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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  So Close... - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Brunson - September 2 - 9:23 am

  Traded in 05 F150 for used 07 Xterra this winter (needed baby space). Just over 30k on stock BFG tires and they were SMOKED. Traded up for Firestone Destination A/Ts with favorable results. Front brake pads/rotors replaced at 31k miles. Frequent issues with SLIP/ABS/VDC light coming on with little assistance from local Nissan dealers to determine the issue, possible ABS problem. Engine is strong but not the best sounding when heavy on the throttle. Average gas mileage for an SUV of its size. 4 wheel drive system is excellent, performs well in moderate snow, heavy rain and off road. Very versatile with numerous cargo configurations. I am 64" and have no complaints regarding interior space.

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  OldFordGuy - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By OldFordGuy - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I Have only had my Crew Cab 4x4 Titan for a few days and love it. Have been a Ford guy my whole life. This changes everything. Very powerful. Sharp style. Fit and finish is above all others. An interior that looks like someone was actually thinking when they designed it. Thus far I am overjoyed. And I payed 2500 under list. That seems to be the best deal ive seen yet on one of them. I also have the DVD and Rockford Fosgate package. I enjoy them but find them to be quite over priced. Other than that, great truck.

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  Yes it really does get bad mileage - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By bert_home - September 1 - 4:04 am

  From reading the forums and having personal experience, some Jukes get really bad mileage. Im looking at about 18mpg around town in FWD mode. It does really well on the freeway (27+). Its NOT the driving habits, tires, AC or any of the other usual suspects that cause poor mileage. The Nissan dealers dont know how to address the problem. The recent fuel leak fix does NOT fix the problem and may have made it worse or my car. The car is a blast to drive though but 18 mpg is very hard to live with.

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  97 Nissan Altima - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By tdkzoom - August 31 - 10:00 am

  Nice car, reliable, hard to find after market parts, needs the jaws of life to get the damn front door open.

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  Interesting new model - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By bigbearsfan - August 30 - 11:03 pm

  This is a great car. It is very close to Honda/Toyota levels of fit and finish. My 3.5SE has the Sport Package and an auto dimming mirror. The interior is nicely styled and the instrument cluster is very bright and easy to read with good radio and HVAC controls. The seats are well shaped though they are a little hard and dont offer a lumber adjustment. The ride and handling compromise is great; it handles very well without punishing you when you hit a bump. Overall, reliability should be on par with Honda/Toyota. This is a great contender in the midsize category. I highly recommend this car if you dont want to overspend on a Toyota or Honda; their dealers who dont ever offer deals.

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  Fun head turning car! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By flyboiadam - August 30 - 5:46 pm

  I purchased my cube in oct 2009 and I have 8800 miles on it and its July 22. So far Ive had 1 recall w the rear door handles, at 2k miles my check engine light came on turned out to need a new purge valve, thats the only thing thats happened. Im very happy with my cube and wouldnt trade it for another car ever! Lots of ppl look and stare but love the attention! Drove a few times 500 miles on road trip been getting 32 on hwy and 26 city. The seats are probably the most comfortable I have ever sat in, in any car! Only thing I am mad about is the 2010 model of the same thing I got comes standard with bluetooth and audio controls on steering wheel. But thats it! Go test drive 1!

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  Fun but.... - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Ted - August 29 - 6:26 am

  enough power, interior design and material is poor. Fun to drive but materials inside is so poor it gets dirty quick.

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  37 mpg - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Alan Groves - August 28 - 6:56 pm

  I drive 220 miles a day round trip to work and back, all interstate driving. At 65 mph Im achieving 37 mpg! Around town I get 27 to 28. The thing runs like a good v-6 would but its only a 4 banger! The one thing I dont like is that it feels like your falling out of the seat forward. I have to recline the back of the seat further than I would like so that it feels like Im not falling forward. I also find the tire pressure warning light annoying. Its too sensitive to outside air temperature. Other than that we love it!

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  Perfect, if you never have a flat tire - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By annieengel - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Nissan Murano has a different sized wheel well. At this time, most tire shops do not carry this size of tire. In addition, there are no studded snow tires available and the tire chains are special order. And there isnt a full size spare.

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  So far so good - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By vtmapleus - August 28 - 10:00 am

  very well put together vehicle, some minor bumps along the way. Loose heat shield..replaced. rattle in dash..fixed. Very quick truck but also very smooth ride. Comparing it too my 2002 Ram isnt even fair as the Titan smokes it