looks differnt on the outside other than the moon roof the the moon roof, that do not open, who need shades? Joe Brooks Southern Air Inc.

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  great - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By dmg - November 3 - 10:00 am

  in town driving and hiway driving a real pleasure. the suv drives itself. the get up and go is great. storage space is better than the jeep grand cherokee i traded in.