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:

• 

  WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CAR AT A GREAT PRICE!!! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Bpool421 - June 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the best sedan on the market right now, and has been the best sedan on the market for the last three or four years. The engine, drivetrain, and suspension make this the easiest and most painless buy in the automotive world. I would pay even more than I actually did for a Maxima.

• 

  Rock solid - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By its_all_good - June 4 - 10:00 am

  This truck is rock solid. Ive owned it a year and a half with no problems. Its fun to drive and I get compliments on it almost every day. Nissan has everything Toyota offers for alot less money!

• 

  great truck, much better than its review - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By jaron - June 4 - 10:00 am

  despite lackluster magazine reviews, I have a fleet of these trucks (they seemed the best value for the money, and unlike the Toyotas, can be had for around $4000LESS than MSRP) and am thoroughly impressed. Ill purchase another fleet of the same truck in three years.

• 

  Lots of Warranty Work, but still fun - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By scottn - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I have had my truck in the shop several times since I bought it in October. Bad rotors, faulty computer, popping noise in front end, and this week - bad window motor. The good news - I dont have a single complaint for the service department. They are quick and friendly. Those are, for the most part, minor problems covered by warranty. I still love the truck and after 10,500 miles in 8 months, its still fun to drive.

• 

  My Review - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By PSK - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I got my 2002 Altima because my 2000 Altima was a lemon. The Dealership was great in working to buy back my car. The 2002 overall is just fair. I have an annoying rattling sound coming from dome light that I have to take back to the dealershio again (second time) to fix. The design of the exterior is beautiful. Renault (parent company) is showing its crappy history of not paying attention to build quality & detail.

• 

  Best in Show! - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Jimmy D - June 4 - 2:20 am

  There is no perfect small suv/crossover. The Rogue holds less cargo than a Forester,has one row of seats less than a Rav4,lacks the visibility of a CRV. However, it is perfect for me. The fit & finish is great, as is the engine. It has 5star crash rating and beats Ford with a stronger roof. In many ways this car is very basic- no leather,compass, or elec.locks. But it has such personality! It has a nice rear,each color pops and looks silky (even those orange ones). The CVT works well and the mini computer helps as well. I had owned a Chrysler product & went back to shop- Patriot, Compass, Liberty are all inferior products as is the Escape,Impreza,& 09Equinox.

• 

  Great Car! - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By TurboPenguin - June 3 - 9:43 pm

  replaced my 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue! Thank goodness! I am extremely impressed! The inside is wonderful but could definitely have more leg room. The Tilt on the steering wheel makes it hard to see everything. Mechanics are great! Shifts perfect revs high and im getting 27MPG with a mix of Freeway and City! Best car for its size!!

• 

  great buy - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By iron017 - June 3 - 5:43 pm

  Had the car for almost 3 years now. No problems (knock on wood). hauls great and good room for loading things which I wouldnt expect would fit in it!

• 

  Yup. Its That Good. - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Steve T. - June 3 - 12:13 pm

  Weve had our hybrid for about a month now. It is a very well-designed, comfortable car. We get exactly the EPA estimates on the freeway (36 MPG) but around town were only in the low 30s. The dealer tells us this will get better as the engine breaks in (we HAVE noticed a slight increase). We have the full package with nav, XM, and all the right stuff. The owners manuals stack up to over an inch thick (not exaggerating). Lots of things to play with! Everything is designed with typical Japanese attention to detail. Im 61" and fit in both front and back seats with no problems at all. The new body is very rigid and quiet, and attracts a lot of looks from other drivers.

• 

  How do I hate thee, let me count the ways. - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By 6twentysix - June 3 - 11:48 am

  I was super excited about this pre-owned car, I bought it around 50K and I bought the extended warranty. HOLY CRAP, Im glad I did. Here is a list of things that were fixed. Catastrophic Failures (covered by Warranty) Drive box - wouldnt go in reverse (Out 2 weeks) Transmission was rebuilt when the chain kept leaking which I guess is a common problem. (Out 1 week) Minor but extremely annoying: Door Actuator on the Drivers handle Windshield Wipers (twice fixed) CV Joint passenger side Struts after only 60K And a bunch of other crap I cant remember... Nissan fixed things, but as soon as the warranty ended, I sold this bad car. Now its another Nissan dealerships problem.