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:

• 

  Just Another Vehicle - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By BH - August 12 - 4:23 am

  I have about 2700 miles on my Armada. The gas mileage (about 11.5 in town; about 14 on the hwy.) and the squeakes, especially from the drivers window, has made this vehicle a bad experience. I took it to my dealer for the window and was told they couldnt fix it and hoped that Nissan would come out with a bulletin on how to fix it. However, I do enjoy the room and comfort of the vehicle.

• 

  Awesome Z - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Rajan - August 12 - 3:36 am

  Dollar for dollar, its on heck of a package. The 6-speed is awesome and precise.

• 

  Buyers remorse - 2014 Nissan NV200
  By penguin10 - August 11 - 6:32 pm

  I purchased this van after a bit of research. Every car has a few people that cant be made happy. I now have 17000 miles and bald tires. I didnt think much of it until I tried to buy new ones. Nissan dealers have the only load rated tires in the required size and they are quite proud of them. I discussed changing wheel size with my service advisor and any modification would void my warranty. $100/month for tires. The interior heat and air are very weak. The engine performance seemed good enough at test drive, but try carrying a light load and it is painfully, if not dangerously slow.

• 

  Overall Good - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard - August 11 - 4:23 pm

  Lots of HP for the gross weight giving the vehicle a lot of pull. Has a good design interior with hooks and tie downs making it very versatile. Love the fold down front passenger seat, the second row has lots of leg room and head room (I am 62"). Very easy to remove the spare, has lots of room between the driver and passenger. Quality built molding, plastics and seat cloth will last. VDC allows it to perform and handle like it has a much lower center of gravity through twists and turns.

• 

  windshield wiper malfunction! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By concerned owner - August 11 - 7:30 am

  I have a 08 Nissan altima coupe - V6. My windshield wipers are giving me major problems. They will work and then all of a sudden will stop working. This is a safety concern since they will randomly stop working for about 3-4 minutes and then turn on again. It happened again just this past saturday when it was raining out and I was on the highway. They stopped working a total of 3 times in just a 40 minute drive. I could not see a thing and had to pull over. This has been an ongoing issue pretty much since I purchased the vehicle but been even more problematic these past months.

• 

  No more Fords.... - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Parisiv - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck....ended up tradeing an 02 Escape that had nothing but problems for this machine and Ive never felt more liberated!!!! Getting an awesome deal for fully loaded SE @ $22,500 also made it even more sweeter. Outstanding feel, fit, finish, and looks. Gas is another issue, but well worth it for the reliability. Would recommend to everyone to check it out.

• 

  Xterra Review - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By b. shrock - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Great performance off road for 4WD V-6 models. Good ride and comfort. Fuel economy could be better.

• 

  Driven into the Ground - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By 4 Sale Cheap - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Canteen 4x2 Xterra with all options (fosgate stereo rocks!) without thinking that i would want 4wd or Supercharged. Buyers remorse settled in. i an thinking about selling mine and trading up. I am 16, so trust me, the X has great handling. i would have rolled half the other SUVs already, and the turning radius is amazing.

• 

  My dream vehicle... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By flyingguy - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my 2003 Murano SL, spent the entire day driving. WOW! The steering is *very* solid, it has plenty of power, it handles great, and has FANTASTIC comfort. This vehicle completely satisfies my needs for having something stylish, peppy, and practical. The CVT makes acceleration so smooth. It is an absolute dream to drive!

• 

  Excellent - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By altima - August 11 - 1:23 am

  my experience with my vehicle is excellent i love the way is drives very smooth and i love the color