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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  103k and going! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By karoline - December 27 - 6:06 am

  Weve put over 100k miles on our Quest and are still loving it! I am going to switch to Yokohama AVID TRZ tires rather than the OEM Goodyears for a better ride. Other than the recalls, we have had no problems other than a broken passenger armrest. I was leery of buying the first year of production - but glad to say I didnt need my 100k warranty!

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  Not Quite Good Enough - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By alko - December 26 - 8:10 pm

  This review is specifically for the 2x4 Crew Cab SE w/ 6-speed tranny. This truck looks nice and has nice features in and out and the interior controls and gauges are well thought out, but threr are a couple of things I dislike. The front suspension is so stiff that it does nothing to absorb the freeway bumps and constantly throws my body from side to side on uneven terrain such as dips and driveways. The tires take all the abuse bouncing over the bumps. Its almost unbearable. The other thing I dislike is the electronic throttle control which has a decceleration delay of about 1 second and makes smooth shifting very hard to master. I just dont understand the thinking behind this.

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  I love this car - 2012 Nissan Maxima
  By mseals528 - December 26 - 1:17 pm

  I have had this car for 4 weeks now, and all I can say is, this is a KILLER bargain for what you get. Dont be scared away by the sticker price on these cars, especially if you are leasing. These cards can be had for thousands off the sticker price which in turn makes them a fantastic deal. The sticker on my SV premium with mats, mud guards, and trunk organizer was $39,400. I got it for $7000 less! The amenties are second to none, heated seats, cooled driver seat, double moonroof, large color backup camera. The car has plenty of power and I am still getting 24MPG.

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  No regrets - 2009 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bill T - December 25 - 5:33 pm

  Purchased a few months ago and have no regrets. I think the look is great, Ive had no problems at all, the V6 has more than enough power, its fun to drive, and meets all my needs without having to spend extra for things I have no use for.

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  Two Questions on my Murano SL FWD - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By lishumit - December 25 - 10:00 am

  I have heard too many positve evaluations. However, I noticed that: (1) I have never got the 25MPG fuel economy on highway with a speed of 70MPH, only about 22MPG. (2) When I try to accelerate the car (not very sudden) at low speed (<20MPH) I find that the engines revolution has a slight shift down (i.e. from 1800rpm to 1500rpm), and then stay at that revolution with an increasing speed; on the contrary, when I try to slow down the car, at the speed of 15MPH I find that the revolution has another shift up (i.e. from 1100rpm to 1500rpm), and then goes back to 1100rpm with a decreasing speed. Anybody noticed the same phenomena? All comments are welcome.

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  Its a real truck! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jim Spears - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Have 12K miles on it and am totaly satisfied. Gas milage equals the Avalanche I traded in, (14 to 19 mpg) Great preformance. Using a spinner on the stering wheel improves quick response in backing up with tralier, parking, and getting on it once in a while. Roters on front warped and the dealer put new ones on and havent had a problem since. Will recomend it to anyone.

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  Driving the 2004 Nissan Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Jim Mallinger - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Driven from Nevada to California twice and it is a wonderful road car. Solid, Quiet and Powerful. Good on gas milage, better than expected. I would buy this car again.

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  Great Truck!! - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By kevin - December 25 - 9:26 am

  Very roomy inside, controls well laid out, seats very comfortable. Enough power to pull a house, puts my buddys Hemi Ram to shame. And the best part is that it is Made in the USA! Gets about the same gas mileage as the other full sized trucks (not too good) 13mpg around town 16 hwy.

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  Stylish Ride, Good Gas Mileage - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Don - December 25 - 5:43 am

  Theres at least three 2.5S on our block, and more in the neighborhood. Nissan must be doing something right with this car. We love the gas mileage and style. This is our second Nissan, the last a 1989 Maxima. They still havent learned anything about lower back support. Long drives can be painful. Otherwise, my main complaint is the transmission. It seems like the engine is missing, particularly when going up a hill. Ive had it in to the dealer twice, and they can find nothing wrong with the engine, so, I have to feel as if it is the transmission. Recently, Nissan sent me a letter extending the warranty on the transmission. So there just might be something there.

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  Look at as many reviews as possible - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Justin - December 25 - 5:13 am

  As another so perfectly wrote, there is good reason why this car sells so cheap. Mine came off the lot, complete with warped front disks and lightbulbs falling from underneath the dash. How does a car come from the factory with warped rotors? More recently, Ive waited a month and a half for a broken shock to be replaced, which has been just enough time for the rear defroster to stop working and the serpentine belt to start squealing (I hope thats all it is) Be wise, dont fall for all the extras and low price. Its truly not worth the poor components, build quality, and service from Nissan. Pay the extra several thousand for a toyota or honda, you wont regret it!