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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  Ultimate Getaway From the world - 2011 Nissan Murano
  By LongTimeNissanOwner - February 27 - 10:00 am

  I am a long time owner within the Nissan Corp. But this SUV tops all others who try and match it, for its price. I bought the LE, because I figured, why not go all the way, or just not go at all. I love this truck, there isnt anything that I wouldnt want to change, except for the fuel economy, many other car companies have bigger SUVs, getting better gas mileage. I understand there is a diesel one in Europe, but who knows how long that will take to get to the US. But all in all...what a great truck, test drive one, and youll fall in love with it, the moment you get in, and the leather seats embrace you, and keep you safe on the road. Enjoy, and happy hunting for that perfect car.

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  I love my Altima. - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Oreo - February 27 - 10:00 am

  GREAT CAR! Would definitely recommend it! The seating is very comfortable in comparison to the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Jetta. The car goes really smoothly. I love it. Ive had the car for one year now, and Ive never had any problem with it yet.

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  Good, get the back up camera option - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By new altima - February 27 - 10:00 am

  Have had this car less than a week. Traded in a 2004 bmw 3 series so adjusting to the smaller engine and front wheel drive is a change, but Im enjoying this car. It is very comfortable to drive and I love the interior that looks just like an infiniti interior. I highly recommend getting the back up camera though because backing up is difficult. You cant see the back of your car so you have no idea where you are. I also regret not getting the satellite radio which is part of the same package. Get this package!

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  No complaints - 2014 Nissan Versa
  By matt5741 - February 27 - 2:26 am

  Car does what it was intended to do. Gas mileage has been 37 mpg so far and its a decent little car. Basic model with manual windows and locks. Basically less stuff to break down the road. Very happy with this car seeing my last one averaged 14 mpg.

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  Love my van! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Liz - February 26 - 11:10 pm

  I got my Quest in Dec. 2003, one of the first to have the new design. Love all the bells and whistles! Great storage space, cup holders, etc. I know the 07s have some nice improvements (like not having to remove the headrests on the rear seat before folding flat). Some other things I would like addressed: I had to replace all 4 tires and all brakes after 2 years - I hear this is a fairly typical Nissan issue. I would love the rear seat to be split so you could fold only half if needed (with 3 kids this would be helpful). The front wheels are so far forward it makes parking straight tricky. Overall - very happy, will get an 07 in December when lease is up!

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  Most well rounded SUV out there... - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Scott C - February 26 - 2:53 pm

  Just purchased a Nissan Pathfinder LE 4WD and have nothing but great things to say about this vehicle. I recently totaled my 2003 Ford Explorer Limited AWD. I was in the market for another SUV and could have gone the Ford route again, but after serious research and test driving, it came down to the fact the the Pathfinder was the overall winner in its class. The redesign says a lot in the vision that Nissan has for their SUVs. The Pathfinders looks like a mini Armada, but gets better gas mileage, is easier on the wallet and the ride is better than the Explorer. Choice was between the Grd Cherokee Hemi and the LE Pathfinder. Choose the Pathfinder, you wont be sorry you did...

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  Brand spankin used - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jeff - February 26 - 4:00 am

  I picked up my C.P.O. Pathfinder and bought the wrap around warranty yesterday (just say no--they get cheaper and cheaper) after much pained research utilizing Edmunds intensely. I was going back and forth between this and the 4Runner. I just couldnt convince myself that the way the 4Runner sits is comfortable. I am 6 2, and dont like sitting on the floor- -I will buy a Camaro if I want that feeling. Past that--they were similar to drive--the 4.0 provides good power, and while the Nissan interior and controls are not in my opinion as slick in pictures as the 4Runner they do feel substantial sitting in the drivers seat and not as chincy as I thought they would be.

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  Not too bad - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By BMH - February 26 - 1:36 am

  Got this car with 14k on it in 06 and has over 60k now. Gas milage is far better than factory sticker. Being 63", this car is way small. The cup holders are worthless. The ride is ok, very noisy. Doesnt like to start on first try some times or it starts and dies. Have an on going issue with the plug for the mass air flow sensor. Keeps getting dusty and then the car through an engine code and wont drive, have to blow out the plug to get it to run. Performance is poor, I had an 88 Honda Accord that had a better ride and more pep then this car.

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  2013 Nissan Maxima needing new Engine? - 2013 Nissan Maxima
  By shellyh1 - February 25 - 4:30 pm

  For 5k miles, we absolutely loved our 2013 Maxima SV Premium Tech Package till it left us stranded in the middle of no where. Apparently, the timing chain came off. We are waiting for the dealership to put in a brand new engine. The dealership we purchased it from was so kind to offer me 28K on a car I purchased 3 months ago for 35K.

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  Fun Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Kuuipo - February 25 - 11:20 am

  Ive had this car for not too long, but so far I love it. The only problem Ive had was the battery dying, but that was not the cars fault. Whoever put in the battery put it in wrong. After the battery was put in properly, has been running perfectly fine. This thing is only a 4 cyl yet has a lot of power to it and corners like a dream. My mom has a maxima and it has horrible turning radius, the Altima is a little better but could be improved. It is really responsive. Everyone complains that the car is too noisy, but I love the noise it makes it sound beefy, I even want an exhaust on it.