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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  Love this car - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By johanjuke - October 4 - 8:28 pm

  Im absolutely satisfied with this car nissan did a really good job on it. At the first time I did not fell in love with the car but when I went to the dealer to test drive an altima, I checked the car more closely, and I love it the features, inside the car and outside he car are awesome, looks sporty, small, and good looking if you like different things, it is roomier enough to have 5 people and a trunk space free to load it up. If you want to get this car get the SV trim with navigation, AWD and if is possible black/red interior, and it is not going to cost you to much. Mine is black in the outside and red interior and it looks extremely cool.

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  Not Satisfied - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By 1srac - October 4 - 6:44 am

  Bought my Nissan Sentra Dec of 2012. A week later i took it back cause the rubber seal around the front window came off. Took it to go looked at cause i can never get my music to bluetooth. took it back again cause while driving it, it felt like it was going to bog out and die. (Friend drove my car and freaked out) they couldnt re create it! took it back again for a sensor re call in the passenger seat that linked to the air bags not deploying!! Got that fixed. Then took it back, cause i was driving it home and the car lost all power and would not go past 2000 RPM.(Couldnt find anything wrong) Ran out of space for everythingOverall I dont like the car. Gonna get me something else here soon.

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  Best Big SUV Period - 2009 Nissan Armada
  By BigBaby - October 4 - 3:06 am

  My wife and I traded in our 2007 Armada SE for this 2009 model, and we havent had a single regret. I never thought a full size SUV like our Armada would be this much fun to drive, but it is. Granted the gas mileage could be a little better, but hey its a small price to pay for all the safety & luxury features it provides. We looked real hard at the Ecalades, Tahoes, and Denalis when we decided that we needed a big SUV, and I can truly say that none these vehicles have anything on our Armada.

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  From TX - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By chong - October 3 - 11:53 pm

  Great sedan. Without transmission delay and with the powerful 2.5l engines drive, its really a great experience for a driver. Lots of fun, all of my family loves it: toddler, husband, wife. We really love it.

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  Solid dependable car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By David Bustamante - October 2 - 5:30 pm

  This version of the Sentra combines nimble handling, quiet ride, plush interior, and great gas mileage. Zero mechanical problems in 20 months of driving. The improved engine is problem-free and provides plenty of power.

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  Good, solid, reliable vehicle - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Tim - October 1 - 10:26 pm

  I bought this SUV in 8/05 with 118K and it now has over 182K. Besides routine maintenance and tires, I have only had to replace a thermostat, water pump, and muffler ($600 total). I would recommend the vehicle to anyone looking for a reliable SUV.

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  Reliable Car - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Z - October 1 - 5:03 pm

  I would recommend buying a Nissan. It was reliable while I traveled back and forth from college. I found out the hard way that my Nissan is picky about what types/brand of parts that I use. The engine light has been on for the past year. Other than that, I havent had any problems.

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  very happy - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By jbull1930 - September 30 - 7:31 am

  bought this car used with around 32000 miles.i did a lot of research before purchasing and decided this was the best choice for me . i am thrilled with its performance. made a long road trip and the comfort level was the same as a full size car. gas mileage wasaround 28 miles per gallon . i love everything about this car.

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  good all around vehicle - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By billy - September 30 - 3:56 am

  purchased the pathfinder after owning a maxima, power is excellent, needs better standard tires, fuel mileage is very low, heat can use some improvements, takes a good 20 minutes to warm up, by this time i am already at work. Stereo is excellent, agree that cd player skips in cold, needs more storage space, no place to put loose change. Braking is good, traction good is 4X4, however rear tires like to slide on wet pavement. Roof rack can be changed, can never get the snow off of it. All around, much better then my parents blazer and explorer, tops the cherokee..

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  Quick, quiet and very comfortable - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By M. J. McCloskey - September 29 - 10:36 pm

  I purchased a 2010 LE CC 4x4 with all options and am very pleased with this truck. Heated leather seats are real comfy and the Rockford Fosgate Audio is very nice. Im surprised at how quiet the truck is. Very little wind noise considering that Jungle Gym roof rack. The 18" alloy wheels are sharp looking and appear to be from the Pathfinder LE. Great truck with lots of power and mileage so far is 19.3mpg. I was considering the Toyota Tacoma but it cant be had with a moonroof or heated seats and I didnt care for the overall look of that truck.