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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  ALTIMA NISSAN: excellent car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Ruth - November 3 - 1:50 am

  Found a little skid in the front tires on wet uphill surfaces. Otherwise, a perfect car; never ever a mechanical problem. Not once. A fantastic machine.

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  I love this truck! - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By clconner - November 2 - 9:39 pm

  I owned a Tacoma TRD crew cab and while I enjoyed the truck, I didnt enjoy paying for it. A few years later, I find myself in the market for another vehicle, so I gave the 2014 Frontier SV 4x4 a try... and its every bit as great as the Tacoma, minus the sticker shock. It handles great, rides smooth (takes potholes in Northern Virginia like a champ), has a lot of get-up-and-go, and the interior is even more comfortable than my Tacoma was. Im looking forward to owning this truck for many, many years.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By redred - November 2 - 7:43 pm

  I kept reading these reviews about the Rogue and I decided to test drive one. I loved it the minute I got behind the wheel. It drives great and its very comfortable. The CRT engine noise takes some getting used too. But, overall Im very happy with my purchase.

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  My Experience - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Hortense Bruno - November 2 - 6:50 pm

  I purchased this car in May and the day I pulled off the lot, I knew I made the right choice. The Altima is a sleek care with a smooth ride. It is dressing, sporty and racy all in one. So far, very dependable and not too bad on gas considering the hike in gas prices back in April/May. I love my Altima. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new car. It is definitely New and Improved..I like it better than the Maxima. Thank you Nissan........Satisfied Customer!

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  Great SUV - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By moose72690 - November 1 - 1:48 pm

  Great SUV!!! I have the 2011 Xterra S Black. I put a NISMO cold air intake on it and it sounds fantastic! It feels safe with all the features and how high you sit up. The only complaint is that it gets 19mpg at best and there is no AUX port????

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  Manufacture Support lacking - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Jab - November 1 - 9:40 am

  I have mixed feeling about my Titan ownership experience. I have had 3 batteries replaced in a truck with only 63k on it. I was working with Alice from Nissan and she advised no help would be provided even though the last battery was purchased about 2 years ago. Nissan will prorate however at the cost of $80. They take the position this is normal and haven’t identified anything wrong with it. The take away is the lack of support from the manufacture, so keep this in mind when making your purchase.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By tipser - October 31 - 8:42 pm

  I have owned 8 performance oriented cars including a 350+ hp WRX. This blows it away and blows most performance sedans away. The naysayers will say that is impossible since it is front wheel drive. Nonsense, drive one and see. The comfort, torque, reliability, and design is fantastic. I added some performance bits on it but left the engine and exhaust as is, why change something that works so well.

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  Z Personal Experience - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Ramon Martinez - October 31 - 6:03 pm

  In my research for sport performance cars back in 2004 the 350Z came out to be my best option over the Mazda RX-8, Mustang GT, Chrysler Crossfire and Honda S2000. The V6 engine with 274 lb- ft of torque and 287 Hp offers around 22 to 23 average mpg which is great for a sport car. Plenty of torque and interior space over Honda S2000. Interior plastic trim tolerances far better over the Mustang GT 2004 model. Interior design is comfortable for adult drivers up to 6 ft tall. The touring model with automatic transmission and traction control is excellent for everyday driving and leverages shifting fun vs. ease of driving.

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  350Z Review after 25,000 miles - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By 350Z Review 12/04 - October 31 - 5:10 pm

  I have owned my 350Z for almost 2 years and drive it on 1-5 hour trips and around town. It is fast and reliable and has never been in the shop except for 1 tire recall (I got 2 new tires after 18,000 miles) and normal maintenance. The Z is fun to drive - the 6 speed makes the experience better. The ride is acceptable for a sports car, the interior is plain, however the outside is still fashionable and the 3.5 L engine is the best. I miss a back seat, but for the price, you get a lot for your money. I call it my poor mans Porsche - I tell my Porsche owner friends that I can buy 2 Zs for the price of 1 Porsche and enjoy it more. You cant go wrong with the price, power, and look.

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  Its Been A Great Car So Far! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By rhcpgirlaji - October 31 - 9:03 am

  The only major thing Id change would be that I would have gotten the 6-speed manual rather than the 5-speed automatic, but that wasnt my choice. Of course, there are some minor annoyances, but overall its a fantastically fun, yet practical, sedan to own.