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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  Fully Satisfied! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Stephikins - October 5 - 5:30 pm

  I have had the car for over a month now and I love it. Great for someone who spends a lot of time driving. Best design and performance for its price. I average 30.8 mpg driving 35% highway 75% city. I looked at the Corolla, Fit, Versa, Elentra, Forte, and this one takes the cake in style, features, power, & ride. Best interior design with so much storage, easy access, & plenty of room. I went with the S style with the convenience package so I have the smart key that I highly recommend! Smoothest and quietest ride. You get the most car for your money! So relaxing to drive. The quality and extra features make me feel like I bought a much more expensive car. Nissans are reliable!

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  Does the job other than gas mileage - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By EdH - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought the truck as a demo and couldve done better on the deal but came out ok. Truck runs great and handles just like a truck should handle. The overdrive kicks in way to quick while using cruise and going up a hill. This annoys the wife. Other than having the drivers door power window regulator assembly replaced and one of the rear doors also, havent had any problems with the vehicle except for mileage. Going to try a 70 series tire when these wear out and see if that helps the 16s really hurt the mileage on a V6.

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  The smart choice! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Niamhx - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car new 9/02, ripped 25k out of it as of 6/03 and its as good as new. Mechanically very sound little car, classy interior that blows Civic and Saturn away. Cant beat the price either and at 38mpg highway, its environmentally sound as well. Drove it from Charlotte NC to Washington DC during Presidents Day Storm and the traction is GREAT, I passed spun-out SUVs left and right. Worth your money.

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  Got what I paid for and more - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By wwjd180 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Considering the fact that my old Sentra drove 193,000 before someone turned into the front of it,I went out to purchase another one.I purchased it with the Synergy package and the side airbags/anti lock brakes.I do wish that Nissan would work on the overall build quality with the sentra.For example, the window trimming would become disaligned upon lowing the rear window.The dealer fixed it immediately.The car is quick in comparison to the others in its class. The car is certainly fun to drive, and the sound system is wonderful. Be careful however of the stiffer steering wheel which took me some getting used to, as well as the slight torche steer.

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  an amazing car/SUV - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By ds532 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Just got my silver Murano, and loving it a lot. The power and smoothness of the engine is most impressive. The built quality is high too in my opinion. A nice crossover between a car and an SUV. Way to go, Nissan.

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  bad brake pads - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Chesley Garrett - October 5 - 10:00 am

  The only problem I have had with my 02 Altima besides the bad dealership experience in a persistant squeaking of the brakes. Repeated forays into the dealer to have this problem remedied had proven to be an excercise in futility. They only say the Nissan brakes are just that way and the new Maxima does the same thing.

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  great first car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By carina - October 5 - 10:00 am

  This is my first car and so far it has been great. The interior quality could be higher but is reasonable at the price. It is a very smooth ride.

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  Awsome Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Chris A - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I had a 2001 and liked it allot, but Nissan has out-done themselves with this one. I drove the G-35 first and then checked out the Max. I honestly could not find 1 thing I liked better about the G-35. After a month of owning it I still find myself thinking of excuses to run to the store and take the car out for a spin. I still have a blast driving this car. Turns allot of heads, and when you put your foot down... VRRRROOOOOOM!

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  Great Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By markkal - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Has great mileage. Getting 25.5 mpg. Has excellent agility and performance. Great brakes, saved me 1 time. Had too stomp on the brakes (brake assist) Very comfy interior.

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  Frontier is a great truck in the city! - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By emptyhooks - October 5 - 9:16 am

  IMO, full-size trucks have gotten too big. Lanes and parking spaces certainly arent getting any bigger and the Frontier Crew Cab is the perfect size for getting around. Pile in 3 or 4 buddies in the cab and throw the gear in the back and youre in a highly capable truck. Tow ably and tear it up off-road while still being able to squeeze through parking garages and fit into small parking spaces. It really is the best of both worlds in many ways. And its more fun to drive and even more burly sounding than the more expensive Tacoma. Now if only the Frontier could get significantly better gas mileage than the full-size pickups...