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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  Best for the Price - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By mathews - December 24 - 11:10 pm

  I bought my 08 Rogue in Sep 2008. After 1 1/2 yrs still I love the performance of my SL AWD. In this years worst winter in Philly my Rogue was running smooth without any traction problems. Never got stuck in ice. Never felt like driving in Ice. Fuel economy is incredible while driving long routes.I have been getting 27 hwy and around 23 in city. Plenty of room and comfortable seating providing a great ride on long trips. Also a great design giving a real sporty look . Over all Nissan Rogue is the " Best car for less price".

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  MM - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Mev - December 23 - 10:33 pm

  After 1 year the headlight has to be replaced. Now I hear strange rubbing sound in the front - Probably bearing. Not to recommend.

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  Great car for what it is - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By Sentra owner - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Good mileage, good ride, great turning radius, and comfortable. Weve enjoyed it thoroughly. But it isnt perfect...

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  Review of 1999 Maxima - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By John E. Booker - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Experience wonderful. Gutsy 5 speed with lot of torque. Extremely confortable on long trips and drives like a dream. Car is very roomy and controls are well laid out and gages are easy to read.

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  Why did they depart from this design? - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Serj - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Ive put over 10k miles on this car since april, and there is only one thing this car is short on; rear headroom. The engine is velvet-smooth and OMG fast. Interior is of VERY high quality & styling on the outside gets respectful glaces everywhere. Niceities include titanium package rims and stainless kickpanels. Wonderful to drive on twisties. Fuel econo is decent at 80, but keep it under 70, and youll see MPG numbers around 28! Steering is heavy but responsive, and doesnt lighten until about 110mph. the BOSE stereo lacks tuning features that ive seen in much less expensive setups.

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  Feels more than entry level - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Michael - December 22 - 9:50 pm

  The car drives great. I was concerned when reading reviews after hearing that the car was uncomfortable to ride in, and that there was more noise than other cars, but when I test drove, I did not notice any of these. The car is as smooth as any I have ever been in, and road noise is no higher than any car I test drove, including the Civic. It handles a bit better than the Civic and other cars I tried as well. Where it really shines, then, is the feature set. No other entry level car I looked could match the Sentra. I got an auxiliary jack for my iPod, steering wheel audio controls, and a bluetooth phone system. Not even the Civic could match that.

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  I really like Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By JT3 - December 22 - 4:10 am

  I just upgraded to a Nissan Maxima. I loved my Altima, but it was time to upsize in quality.

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  I love my 09 Nissan Altima - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By sgtkeebler - December 22 - 3:22 am

  very fun to drive around in, and my comfort level in this car is excellent!!! I added on 20% window tint and all the girls turn their heads to look at me. What can I say this car just feels right for me. My last car didnt feel right at all. The engine is very quiet, and it is a undercover powerhouse best 4cly engine I have ever had, even comes with dual exhaust. I dont understand all these bad reviews because I absolutely love the car and have had zero problems since I bought it (not to mention it was a rental before I got it). I got it at 33,668 miles for 14,147$$. I love this car if you are considering purchasing this car I would say this would be the most efficient car you can get.

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  Educate yourself 05-08 Pathfinder Radiator issues - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By nwfinder - December 21 - 2:12 pm

  The radiators in these have a major defect that destroys the transmission, torque converter and computer that controls both. If not caught before the 80,000 mile warranty will be extremely expensive to repair!!!! We own a 2007 and havent had the issue yet and hopefully wont. Its been recommended on numerous sites to have the cooler lines that go between the radiator and transmission by-passed to a separate transmission oil cooler that can be installed fairly cheaply by any transmission shop. Anyone who has a Pathfinder and has already Passed 80,000 miles and hasnt had a transmission failure should do it immediately!!!

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  So far, so good - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Leslee in Tucson - December 21 - 10:00 am

  Its been a little over 2 years since I purchased Blondie ( named for the "blond" leather interior). No major problems to deal with, so far, so good. I do mixed freeway/city driving. In Tucsons heat, using the A/C which works great here in AZ by the way, I get 31 mpg. In our milder winters, Ive been getting 34 mpg. The mpg are a slight disappointment but still better than 14 yr old Volvo. Still love the look, acceleration and roomy interior. Still not used to door locking system or less tight turning ability (is that torque?) Nervous about future cost to replace cell. Small trunk no problem; no kids and not much travel. So far, so good.