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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  Nissan Not So Happy - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By JMH - July 24 - 2:00 am

  While the car is stylish, the seating is not comfortable for long drives. The 4 cyl has plenty of power for highway passing, and keeping it in 3rd while city driving can be fun. The steering is not responsive, and gives the feeling that you may loose control in tight turns. I am unhappy with the fit and finish of the interior parts. The lack of a hood liner, trunk lid liner, and solid flooring in the trunk make for more road noise in the cabin. Back seat passengers have plenty of room even with the front seats moved back.

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  My First Car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By LeahElizabeth - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I love the Nissan. It makes me feel so safe because of its design (did you know its made from one piece of steel, not many fused together?), and I never have any problems. If it werent for this car, I wouldnt have been able to avoid a wreck with some stupid teenager. The price is so much lower than the worth, and the value stays high. I love my car, and I know anyone else who buys one will love it to! Also, although I bought the 2.5, I specialized it with everything the 3.5 has, and even wound up saving a little money!

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  my review - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By josher - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I luv this car!!!! its so much fun to drive.

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  My Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By mochell - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Found this car after searching SUVs for 2yrs. My husband was totally against them because of the Roll Over. Well the Murano proved to be a perfect car for both of us. The Ride is great & so quiet.The CVT is fantastic. We have grandchildren & they all love riding in this car. The Safety factor makes me feel very protected. I would recommend anyone to Test drive this car. We have the Navigation system & that is certainly woth the extra.This is a terrific car.

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  Discrepancies of the 04 Sentra SE-R - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Ephram - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I myself am a proud owner of a 2004 Nissan Sentra SE-R Auto. The car is unbelievably fast for my taste. Not knowing how to drive a manual didnt prevent my purchase from the Spec-V model but the auto version is much more at ease due to its convenience of gas and brake go. The interior design is useful, not too sporty yet not too dull either. Interior controls seem to be right or close to the right places for convenience. Rear-seat room could definitely have been improved. The only drawbacks I found w/this car was exterior front design, rear-seat room, and it being a four-door vehicle. Wouldve preferred the vehicle to be a coupe.

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  Great Looking Model - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By vaj deburgh - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Guys love it and the females do too. My friends want to hang out in my ride now.

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  my baby - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By woo944 - July 24 - 2:00 am

  its a nice car to drive,but the seat could be more comfortable and more acc. for the car

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  Great Truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By truckguy - July 24 - 12:10 am

  This truck has insane raw horsepower. It pulls my boat great, has plenty of leg room for kids/groceries. It looks great too. I have had issues with the clearcoat due to lovebugs (acidic bug in the southern US for yankee readers).

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  2006 LE CC 4X2 - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Terry - July 23 - 7:13 pm

  I absolutely love this truck! It took me a long time to decide on whether to buy a Titan due to the quality issues in the past. All issues have supposedly been fixed and I have had no problems. Ride and interior noise are similar to new F150s. Its rather odd to hear a throaty exhaust note coming from an import truck but it does not become annoying. Auto dual climate control is a nice option albeit a little confusing at first. The power folding mirrors are great for tight parking spots. Overall I am extremely please with the vehicle.

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  Perfection getting closer - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Lobo_0250 - July 23 - 5:40 am

  Riding an Altima far few mounths now, I just can say that Im always more interested in my car. The 250 HP seem to be righr to the wheels, like th full pedal is direct to performances. the only way that car could be optimized is by making the stering wheel a little stiffer. But my heart is giving a BIG 9.5/10.