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:

• 

  2009 Murano LE AWD with Nav/Tech Pkg - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By DavidV - December 1 - 8:50 pm

  All the luxury items make this a great crossover. Ride is very smooth as youd expect from a luxury sedan, and steering is soft - no feel of the road while you float along. Plenty of power at your disposal when you need it. However, when you are going slow (under 30) with minimum gas pedal pressure, you can feel the CVT seeking the best gear ratio. Car is very roomy front and back for when you have 5 adults to carry.

• 

  A Gem, Actually a Pearl - 2016 Nissan 370Z
  By Deborah Vollmer - December 1 - 7:54 pm

  This my third Z, and Im more than brand loyal. The Zs are fun to drive, incredibly reliable, and relatively safe for sports convertibles. You could buy two of these cars for what you might pay for a Porsche. The Bose sound system is crystal clear, and the road sound dampening improvements in the 2016 cars are a real plus.

• 

  About what I wanted - 2017 Nissan Sentra
  By M S - December 1 - 5:38 pm

  Tiny gas tank (13 gal?) and tires. Stodgy but has tight handling, you feel the road (which I like). Also like eco setting, interior, trunk space, good visibility. Little info given on how to use infotainment system. Navigation not as good as WAZE but oK. Screen good but cant use usb port for phone without losing sound??

• 

  No, you may not borrow my car - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By rodster - December 1 - 10:03 am

  Bought this in June and have 8k miles on it. I love the power that this Z provides so that even when I hit the gas at 70mph Im pushed back in my seat! The Bose stereo provides great sound quality and includes some nice sub woofers. Its amazing how many people turn their heads to look! I commute 50mi/day (mostly highway) and avg 25mpg which is acceptable. No comfort issues here. The cockpit wraps me like a cocoon (very cozy!). My oil temp never exceeds 240 even on my July roadtrip at speeds of 80-90mph. Rear visibility works for me since I attached small wide angle mirrors onto the side mirrors.

• 

  surprisingly good - 2014 Nissan Versa Note
  By frankevich - November 30 - 7:56 pm

  We say "surprisingly good" because if one read all the negative reviews...well you get the idea. Notes MPG, with usually two aboard, and under all conditions including steep hills and a couple of mountains, is astonishing at 40+ mpg average. Car is noticeably quiet and has a nice ride on most road surfaces. CVT takes some getting used to but we favor it over regular automatics. Car really rolls (due in part to its low drag figure.) We found the strength of the car is on the open road--this is no "grocery getter" only, as described by one dopey reviewer. So, car looks good, is well built, great mpgs, is quiet and rides well. What more could one want?

• 

  2008 Pathfinder SE - transmission issue - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By krcarr - November 30 - 7:40 pm

  I have been experiencing the same issue of bucking/thumping at or around 40mph. When lightly pressing the gas pedal the vehicle shakes or shudders but only around that speed. A senior tech witnessed the problem and said NIssan is working on it , but it had to get cleared by EPA. Not happy with this 08. Very disappointed in Nissan.

• 

  Nice Truck - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By cashonly29 - November 30 - 1:46 pm

  My Frontier offers me all that I want in a truck. It has a box large enough to handle my hauling needs, a powerful engine to get me up the hill I live on, and 4WD for upstate New York winters. I bought a Nissan for the reliability (over Chevy).

• 

  Use to own a Cadillac - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Mock - November 30 - 10:00 am

  when we test drove this vehicle we knew it had to be designed by a realtor. It is the perfect vehicle for sales people plenty of storage and space for lap top or my wife can lock her purse in the console. It has all the features that we had with our Caddy but none of the problems. this vehicle is surprisingly responsive and the transmission is something to get use to since you cannot feel a shift. have received nothing but positive comments from friends and others.

• 

  Comfortable, sporty and fun to drive. - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Murano Joe - November 30 - 10:00 am

  The CVT gives silky-smooth acceleration and offers plenty of passing power. Lots of interior passenger/cargo space. Very comfortable seating. A great family car for road trips (touring package w/ DVD player). Even with all this room, it drives more like a sports car than a truck. (Certainly compared to the Ford Expedition I traded in). Faster and a better ride than Highlander, 4Runner and Pilot (I test drove all). Much better value than the MDX, RX330, FX35 (all run ~$6,500 higher drive- out price). If you have kids, consider adding running boards/side bars (aftermarket $250-350). The rear seat step-in, while not bad for adults, is a little high for kids.

• 

  Solid Truck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By DRARLT - November 30 - 10:00 am

  Overall the Titan is a solid truck. We have the Big Tow and average about 13.5 with the first 2 tanks. Interior plastic is cheap feeling. Seats and comfort is excellent. CC is very roomy. Exterior is excellent, the truck is a looker. I have yet to tow anything heavy. With the power underhood, heavy loads should not be much of a problem!