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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  Crossover wins overall - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Snow Mo - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love this car. It goes well in the snow, the engine is smooth and powerful accross the powerband. The stereo is great, but all factory systems could be improved upon and no matter where I go someone always asks me about this car.

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  would i buy another nissan? - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By kcook - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Love the looks and performance from the 4 cyl. Car is a little larger than i like.It feels lite on its feet. The interior is nice but could use a little sprucing up. Alot of car for the money and gas mileage is pretty decent. It handles well for its size. When i bought it I compared it to the accord and camry. It had both beat in looks and performance. It just looked like a much more expensive car.

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  Compare apples to apples - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Mr. Outacontrol - March 5 - 2:00 am

  What most of the econosport reviews say about the spec-v is generally on target (among the fastest but not as refined)...BUT...what they gloss over is that they are comparing the spec-v to cars costing thousands more.(Mine cost $14,500). Yes, its a bit crude compared to a Mazdaspeed or Si, but compared cars with the same price such as a mid level corolla, mx3,or civic, the level of performance and FUN is outrageously better.

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  love it & hate it - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By love it & hate it - March 5 - 2:00 am

  saw it said "yuck", drove it said,"hum! took husband back that evening, he drove, said,"ok". Took it home. Talk of the town, lots of stares & inquiries. Unfortuneately, weve encountered several problems with 1 being a constant repeat problem...dome lights come on by themselves a lot!!! The dealer has had mine for 55 days! Tying to find out the problem. Told,5 differents reasons so far. My husband keeps asking"why did we trade in our OLDS. SILHOUTTE that had no problems?" I call it "MY THANG",its like a muscle- car-van-suv. Love the idea, hate the 1st year glitches.

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  Edmunds is wrong about the CVT - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By hts1190 - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Excellent total package, and the good thing is it doesnt look like all the other two-box SUVs. I dont know why Edmunds says the CVT saps power. This veh is very peppy; Car & Driver described the CVT as making the V-6 perform like a V-8 and I agree. Flawless fit & finish, everything works, handles well. In recent snows, AWD is seamless,ie, its there doing its intended thing without bringing attention to itself. No complaints at all.

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  Love Quest so much bought a 2nd one - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By Scooby Mom - March 5 - 1:43 am

  I initially purchased a 2004 Nissan Quest SE and I absolutely loved it (DVD player didnt hurt). My 17-year old son was involved in a bad accident in my 2004 Quest. He walked away without a scratch; the car suffered all the front end damage but my son had not one scratch. Unfortunately, my 2004 Quest had to be totalled because it absorbed all of the energy and the frame was crumpled behind the engine. Well - I had 2 days to shop for a vehicle and I kept coming back to the Quest. I bought the 2007 Nissan Quest 3.5S in chestnut brown - it is a beautiful car and my 8 yr-old twins love the car. I highly recommend the Quest.

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  The critics who know trucks love the Frontier - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By evaheidi@aol.com - March 4 - 2:13 pm

  A near perfect truck that LOOKS like a truck. Not trying to look like SUV or mini-van like most others. Its a reliable nice driving vehicle that I would definitely buy again. It does what it is designed to do and does it well.

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  2005 Roadster Touring - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By John Black - March 4 - 12:43 pm

  Great car. Only problem was motor on window failed at 18 months. Dealer fixed it under warranty. Love the convertible, sounds good w/ good acceleration. Easy to damage or scrape front end on curbs, etc. due to low front end. (Part of the appeal of this car, but something to be aware of). Aluminum hood can be damage easily just by leaning on it, or in my case damaged by hail. I understand it saves weight, but again, something to be aware of.

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  Great for now, but... - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By JJ san - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Ive done 70k miles in this car in under 2 years and I must say its been very reliable, no problems other than wear and tear stuff (beakes, etc). However, Ive noticed the engine has gotten a little noisier in the past few months, only to be told by nissan that its normal for a car with this mileage. Surely a car isnt over the hill at 75k!! Also, the handling has always been a little clumsy. I find the throttle unsresponsive and use the brakes a lot. Drove a rental Max SE (2002?) this week - thru the mountains of Oregon - and it was a joy to drive. Perhaps they worked out the bugs on my model...

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  Nothing better than a Maxima - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Indira - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 98 Maxima SE w/ leather and i must say this car drives like a champion.Its fast, smooth, sharp looking, and can carry a family of 5 rather comfortably. I love everything about it. You can bet that Ill be a Maxima owner for life!!