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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  Family of 5 loves the Quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By vmrush - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Quest SE for 4 months now and have waited to write my review to see if any problems arose. Im pleased to say that 7000 miles later I have had no problems. I absolutely love to drive the Quest. I love the unique look inside and out, the smooth quiet ride,the roominess inside and powerful engine. We took it on vacation through the mountains and it did wonderful. I really like the rounded off center console. It takes no time at all to learn where all the buttons are. I dont feel that the gas mileage is too bad either, its a big heavy vehicle. I average 18-20 miles per gallon. My kids love the DVD player and the sky lights.

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  best car ever - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By nicolas0318 - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I like driving new nissan quest.

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  A kids dream. - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Great Horned Owl - September 5 - 10:00 am

  When i was just a kid, i thougth that the only brands capable of doing REAL off road vehicles where land rover, jeep, and nissan. My favorite was without a doubt the patrol. all of them, with round head ligths. Since then ive been waiting to have a nissan off roader. when i saw the 2002, 3 and 4 Xterra, i went to a nissan dealer and bougth an Xterra. This is a great vehicle, on road is acceptable, but its a great off roader, no problems so far. the interior is strong, and i like that. If you want a vehicle capable and practicaL, GO FOR THE X!

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  Good to go - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By cyangray - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Recently purchased a 2005 Nissan Altima 3.5SE. Test drove both the 2.5 and 3.5. The 2.5 had fairly good pickup but was very noisy during acceleration. The 3.5 has much better pickup, is quieter, and has smoother acceleration over the range of driving conditions. If you’re looking at a 2.5S with convenience packaging you might want to consider the 3.5SE since the price is not that different. The gas mileage is posted at 20 to 30. I am getting around 22 – 23 around the city – better than expected with my lead foot. I recommend that you work with two or more dealerships to get the price down. I managed to pay invoice price after haggling between dealerships.

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  Bad Altima Experience!!!!! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Keish - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Buyers Beware!!! I purchased a 2003 & was a lemon. (Radiator replaced 4 times in first year but kept leaking anti freeze) Nissan gave me a 2005 (at no extra cost)because they felt bad. My 2005 has less than 5000 miles and my radiator is again leaking antifreeze. (they claim its the radiator cap). Has anyone else experienced this problem?

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  Comfortable, economical rocket ship - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Marinertoo - September 5 - 8:36 am

  Ive had driving difficulties due to an injury. We tested every car out there, and this had more leg room than all of them (driver, that is). Next was the Ford Edge, followed by the Toyota Camry, and Nissan Murano. We got the V6 with CVT transmission. I have no more physical discomfort. The ocean gray is a head turner with the performance package, and it drive as well as some sports cars Ive owned. The gas mileage has also been great. The new styling (2010) is much more sleek than that of 2009. Its a gorgeous, economical little rocket ship that turns heads.

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  Everything you need, nothing you dont. - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By ZtotheX - September 4 - 5:13 pm

  Get up and go. Anywhere. My wife had an 04 and the differences are tremendous. 4x4 is flawless in the snow. Gas mileage is around 20 mpg. Lots of storage compartments and lots of cup holders are a plus.

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  cube truth - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By cube truth - September 4 - 6:16 am

  I am 49, 6ft.1, and this is a super roomy, and comfortable ride. I get 32 mpg on every tank. The engine is fairly quiet, except when you need the power. Then it can get a little louder than average, but not without a payback. Smooth ride. I dont know why people would say at 60 mph the wind noise is loud. It gets a little noisy above 70 mph, but is pretty quiet til then. [Unless there is a wind storm]I also meet a lot of new people with this cars curious looks.

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  WE LOVE IT! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Romero - September 4 - 6:13 am

  My husband finally had to give up his Nissan Frontier for commuting (265,000 miles on it). We started looking at other Nissans, even a Pathfinder, when we saw the Cube sitting on the lot. I begged him to test drive it, he got out and said, "Lets do it." Hes been like a kid in a candy shop ever since!! Every day he finds something new he likes about it. Its a lot of fun.

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  2007 Sentra 2.0 SL - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By nettunod - September 3 - 10:33 pm

  After looking at the Corolla, Civic, Sonata and a few others I chose the Sentra hands down. Many more features for the money, not to mention the bold new styling, classy interior and cool features like Bluetooth and Intelligent Key system. I feel as if I am driving a much larger more expensive car!! I love my Nissan!!