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 Grows On You - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By cappecan - March 7 - 4:19 pm

  I just recently purchased my Juke, and I must say it is quite a unique vehicle. The interior is very modern and 21st century, providing you with a space age feel. Seating is moderatly comfortable, however rear seating is a litte cramped as is head room. Some say the outside is hideous replicating a praying mantis or some sort of bug. This look is not for everyone, and its either a take it or leave it for most buyers. Driving it is a blast especially in sport mode. It has some pick up and go to it when you need, and the ECO mode when you want to be green. MPG is not what it should be, however you do have to remember this is an SUV.

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  very reliable - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By szefo - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Altima from a salvage auction. Everything was ok except for the engine. I replaced the engine from a year 2000 Altima. So far I havent had any major issues with the car, got it at 32k miles now it has 62k. I do oil changes every 3000 miles. It runs great and has a neat pickup as for a 4 cylinder engine. I put 17" rims on it and now it handles like BMW. The radio broke when I played self recorded CDs. I guess it was not designed for those. I would recomend it to anybody who wants low maintenance and reliability. This car might not be too luxurious but its main parts are well designed and should last many years.

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  Awesome Car!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By BooBoo - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I love my car. It has been nothing but dependable and reliable. And I love the way it looks. I am 19 years old and I had 3 cars before I bought my Sentra and all three of them were nothing but trouble. I had a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlas Ciera, a 1991 Chrysler Lebaron, and a 1995 Pontiac Sunfire. The Sunfire was the worst I had it for 6 months and put almost $1000 into fixing the problems that came up with it. I love my Sentra and I would recommend everyone to have a Nissan!!

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  2002 Maxima SE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By kycol4u - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Great overall car. Good performance and fun to drive....lots of room

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  Fun little car! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Cori - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I love my new car! I have had so much fun driving it around. I didnt get the sunroof or upgraded audio system, but the base model is great all in itself. Everyone I know who has driven it is amazed how great it drives for a little Sentra.

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  Murano is great - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By rick1 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  The styling is equal to any Ive seen on the streets. I find the transmission not power sapping as stated by the editor, a little slow to respond, maybe only 1 second but nothing that takes away from the fun of driving. Plenty of power when you need ot accelerate.

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Corona Ken - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Ive looked at the Boxster, Corvette, Z4 and S2000. The 350ZR is the best for the money. Lots of power from the V6 engine. Have gotten many headturns and a one finger salute from a jealous jerk, hell never have one. Made me smile.

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  Phenomenal Value!!! - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By jair151 - March 7 - 9:43 am

  Dont get me wrong, I love my German engineering (Porsche, audi, VW) but Nissan has always been my favorite brand. The two main reasons is you get great technology and performance for the price. I drive 45 mi. each way for work, I just sold my 2002 VW jetta TDI which was on its last leg and bought a new 2014 Altima. I LOVE THIS CAR! I literally put the cruise control on for the whole commute and I never hear or feel the engine struggle, I also consistently get 520 miles per tank, the ride is so smooth and with 8K miles on it now I have not had one issues. The only think I plan on doing to this car is adding anti-sway bars and lowering springs to fix the family car roll feel.

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  Highly Underated - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By E. Tillman - March 7 - 6:18 am

  This SUV/CAR is underrated by far!.........Great quiet smooth ride and engine is quite peppy enough......cruise control is so effortless I find myself using it all the time and then I feel like I am sitting on my sofa at home.......The visibility all the way round is great but especially up front----it makes you feel safe because you can see in every direction......radio and speakers are better than I first thought after playing with the controls just a little.......fun to drive and mileage so far is good after being checked with a calculator.....around 32 on the highway......and 26.9 in city.......I rigged up a couple cut 2 x 4s UNDER the removable floor sections in the rear to make it easier to carry heavier items in the back and still keep it clean.....I love the navigation system and the safety cameras on the side and back while using the back up camera.......SUV feel with car like drive......I can go to the supermarket for groceries or a long driving vacation or bird hunting in the field or church on Sunday...........I would call that versatile enough for a Texan........and the wife is happy also......First Nissan and I would highly recommend this to anyone.......I happened to be in a friends Altima a couple weeks before I purchased my Rogue and the ride is the same........Great SUV/CAR!...5 stars and the Midnight Jade--well I havent seen another one on the road.......making it feel like a custom ride.........

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  Cramp My Style - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By captain - March 7 - 2:00 am

  I like the overall vehicle. Its a very nice riding truck. All that have driven in it thinks it rides like a car and not a truck. It has a good style on the outside but lacking on the inside.