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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  Nissan - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By Larry82 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Great truck for the price and holds a lot of weight. Great for work and my electrical business.

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  First Timer - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Cucaracha Enojada - July 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my first SUV and I love just about everything about it. It snowed last winter and she drove like a dream. The controls are all within reach. The ride is pretty comfortable considering its built on a truck frame.

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  GOOD - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By MHERRERAZ6 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  This is a great vehicle, however second row spacing is limited (crowded)due to the stadium seating. Drives well in different terrains, however feels very light when windy and moves easily. Extremely easy to have an accident under these conditions. Overall satisfied.

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  "Z" owner - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By wowweee - July 31 - 10:00 am

  unbelievable car for the price and performance level. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a great car.

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  350z roars - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By john m van zandt - July 31 - 10:00 am

  i cant fault this car except for passenger storage space and small trunk. found it to be more roomy and comfortable than experts rate it. it is one of four cars and i just love it..

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  My Deep Blue Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By atomicdog - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Great performance for this affordable sports car. Tight handling and excellent acceleration.

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  fun car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Mon and Jim - July 31 - 10:00 am

  The car is fun to drive, turns a lot of heads, and people who own other sport cars love to compete with the Nissan. Most everyone loves the car. My husband will sneak the car out of the garage and take it to work before I wake up!!!

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  PROBLEM WITH 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By PAL/CDL - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Depending on road surface and speed, car makes an annoying noise and has done so from the day it was purchased. Dealer states 3% of Maximas have this problem. Engineers cannot figure out what is causing noise and have stopped responding. Four trips to dealer in first 3 months of ownership in attempt to cure problem have failed. After that they stopped contacting me.

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  transmission - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By wayne - July 31 - 7:26 am

  I had a toyota camry xle 2005 with a transmission that was not right and they (toyota) would do nothing about it so i traded for a nissan and after 1200 miles I am very happy i got rid of the toyota.

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  Unnatural Love - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Jason Langford - July 31 - 6:43 am

  I have an unnatural love for this car! This is the first car Ive owned that truly makes driving an exhilarating experience. It provides ample leg and head room for those of us who are 6 (or taller). I am able to see out and around the car very easily, unlike other roadsters I drove. The convertible top is a breeze to operate and goes through its whole cycle in 20 seconds flat. The manual mode is really handy for keeping the wheels on the ground around tight curves and corners and to keep the car under control through those pesky school zones. I would highly recommend this car. A great performance car, with great style at a great price. Gotta go! Places to go, Porsches to pass.