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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  It wont ever let you down - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By NissanFanatic - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Engine-wise, this car is exremely reliable. However, the rest of the vehicle is aging quickly. So far both sun visors have broken, the treble button on the radio comes off, and just recently one of the power window buttons broke. These are all minor things in my opinion, but they can become annoying. The paint quality also appears to be poor; its very easily scratched. Also, the seats are highly uncomfortable on long trips. As long as you can tolerate little problems like these and appreciate the reliability this car has to offer, then I would recommend this car to anyone starting off or on a budget.

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  Only the best SUV there is... - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By AJB - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Whats great about the Xterra are the different exterior colors that are offered... many other SUVs come in just the conventional/traditional/"boring" colors and it is a remarkable experience driving around my brand new Xterra - the car does not seem to blend in with all the rest of them on the road.

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  2002 Altima Review - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Aaron Batson - July 16 - 10:00 am

  The four cylinder model offers suprising power when coupled with the five speed transmission. The large windows offer great visability and ease of driving. Rear passenger accomodations are excellent and capable of supporting three adults comfortably. Fit and finish fpr this car are exemplary. Ergonomically the car is near perfect with a telescopic and tilt steering collumn. The stock audio selection is adequate and crisp. Over the road noise is minimal.

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  Great Car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By GG - July 16 - 6:50 am

  Normal maintenance even at 5,000 miles has resulted in a car that is running great at 80,000 miles. Great engine.

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  Love it! - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By offroads11 - July 16 - 4:27 am

  the 2011 Nissan Xterra S is our first Nissan. As far as brand we will never buy outside Nissan. The Xterra is a true SUV. Handles great off road and on long road trips. We love the outside design as well as the interior. For the price it is a great buy!!

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  touring vs. track - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By ricerocjoc - July 15 - 8:16 pm

  last year i bought a touring model, i then traded it in on a new track model. aside from the manual trans and the "dreaded" ground clearance...it is almost a perfect car to drive. tight, attractive, responsive and affordable.

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  Excellent SUV - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Shawn - July 15 - 6:40 am

  I have owned this xterra for a year now, and I must say it is absolutely wonderful! It has great power, handles excellent, it is very durable, and I have not had one problem with it. I must also say the sound system is excellent too! The gas mileage is not too bad for a suv, I get 22 mpg on the highway and around 18 mpg in city driving. As far as comfort it is good if you do not frequently drive long distances. It does well in the snow, and the heat is great, as well as the air conditioning is great too! Over all it is a excellent vehicle !

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  2006 1.8 S Sentra - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Jessy - July 15 - 4:06 am

  I love mine I have not had the first problem out of it. Its great on gas I drive probably 30 mins one way to get to work, I only have to fill up once a week. I love the sound system in it and I think it looks sporty. I got the special edition model.

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  funcar - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By burton - July 14 - 9:20 pm

  Very fun car to drive, turns alot of heads, seems very safe for a small sports car convertible. Very fast and handling is awesome in the mountains and with top down you cant beat it.

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  Cute, Fun to Drive, and good mpg. What more could a girl ask for... - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By wyok - July 14 - 8:51 pm

  I picked my JUKE up yesterday. I drove 350 miles to get the one I wanted. Returning home in my JUKE we encountered a blizzard. I am pleased to say my JUKE AWD performed well in the blizzardly conditions. in fact, it handled just as well as our Chevy Avalanche 4X4. I was concerned about how it would handle in high winds due to its light weight. My concerns were unfounded. I hardly noticed the wind.