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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  Nissan Sentra - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Macki - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Interior is very small. Back seat is basically non-existent.

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  95% Manufactured in Japan... - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By rippedmass - June 30 - 2:00 am

  My first SUV.Had Legends b4 this, but I need the space since I tow offroad. It was Pathy OR 4runner, Toyota didnt move on price SO got Pathy for $7000 off MSRP. Overall a good SUV, SUV body roll what you would expect. 240HP engine is powerful, its geared and tuned low for towing..fine with me. 3500mi so far..Major reason I was looking at Pathy/4runner: they are still manufactured IN JAPAN. So no problems...like my Legends! The Bridgestone Duellers are Terrible! These are the worst tires I have EVER ridden...Marginally good in the dry and bald-like in rain and snow. Get the tires traded in b4 you leave dealer so you dont slide out of the showroom.

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  2004 Nissan Quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By kjkimker - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Quest is a great looking, fun to drive, POWERFUL, minivan. I checked them all out and the Quest has the most bang for the buck.

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  I love my new sport vehicle! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Quest happy - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I was very hesitant about purchasing a minivan. I went the whole "SUV run", but came to realize that was not what my family needed. I tried the other minivans first, and then my Quest. It is very functional and family friendly. My oldest son plays soccer, my daughter plays softball, and my youngest son plays just about everything..lol. Through it all my wife carries them all with greater ease than our old Altima, which we decided to keep as well. Not having to take the seats out was the best "sell" of all. Our Quest has made our familys life easy.

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  So far so good - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Chucky - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Curb appeal makes this vehicle stand out. I have had a number of people comment on the styling when they first see it. This is a fun car to drive. Great handling and acceleration on the highway. Nice sound system as well. My only real complaint is the gas mileage is 16/20 mpg and not 20/24 as rated. The CVT also slows the acceleration on cold day.

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  great truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By mabinkley - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Excellent truck no complaint from me. never had a problem with it. It has hauled everything i have wanted to haul.

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  Loving every minute of it! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Sabre66 - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Titan CC SE 4WD for 2 weeks now and havent stopped smiling since. Its big, but drives small. So much power at foot...and a smoother ride than my Pathfinder LE. The Crew Cab is huge! With the captains chairs theres still enough room for 5, plus all your gear. Much better interior and exterior than the domestic competition.

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  Grows on you. - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Xterra2003 - June 30 - 2:00 am

  At first I had some issues with the Xterra. I thought that fuel economy was bad and that it had a tough ride. I found these 2 issues to be the only problems with the vehicle and they turned out to be personal issues. I bought a truck based SUV and I have owned cars in the past. I had to go through a learning curve and after I have accepted this, I really love the truck-key is truck. It is a great buy and I am glad I bought it. The R.F. stereo is excellent too.

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  Truck - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Wayne98632 - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Its a SUV based on a truck frame, how else to you think it would ride on road, like a truck. You want smooth on road driving buy a mini van.

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  My Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By sandra - June 30 - 2:00 am

  The maxima is a fun car to drive, and it looks great! Interior is very comfortable and roomy.