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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  2005 (special edition) 1.8L - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By spencer16 - July 7 - 4:39 pm

  We bought this used with only 3000 miles on it. It was about a year and a half old, an old lady must have only driven it to church or something. We have had no problems. It is at about 50k miles and we have done oil changes every 3000 miles and we have not had any problems. The car is pretty gutless on the get go but on my way home from work the dashboard MPG gauge indicated 43 MPG when going 65 MPH (Idaho drivers are slow) but it saves at the pump! The car takes at least 2 turns of the key for it to start but it always starts. Not sure why.

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  Early Impressions - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By LPL - July 7 - 8:50 am

  I just purchased my Altima 2 weeks ago, but, so far, IÂ’m thrilled. Nissan wasnÂ’t on my radar initially, but after a good bit of research (mostly on Edmunds), I decided to give it a look. I was really impressed by the overall package, the styling, the ride, the performance are all great considering the overall price. And the gas mileage ratings were as good or better than anything else I was considering, while the 2.5L engine has sufficient pep. It had the most bang for the buck of the vehicles I test drove, by a comfortable margin. Two weeks in, I have no complaints, still quite pleased with the purchase. IÂ’m getting right about 29 mpg, with a mix of commuting and in- town driving.

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  Rev Happy V6 - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By NISSANONLY1 - July 6 - 3:13 am

  The truck is very fun to drive it is just the right side for what I use it for. I considered a Titan but it was a little to big for my need. The Frontier is a great truck I would recommend that anyone in the market for a mid size truck take one on a test drive before they purchase another make.

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  Great truck! - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Iceman - July 5 - 3:23 pm

  Nissan engineers did a great job on this truck! The interior has more room than other 4dr trucks. The power is there for hauling / towing. The e- locker on the 4wd/off-road is nice. The body style is good. The sprayed in bed liner and utili-trac is perfect. Im pleased with it and Ive owned several trucks over the years. This is my first Nissan.

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  Infinitly better than a chevy - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By pathfindercomment - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this truck slightly used and have put over 120,000 miles on it over the last 7 years. A few problems were fixed before the warranty ran out (speedometer replaced and exhaust pipes replaced) and I recenty bought a new transmission. The engine still runs great, and Ill be disappointed if I dont get to 200,000 miles. I continually get compliments for how well its holding up. Overall a great ride.

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  Just got it - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By evetsv - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought the 2003 because my old car was a 5 speed 91 Celica and I just got tired of the shifting in rush hour traffic and it was time for a new car! Since the 2004 model was out, Deland Nissan offered great incentives to move the 03 and everyone at the dealship has been outstanding! Got an excellent deal, including what I got for the trade in. Since Ive had the car less than a month, it has , of course, performed flawlessly. Great ride and handling.

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  24,000mi & not a single problem - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By G - July 4 - 10:00 am

  24,000 miles. No issues at all. Some aftermarket performance parts. Navigation System is amazing (prefer DVD though), Very roomy for 5. All of my friends/family love this car! I cant stop driving it. 2k-up Mustang GT autos are no match. JUST BRING IT

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  Those bad reviews are so far off!! Wow! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Peter - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I read all the reviews here before buying, and now that I have the vehicle, i think its so funny what some of the others say! The ride is so smooth, it drives like a sports car, and i keep finding new features i didnt know about everyday! I trading in my bmw for this, and I turn alot more heads now! And the soundsystem! Wow!

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  Nissan makes a great car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By abstractor1 - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I got my SE with Elite package 10 days ago. I really like the design from the sleek exterior to the rocket ship interior. My father-in-laws observation is how futuristic in design it looks. It is fun to drive, and the car tends to want to drive faster than legal speeds and I constantly find myslf having to slow down. I have owned 3 other Nissans and an Infiniti so Nissan continues to impress me. Highly recommended!

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  Best I Ever Owned - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Chris M - July 3 - 7:36 am

  Im not one to post reviews about things i buy or have, but once i bought this car i knew I had to let people know that one. Its a great Hybrid and well built too. Very good on gas. I have the fully loaded one so its very comfortable And last but least ITS A NISSAN. So it will last a life time five stars all the way!