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 Altima - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By merimac - November 23 - 2:00 am

  We have only had our Altima for a week but we love it. Great handling and cornering and terrific acceleration for a four. The engineering of the car is outstanding. We felt the Altima had a sporty feel to it that was lacking in the Camry and Accord. We traded in a VW Passat which also had great handling but poor reliability.

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  Great Vehicle!!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By J Morales - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Great Performance!!! Particularly on damaged roads. The 18" wheels provide for an excelent size tire (A lot of rubber :))

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  President - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By carrera - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Obsolute great car, fun to drive, excellent room, great bose system, and the continuos variable transmission us a blast, love the AWD with the switch to engage and dissangage i have had owned over 40 cars, my 40 years in this earth, and find this vehicule a fantastic machine.

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  Best all around package - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By NickRich - November 23 - 2:00 am

  The perfect car or truck does not exist. However, the new Titan is a close as you can come to this elusive state in a truck. Loaded with Navi, DVD and anything elese money could buy, my truck was expensive, but I love it. Coming from a Tundra and after testing the new F150 and Dodge 1500 Hemi, there is no denying the faxt that this truck is so much more refined in the ride, quiet in the cabin, loaded with features and roomy (!). Go check it out for yourself if you dont believe me.

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  Nothing fancy but gets the job done - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By Mark morrison - November 22 - 10:26 pm

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  Ill miss my Max.... - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Tekmax - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I cant keep a car longer than 3 years, but my Maxima is a fabulous car and I want to keep driving it! I was impressed with the sporty handling. The trunk space is great, the legroom in the back fabulous and engine, once its in the powerband, pulls nicely. I do wish it had more torque at the low end..... The tailights are ugly. Wish the doors would automatically lock, when the vehicle starts moving. I was hit and put into a spin at 60 MPH. All I could think, was 1) Im going to die 2) Wow, this things even smooth in a spin 3) "Enjoy the ride!" Best car Ive ever owned in 25 years of driving...

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  Early Mid-Life Crisis Revenge - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Don D. - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I have found the 2002 Altima to satisfy that craving to have a sporty car with zip while realizing I have to have room for my wife and son. Even the 4 cylinder is quiet yet responsive. Interior offers plenty of space and good trunk space as well. Nissans strong performance history and fully adjustable "race-car" driving compartment was also a selling factor for me. But truthfully, the primary feature which drew me to the Atima was the beautiful exterior, crowned by the jeweled rear lights which are classy and reflective of a generation gone by.

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  Hotshot Altima 3.5SE - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By ash - November 22 - 1:56 am

  Great car to own and drive. Its fast,quiet,smooth amd sexy looking!CVT gives it a smooth takeoff and it just keeps going! Interior is well built,however, there seems to a rattle noise fron the rr speaker mounting panel on rough roads.It is annoying and 3 Nissan dealers failed to fix it.I have learned to listen to loud music when driving on rough roads! Unlike the previous model of nissan Altima(2002-2006), the steering turning angle is great and the tires easily last for 35k miles. Maintenance cost is very reasonable and so far had very little warranty work done. Definitely a car to be proud of.Go buy one and see for yourself!

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  Perfect Family Sedan/Comuter - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By nissanowner7 - November 21 - 11:28 pm

  I recently purchased the 2014 Altima 2.5 SV. After test driving the 4 cylinder models of the Camry, Accord, Mazda 6, and Hyundai Sonata, I felt very please with what the new Altima delivered. I am averaging about 31 MGP - Highway and City combined! The materials inside have a nice look, comparable and maybe even nicer than both the Accord and Camry models. I paid 20,500 for my car after a 5K discount from the dealer. The ride is very quite, smooth, and comfortable. I really dont find the CVT transmission noisy as some people say it is, but the shifting makes the ride even more comfortable. Now even the 2014 Accord offers the CVT transmission because it provides a better ride.

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  Great value - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Andy - November 21 - 7:26 pm

  I bought mine used off of a corporate lease w/ 40k mi. Just clicked over 100k. The brake pads were replaced at ~65k, and it now needs new struts. If youre looking used, look for the 3.5L V6 and the 17" factory wheels. The 2.5L has good performance and fuel economy, but the 3.5 is a much better design and build quality. Fuel mileage is only 1-2mpg down from the 4 cyl. 17" wheels have larger brake pads that handle heat better and dont warp. Only downside is pricey tires. Still looks sharp and rides great, and I can tow a small trailer (PWC, and a flatbed for motorcycles/ Home Depot trips) with no problems. Much better than the Accord I traded in in every way... havent looked back!