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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  2001 altima OK - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By MAZZ - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE HAD MINE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION. STABILIZAR BAR AND BUSHINGS SEEM TO BE WEAK ON THIS CAR. OTHER THAN THAT, ITS FUN TO DRIVE AND PRETTY QUICK OFF THE LINE. TOP CHOICE FOR ANY DRIVER. PRICE WAS RIGHT ON TOO.

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  Best Mid-Size Sedan for under $25K - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By mirth review - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Compared to the other competitors in the mid-size sedans under $25K category, Maxima provides the best combination of performance, reliability, luxury, and convenience. I researched this against all its competitors: 1. Camry/Accord/Taurus - way too boring 2. Passat - nice, but the engine is anemic. 3. Impala - questionable styling 4. Intrepid/Concorde - too boaty, reliability questions 5. Grand Prix - dont care for Pontiacs styling inside or out

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  ok - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By bobjohn - October 16 - 10:00 am

  i have had a couple problems with mine there are ok trucks but could use a little work

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  I LOVE this car! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Cindy315 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Rides nice, and handles exceptionally well...and it looks good too!

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  Smooth - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By R. Grantham - October 16 - 9:44 am

  Love this little car. Back seats have plenty of leg room. Engine runs so smooth you will love just trying to listen to it.

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  murano from nj - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By scott wall - October 16 - 8:50 am

  I have had the murano for approximately 5 months. I really love it! It handles very well in bad weather. I get many compliments from it. Its also a very smooth comfortable ride.

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  Awesome Truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By TitanThunder - October 16 - 2:46 am

  Former Tundra owner here and happy to be so. The Titan is simply an awesome vehicle performance wise & fun wise. Its also twice the vehicle that my troublesome Tundra ever was. I have 3200 miles on my new Titan with 2500 of those coming over the holiday on a family trip last week. I purchased the LE & it has surpassed expectations. We had a trouble free, comfortable trip in the Titan & our three Toddlers fit easily & comfortably in the back seat with not one complaint about comfort the entire time. The Titan has endless power, a luxury car-like ride & little wind noise. Thats saying a lot, since we drove into some winds that exceeded 30mph on our trip. The Titan is just a fantastic truck!

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  A Rocket Ship - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By Jim Drummond - October 16 - 2:07 am

  Very powerful with the V6. Unlike some others I only get 23-24 in town and 29-30 on the highway but still that is good for a V6. Power is terrific. Passes with ease and no hesitation from the CVT. The sun visors are a bit small and do not really block the sun very well on the drivers side. This engine is supposed to be one of the best. I sure hope so and also hope the CVT holds up long term. Time will tell.

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  One of the last real SUVs - 2009 Nissan Xterra
  By MissouriX - October 16 - 1:33 am

  The Nissan Xterra is one of the last real SUVs, that is capable of being a daily driver AND going off road on the weekends (try that with a Hyundai Santa Fe or Toyota Rav4). Ride is definitely truck-like (and should be, since its based on a truck platform), but still gives a quiet and smooth ride on the interstate. The Technology package is awesome, and the Bluetooth and Rockford Fosgate system are great options. I love my X. Its equally suited to long road-trips and deep woods excursions. I wouldnt want anything else.

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  lots of problems - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By paul - October 15 - 11:33 am

  Mostly cosmetic problems, lots of plastic falling off the car, but the doors and the transmission have needed work more often than they should in a 1 year old car. Mechanically, it needs a lot of work.