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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  farro - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By farro - November 2 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. It is fast, comfortable and it turns heads. I have gotten so many complements for it.

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  Some minor problem - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By DonCT - November 2 - 10:00 am

  Got it 3/23/2002 and have 2500 miles on it. It handles very good, and has amazing acceleration. Some minor problems:1)this thing is a gas hog.I get an average of 25MPG but I have to put premium in it. 2)There are some cheap interior details: The center console and the trunk have to be slammed hard to be closed.The center area in the dash is made out of cheap plastic.3)I am getting some noise on my left side when I am doing over a 100MPH but since the noise comes and goes randomly I wont worry about it.4)My right speaker vibrates too much when I crank the stereo and listen to something with a lot of bass but I can always turn the voume down!

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  Miserable experience - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By spongebob - November 2 - 1:23 am

  I dont know what everyone is raving about, I thought this vehicle was suppose to be heavy duty and almost every bump i hit the suspension bottoms out. It may be able to expand in offroad situation but it cannot contract. It very annoying for city driving, unacceptable especially for a real suv. And those brakes spongy is not the word you gotta press all the way down to the floor to get it to stop. However the sound system was amazing ill give it that. However it wasnt enough for me to keep it. Thought nissans were more versatile than this. Very disappointed especially having the "OFFROAD" model. I even thought there was a problem they found none

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  Great Mechanical Engineering - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Ricky Kaizedo - November 1 - 12:00 am

  One of a kind. Reliable engine and great ride and confort.

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  Love my Maxima! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By wes95 - October 31 - 11:10 pm

  I purchased my 1996 Maxima GXE used in 2000 with 80,000 miles. Just recently crashed due to snowy weather with 226,000 miles on it. She would have kept going, an awesome car! I have been strict with maintenance through my local Nissan dealer from the start. Oil changes through 30K mile check-ups. I just replaced the exhaust two days before the accident due to rust and a small hole starting. Biggest expense I would say was to replace the oxygen sensors. No problems with the engine or transmission, still going strong till the day she died. Only things I would have liked to see improve would be the interior quality, the drivers side carpet wore out quickly. Good and long-lasting car.

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  All around good car - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By higginsps - October 31 - 6:30 pm

  I bought this car 2 years old with 22K, it now is approaching 200K. Its been a very reliable, safe, and fun car. It is easy to park and I still get 27 MPG... use 91 or higher octane youll see the difference! Exhaust is still factory original.

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  I absolutely love it!! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Da Kings kid!! - October 30 - 8:33 pm

  I overworked my poor little 97 Nissan Sentra and needed to buy a new car. I actually was prepared to buy the new Camry, but then I walked into the Nissan dealer and saw the Radiant Silver Altima. Once I test drove it I was hooked! This is the only car I test drove that I didnt care whether it had a spoiler or a sunroof. And those 177 ponies under the hood make driving fun, especially on curves!!

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  Couldnt ask for anything more! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Jenn - October 30 - 8:20 pm

  I shopped for months uapon months for a new car. This car is amazing. I paid 19,500 and it has everything but Nav wich is not a big deal to me anyway. V6,Rides smooth..and its so eye catching. Black on black. I considered an acura TL but it just didnt have everything i wanted for my budget. Everyday I drive this vehicle.. i still cant believe its mine. I had such a hooptie! But you def get more for your buck! Only issue was i had to replace my smart key battery and had to go to a nissan dealer to do so. It was about 5 bucks.. but no biggie. Amazing car!!

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  Titan is the King - Aptly Named! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Paul - October 30 - 5:20 pm

  The Power, The Looks I get, The Feel, The Roominess, The Comfort for 5 Passengers in an Extended Cab, The Innovative Design, The Handling, The Sound System... I could go on forever singing the praises of this truck. Nissan offers something in the Titan that no other manufacturer has ever cared to offer. This is an investment worth every dollar. Sure the gas mileage is low, but its a truck, with an EXTREMELY Powerful and responsive engine - put a K&N filter on it, ease up on the gas, and the gas mileage I am getting sometimes peaks over 18mpg!!! (highway of course). There was the brake glitch, I took it back once, the fixed it and its gone. Leave the Domestics... this is the KING

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  Awesome ride - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By rcatty - October 30 - 2:36 pm

  There are lots of things about this vehicle that make it a great buy; value for the dollar; fuel economy about 20% greater than advertised; excellent road griping ride; quick responsive, powerful engine; nice exhaust roar; sharp, expensive looks; automatic, convertible pull down; quality interior and exterior.