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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  Murano is a great crossover! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By George in Oregon - February 28 - 5:23 am

  Weve had our Murano for about a month. Its proven to be reliable, offers very good handling, is quite striking in appearance, and has unsurpassed quality. The keyless ignition took some getting used to! I havent quite figured out how to optimize the CVT. Im not too sure how far to step on the gas, and how the CVT "downshifts." Other than this, it is a great vehicle. I strongly endorse this vehicle!

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  Maxima SE. Just give me an antenna - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Hudson - February 28 - 5:00 am

  I bought this Maxima in 2002 and have put almost 40,000 miles on it. Its total miles are now 69,000. It is time for some break and rotor work, but I have had no major issues other then a faulty air intake temperature sensor and an airbag code which was $75 to reset. The airbag code was caused by me taking the seats out to install a new stereo. If you unbolt the front seats do not unhook the wiring harnesses.

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  A Tremendous Value! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By PozzyMoto - February 27 - 3:13 am

  I love my Altima. I have the luxury of a high priced designer vehicle without the dent in my wallet. I didnt realize that 4 cylanders had such great pickup. Its a pretty car, its a peppy car, its a reliable car. Why spen more?

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  THE QUEST FOR A SATISFIED OWNER - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By QUEST SE - February 27 - 2:00 am

  SETTING ASIDE THE NAME NISSAN QUEST...THIS VAN CAN MOVE AND PERFORMS VERY WELL IN ACCELARTING AND MANEUVERING HOWEVER IM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE SUSPENSION. THE VAN RATTLES TO MUCH AND BECOMES ANNOYING WHEN DRIVING. ON THE HIGHWAYS AND SMOOTH SURFACES I GIVE IT THUMBS UP ....BUT STAY AWAY FROM LOCAL STREETS WITH POT HOLES AND UNEVEN SURFACES.

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  I Love It!!!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By plucas - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my car for 2 years now and it has been nothing but a dream. The only repair that has been done to the car was a hose that caused leakage but thats it. The car handles well, picks up speed fairly well, could be better. The car looks great inside and out, much better than other compacts! My only complaint would be that the drivers seat doesnt go back far enough. Im a tall guy (62) and driving long distances can be a nuisance but for the price i dont think you can beat the value of this car. Oh, get the upgrade for the stereo that comes with the subwoofer....its worth the money!!!

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  Dont rush buying a Nissan at the Avenue - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Zabonk! - February 27 - 2:00 am

  The car looks nice. After a year the engine had to be repaired for a recall and it still rattles and using oil. The car is very noisy and rides like a buck board. Motor is slow pick up. The dealership was not up front when we bought the car. We had no vehicle and should not have rushed in buying the Nissan, usually buy Fords. We are very dissappointed in the car and very, very disappointed in the dealership in not keeping their promises. We will go back to Fords.

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  Perfect - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By srt - February 27 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for 14 months and am extremely happy with it. It is a typical Nissan - powerful, stylish, and reliable. Fuel economy varies widely depending on how you drive it. I got 24.5 mpg on a 450 mile trip in the mtns and 32 coming back from the ski slopes one day. However, if you drive it hard, you get much less than the 20-24 advertised. The Bose is fantastic and it has a ridiculously large amount of of room in it for 4 adults. The CVT is so smooth that it makes it feel like a luxury car.

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  MURANO SL - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By JOE BACO - February 27 - 2:00 am

  WAITED UNTIL AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AFTER INTRODUCTION BEFORE BUYING. RIDE IS STIFF AND TIRES TOO HARD AT RECOMMENDED PRESSURE OF 32PSI. EVEN AT 30PSI. IT IS TAKING TOO LONG FOR THE SUSPENSION TO GET SORT OF COMFORTABLE. THE CVT IS OK UNLESS YOU ARE A RACE DRIVER AT THE RED LIGHT. RESPONSIVE ENGINE. EXELLENT NIGHT VISION. I DO NOT NEED A SPORTS CAR NOW.

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  I love this truck! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By adamg - February 27 - 2:00 am

  "Drivers start your engines!!!" There was a moment right after I turned the ignition that I thought I was in a NASCAR. The deep throaty engine responds on every touch of the throttle, letting you know there are 305 Horses under the hood just dying to be let go. None of the Big 3 compare overall, though they each have there bright spots. The LE has more standard options than the F150, and is 4 to 5K cheaper. I could go on and on, but in short, go drive one, in fact do what I did, pick a dealer that has Nissans and Fords together or Chevys and drive each back to back. Youll soon be driving a Titan, and be the envy of the neighborhood."

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  goes like hell, feels like heaven - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Harry P. - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Just go for a test drive, you will be hooked. If you dont love this car, Its you. This is so much fun to drive.