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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  OMG What a great little car - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By jobfisher - January 9 - 1:49 pm

  I brought my first 1996 nissan sentra GXE about 5 years ago.....for about $3500. It has been the best car that I have owned. Went everywhere and without complaint. took the best care of my baby. could fit both of my tall sons in the back with room. When i finally blew a head gasket last week I considered getting something else but my car guy said that he had the same make and model just 2 years newer and for under $2000.00 he would take my old and give me new.....I took it. My son wanted me to get a volvo that he had on the lot but I saw the 98 and it was not even an option. I had to have the nissan. Now I have my baby 2.0. My car guy will fix the 96 and sell it for a profit. WIN WIN!!!

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  Will definitely buy another - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Jeff - January 9 - 1:43 pm

  This is the second Nissan Ive owned. I bought it with 16k miles about four years ago, and it just turned over 92k. I drove it back and forth from NY to VA several times, and it was very comfortable and got decent mileage. No major problems whatsoever. I step on the gas and response is immediate. Great speed-to-speed acceleration, too. The interior could be better, but Im 63" and feel very comfortable inside. I wish it had an auxiliary hookup for audio devices, and the CVT has kind of a dynaflow effect every now and then; a 5-speed automatic or 4-speed with O/D would be better suited for the car. Once I refinance the mortgage, Im getting a fully loaded 09 Murano LE AWD.

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  Happy Nissan Owner - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Kurt - January 9 - 6:46 am

  This is my first Nissan and I must say that Im in love. My previous two cars were a 2001 Mustang Bullitt and a 2003 VW Jetta GLI. Ive been in many other cars and thus far the 2009 Maxima is my favorite. I actually look forward to running errands and driving to work! I bought the sports package and while some reviews say its a harsh ride, I disagree. The ride is excellent, handling is as good if not better than my VW, and road noise is very minimal. The bluetooth works great with my iPhone 3GS, and while I havent needed to use the GPS much what little I have used has been spot on. The acceleration is great for 290hp and a heavy car. I was told once to drive it like you stole it! :)

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  Good Choice - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Brad - January 9 - 3:10 am

  Very comfortable to drive. Quiet, with no engine noise. Sound system excellent. All the bells and whistles worth the cost. Great visibility on the navigation screen. Lots of room for front and back seat passengers as well as cargo. Cant say enough.

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  Armada!! - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Ranya - January 8 - 5:16 pm

  I love my Armada so much! Its huge, I call it my beast! But the only problem is, the inside is falling apart! the visors keep falling off, I took it to the dealer and they said they couldnt fix them, that they were manufactured wrong.. Hopefully the 2005 is better.. But the drive is GREAT and so much fun! Overall, awesome car!

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  Great car, Worst Dealer - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By naidu - January 8 - 2:26 pm

  This is a wonderful car. I used it heavily(from Toronto to DC, NH to Detroit). No problems except brake maintainance. Dealership however SUCKS BIG TIME. Their service departments only goal is to mint money. They suggested all unnecessary maintenance and make you pay. For a beutifully working car, they proposed $1000 worth maintenance 2 years ago. I didnt do any of them and the car is still great! Now I use STS.

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  Nissan Delivers! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By JenniferR805 - January 8 - 11:46 am

  The sentra is like a MINI ALTIMA.. I just wish they had one with the intelli-key..I bought mine when they first hit the dealers...They only had one automatic to chose from...the rest were manual. So far...im impressed. the backseat is a bit smaller than my civic..my carseats are a bit more cramped. I love the Ipod integration. I added HID headlights and window tint

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  Faulty fuel sending unit - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By sem - January 7 - 9:00 pm

  Im very pleased with my 2006 Xterra. However Im not pleased with the cost of having to replace a faulty fuel sending unit which Nissan has not recalled on this year of Xterra but has recalled the older versions. I would think that if Nissan is receiving the same types of complaints regarding sending units that the least they could do would be to replace them.

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  Average van - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Frosty1 - January 7 - 8:43 pm

  Bought used in 06 with 18,000 miles. Liked looks compared to others in class. Problems have included broken rear wiper, door gaskets falling off, replaced rear lift gate motor. Tires were shot by 30,000. Replaced all 4 rotors, pads, and rear calipers. Extended warranty covered defective calipers, but brake job still cost $600. Have gone on a few road trips of more than 1000 miles and performance was O.K. Gas mileage on the highway is around 25 mpg with city near 20 mpg. Ride is a bit noisy at highway speed compared to an Odyssey or Sienna. I most likely would not buy another Quest. Honda or Toyota would be my first two choices.

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  Awesome Nissan - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By A.R. - January 7 - 8:13 pm

  I recently purchased a 2000 Nissan Maxima. I have no complaints. It handles nice and smooth. I have driven the vehicle cross-country and loved every minute. I would highly suggest purchasing a Maxima, any year.