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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  Greeeeeat Pickup - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By jack - May 19 - 3:06 pm

  I have had my Titan for over two years with little or no problems. It looks great, runs great, fun to drive and has all the creature comforts. Has great power on and off road, mileage varies according to pedal pressure :o) but if I use cruise it is decent on highway. I have gotten over 20 on one trip, I attribute that to the bed cap, using synthetic oil. It tows great. It is a terrific truck

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  Unique and Capable - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By nicholasr - May 19 - 8:00 am

  I recently traded my 2004 Jeep Liberty in for a silver SV AWD Juke. After 300 miles or so, initial impressions are that the Juke is fun to drive, very capable on icy roads and seems bigger on the inside than it actually is. The ride is smooth for a small car and road noise is minimal. I seem to be averaging 23 mpg right now while using AWD-V most of the time.

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  Awesome - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Steve - May 19 - 7:33 am

  My last truck was a 94 dodge ram 1500, this thing so rocks compared to my old dodge, I cant believe I have waited so long to get a new truck. Acceleration past 60 is very good. I opened it up on the highway and was at 100 with out even straining the engine. Feels like it was made for me. What more can I say. I have no complaints, rides and drives great. Fuel consumption is not so good, but hey, its a truck...

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  05 Titan - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Jd9281 - May 18 - 10:30 pm

  Drove Chevy trucks for over 20 years; they cant match this for cost/benefit. If Nissan built these in quantity, theyd sell better than Toyota and ALL domestic manufacturers (similar features at $1,000s less). Better tow rating than Chevy or Dodge, better mileage, very comfortable, all controls within reach of the driver. Absolutely love it.

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  Just reach 160K Running great - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Juve - May 18 - 12:07 pm

  i had gotten car at 35k in 08, havent given me any issues since then. just a week ago reaching 160 replaced all shock and shruts since mine was worn out. Also had water pump replaced with spark plugs. besides those major stuff, car has been performing great and still gives great mileage. havent had transmission or timing chain issue. i fell this car can go another 100k easily. cant complain on this car, if very spacious inside and a good size trunk. i prefer this over the recent altimas out

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  jimbokoe - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Jim Koehler - May 17 - 8:43 pm

  Write down every option you want on your car,it is easy to forget items like home link mirror, rear bumper protector,etc,this will cost you later. This is a great car for the price,I am happy of my choice

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  Great Family SUV - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Dallas - May 17 - 6:03 pm

  We purchased our Armada for traveling long distances and off-road. ItÂ’s been one of the best and most comfortable vehicles I have ever owned. We travel from ATL to Denver about 3 times a year and from ATL to Houston TX about 2 times a year and I have had no problems, except for the radio went out at 18K miles. No problems to speak of since. Off-road this is a larger and it has never been stuck. I am one that wants to use the 4X4 aspect of this vehicle so do not think it has not been put to the test. The only thing I would change is the fact the paint gets scratched when rubbing against trees. All in all I think this vehicle suits our family needs to a tee.

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  2009 Maxima SV Premium PKG NAV - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By KVH - May 17 - 4:03 pm

  We purchased this 2009 Maxima SV on 8-1- 2008 with Premium PKG, Navigation every option available Winter Frost, double sunroof. This is the best driving and handling car we have owned. It will get 27 MPG avg mostly interstate driving at 75 mph. We get lots of compliments about the looks. We have not had a problem at all. A lot of equipment for the money. Very satisfied.

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  Excellent economy car!! - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By 1973vw - May 17 - 4:27 am

  Where to begin with the Versa. For $10,990 its one of the best values Ive ever seen. The interior is exceptionally roomy for a small car. Honestly it has as much room as a full size car. The trunk is huge! It has decent power for climbing and accelerating but gets well over 50mpg on the highway. Good quality all around. Awesome car. Buying one was the best decision Ive made in a while.

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  Good but with its faults - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Ivan - May 17 - 3:50 am

  The interior is cheap and pretty ugly. The turning radius is worse than a Ford Explorer. The cabin pressure is set up so that with the front two windows down theres alot of wind and pressure (compared to my 96 Maxima) but ok with all four windows down. The steering wheel is off to the left a bit and my seat seems to be facing slightly to the left, either way its not straightforward and it makes driving a bit uncomfortable. That last part is my real pet peeve. The circular dashboard is annoying too. Basically the whole interior stinks but Ive had it since 52,000 miles (67 now) and no major repairs needed so far, its pretty fast, handles well (except for u-turns) and ok to look at.