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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  Great Car - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Steve Nesbitt - November 24 - 9:56 pm

  Purchased the 2005 Murano after driving a 2002 Tahoe for three years. Car performs great. Fun to drive, great power. Only one problem since purchase date...engine sensor...was repaired with no further problems. Gas mileage is close to 20 in town and 25 hwy. Service dept is great.

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  2005 350Z best sports car for $$$ - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Peg - November 24 - 6:33 pm

  My 2005 Nissan 350Z is amazing! It handles very well, is fun to drive, looks sharp, and has great pick up! The Touring pkg. comes with almost all the bells and whistles at a great price. The Bose audio system has a great sound. Pit falls - no ash tray, no auto head lights, cup holders are behind driver except one (which I use as an ash tray). I would highly urge anybody looking for a sports car to take a look at the 2005 350Z! No regrets here!

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  A sight to behold! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Margot - November 24 - 2:20 pm

  The Murano is a car that Ive admired since it 1st came out. The design beats many more expensive competitors, like a Lexus RX without the price tag. Smooth quite ride, very roomy interior and nice aluminum accents throughout. I really love the Murano, my only complaint is that the Sunlit Copper color is not available in the S model. Now I am contemplating whether I should trade in my S Merlot for an SL Sunlit Copper. Having the Murano in the "orange" color would really make me a very satisfied and long term MUrano owner. Now Id have to think whether the color is worth a few k over. Otherwise, the Murano is highly recommended, you wont be disappointed. Just a beautiful SUV overall!

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  Proud Spec V owner - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Bear - November 24 - 5:26 am

  Ive owned the vehicle for a little less then a year. Its been fantastic. Mechanically sound even with a few mods added from previous owner. Absolutely fun to drive. Only gripe would be the torque steer when giving a modest amount of gas from the start. For a tuner fan like me though, it provides more fun. For already being a 6 year old vehicle the engine on this vehicle runs flawless with 85,000 miles. A warning to potential car buyers... you will want to drive this car aggressively, it begs for it.

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  Still have my Max- follow up review - 2012 Nissan Maxima
  By maxmus12 - November 24 - 3:30 am

  Following up from my last review April 2012. Today the car has 45k miles & still loving it. The wear and tear is holding up well. Leather seats still in great shape. In my first review I mentioned bad gas mileage. Honestly it is no different than the average V6 sedan with 3.5L engine. I took the car on a 570 mile one way road trip and gas mileage was not that bad. In my latest ratings, I knocked value score down. At 45k miles this car should be worth more than 19k. Still dealing with knock noise at 30mph. When running AC sitting at stop light or traffic the RPM idles lower than normal. Dealership said that is normal with compressor kicking in. Um..yeah. Still love my Maxima though.

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  2012 VERSA Constant High Pitched Noisy Whine - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By versadisaster - November 23 - 1:05 pm

  I bought my new Versa in late Sept. and it started making a constant, high pitched, very loud, whiney noise. I returned it to Benson Nissan in Easley, S.C. and the mechanics heard the sound right away. They said that there have been several complaints about this noise and it is coming from the CVT. When Nissan figures out the noise problem there will be a re-call. This is not the kind of sound that one can get used to. Also, the Versa has a highly toxic glue smell in the interior and I discovered that the Versa has many toxic chemicals in the interior materials and is rated the No.1 Most Toxic Car in America. I Do Not recommend this car.

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  Great all around truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Nick in WA - November 23 - 2:13 am

  I have wanted a truck for the last 10 yrs so I finally bought it. It was either the Tacoma or the Frontier that I narrowed it to. The exterior of the truck is gorgeous. The interior has a lot of hard plastics but are assembled nicely. I am amazed how smooth the powertrain is in this truck. It provides plenty of power for passing on the freeway. The optional stereo sounds very nice. The audio controls on the steering wheel are handy as is the bluetooth. Seat comfort is very good in the front seats and acceptable in the rear. Fuel economy is about 16- 17 mixed and 20-22 on the freeway so far. Purchased for invoice plus $3000 in rebates. Nissan was a better value than the Toyota overall.

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  Severly lacking in power - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Dave - November 22 - 1:16 pm

  Wow... after getting beat by pickup trucks, dodge neons, honda civics, and nearly every other car on the road, I can honestly say I am starting to hate this car. You dont pay $30,000 for a car to get spanked by a $10,000 car. Its embarrassing. Forget about passing anyone and just take your place in line behind half the cars on the road. If someone wants to pass you, I suggest you go ahead and let em unless their car is blowing smoke out the exhaust, then you might have a chance to accelerate past them.

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  Exciting family car! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Narcis Gulan - November 22 - 1:50 am

  Excellent maintenance.

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  Great Buy - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By PeekoSanchez - November 21 - 6:03 pm

  I bought my Altima used at 37,000 miles in 2001 and its still going strong at 130,000, though its needed some major repair. Ive had to replace the alternator (at 75k), one CV axle and the other will need replacement soon, the switch for the power windows and locks, and the clutch a year ago. Those are the only $200 plus repairs done in 7 years though, which is a bargain compared to the repair work other models need in that amount of time. The interior doesnt hold up well however; the vents on the dash are popping up, a sun visor fell off while I was driving, and the speedometer sticks sometimes. The fabric is cheap and stains easy.