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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  Best All around SUV. - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By DJMacro - August 27 - 5:36 am

  Great in the snow and in the mountains. The gas mileage isnt the best but its a great car for any outdoor enthusiast and its still a great daily driver. It can handle any terrain you put in front of it and you can still get leather, a great stereo and comfortable ride even for long trips.

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  Nissan Titan 2004 - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By KenB12345 - August 27 - 4:53 am

  Plenty of smooth power. Poor stereo reception (dealer replaced entire stereo to fix), otherwise excellent vehicle.

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  Murano Highs and Lows - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Big Blue - August 27 - 2:50 am

  Great styling and general performance. Gas mileage is much less than similar cars of this size that I have owned. The car is solid, but any packages that I place in the car rattle like crazy. This is the only car where I have experienced this phenomenon. It detracts immensely from the overall driving experience. Is there that much difference in the ride of an SL versus my SE?

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  Good car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Flex - August 27 - 12:40 am

  I like almost everything about this car. I own Versa for 9 months and I didnt have any problem. I get 34 mpg highway and 30 city.

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  Luxury Features - Fits in MY Garage - 1999 Nissan Quest
  By Steve Conslaw - August 26 - 5:16 pm

  I bought my 99 Quest GLE used in 2002. It was significantly cheaper than comparable used Hondas, Toyotas & Dodges. On the other hand, it had more luxury features. More to the point, it fits in MY Garage. Its about 6 inches shorter than current Odysseys & Siennas & Grand Caravans. That means I can squeeze it in the garage behind the lawnmower and bicycles. It still has three usable rows of seats. Great on vacations. The 1999 model had a TV/VCR standard - the kids love it. Surprisingly, the TV reception isnt bad. I had a 1998 Mercury Villager. The 1999 model is much better with side doors on both sides,6 extra inches of room, and the 15 horsepower boost makes performance just fine.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Armada fan - August 26 - 4:43 pm

  By far the best full size SUV in its class. I compared it with the Expedition, Tahoe, and Sequoia. The Armada won hands down on power, performance, ride, looks, and interior.

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  A great mini-van with style - 2008 Nissan Quest
  By Jade1023 - August 26 - 3:33 pm

  Having had 3 previous Town & Country vans, we had had enough of the maintenance/repair issues. We also were looking for more exterior style. We bought this van and promptly took a very long vacation. The performance of this van was far superior to our previous vans. We are sold on this van.

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  endless warranty work - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By macrayz - August 26 - 7:16 am

  I have had over half a dozen warranty jobs done on this car in its short lifespan. This includes a complete transmission that was grinding gears. The interior is full of cheep plastic. Insurance rates are rediculous for the car as well. I average 15.2 mpg.

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  WOW !! - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By rick - August 26 - 7:06 am

  I was on my way to test drive an Accord v-6, when my wife told me to take a look at the Maxima. What a tremendous car. I was able lease the Maxima for a lower payment than the Accord and it is way more car for the money. I hate when she is right!

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  Versas ROCK!! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Jennifer Webb - August 26 - 12:10 am

  I have driven many, many vehicles. The Versa is a perfectly balanced car. You get a lot of bang for your buck, plus my family of four fits comfortably. The styling is cute, particularly with the rear spoiler (hatchback). Gas mileage is great. I was driving a Jeep Cherokee and that thing was killing my wallet. The Versa also sits so that I dont feel too low to the pavement. There is great visibility. Even though from the outside it looks small, it doesnt feel small on the inside. The body lines are like the Quest minivan, but Im too cool to drive one of those. :) There are two other people in my family that have Versas and I think that everyone should. You should test drive today!