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:

• 

  Performance + Features + Looks = Awesome - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Scott in SF - July 2 - 9:13 am

  Ive had the car for two weeks and couldnt be happier. The V6 CVT engine is quite the performer and its great not having the "shifting gears" feel on conventional automatics. The turning is phenomenal. The car both looks and feels sporty. I got the performance and tech package and the quality of the interior feels like a upper end luxury car. The fuel economy for a 270hp 3.5L is rather decent (who needs a hybrid). The best part about the looks of the car is the back of it (have to see it in person). I like having all of the accessories put into two packages instead of 20+ add ons. Anyone in the market for a two door coupe should definitely test drive an Altima coupe.

• 

  Love it! - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Wafubu - July 2 - 6:33 am

  Ive owned 4 Hondas of which 2 were CR-v (07 and 08). Compared to the Xterra they didnt stand a chance. The Xterra is solidly built and they thought of everything. Also you get so many features compared to the Hondas and the Xterra is customizable. I really love mine. Ive had it for 3 days so far, but I am really enjoying the ride. Its high up, visibility is great, and its built so solid. No annoying rattles, etc. The plastic interior is very high quality and I feel that its laid out perfect. Everything is in the right place. Power everything, mirrors, doors, windows. and it came with high quality mats even! I hope Nissan keeps up with not sacrificing quality.

• 

  New Used Truck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By ben - June 30 - 10:10 pm

  Just purchased 04 Crew Cab 4WD SE with 66K miles. The soft brakes and drive shaft/u-joint issues decried by some 04 drivers were a bonus for me: Easily corrected(!), WHILE driving the resale value down among mechanically un-savvy drivers--BONUS! Ive always been a fan of Ford and GM trucks, and have owned more JEEPs than most drivers. But in selecting a work truck, the superior fit-n-finish, interior quality, and ergonomics of the Titan, and the above-mentioned bargain pricing, forced me away from the Big 3 offerings I intended to purchase. Time will tell if I remain happy. I will report after 30K miles are added to the odo. For now, Ive twice the truck for 1/2 the dollars.

• 

  I love it - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By dabestdrummer_8387 - June 30 - 2:26 pm

  I love this car. Mine has the 2.0 with a 6 speed. I THINK that it shifts really smooth. handles well. I have smoked the newer hondas with this. in the civic it comes standard with a 1.8 and the si has a 2.0. well with a sentra you get a 2.0 stock. so i think it has the best standard horses. the interior is quite comfy. i drove it from ohio to texas and was really comfy. the base stereo has really good sound for a semi- base model. this car has a really big trunk. i can easily fit 4 12 inch subwoofers in the back!

• 

  Improved Quest - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By dan - June 30 - 12:33 pm

  We compared the new Quest with both the Toyota and Honda vans and this newest version outpaced both. The comfortable seating that folds flat both in the second and third rows, the larger interior volume, stylish exterior, skyview roof all were Quest advantages, but its greatest attributes are its driving and handling qualities. It simply out runs and outhandles the competition hands down. We have not had the Quest a long while yet but so far, we are really impressed and love this Nissan.

• 

  Best Ride Yet From Nissan - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By JTCKC - June 30 - 6:10 am

  This is my second Nissan Xterra. I went in to the dealership for my regular maintenance and decided to trade up. Leather, GPS, xm radio, 4.0 v6 17" wheels with rims. Man this is a fantastic upgrade. I loved my 2007 Xterra, but they bought it for more than I owed and got me in a new one for a better payment. Ill never drive anything else. I love everything about it. Youd be crazy to pass one up. I never had 1 issue with my 2007 and this one outshines the 2007 by far. I look forward to driving this for a long time to come!!

• 

  er review - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By ELENA - June 29 - 6:13 pm

  handles great, u-turn tight, drives tight, has great inside space - great visibility and a pleasure to drive. anyone lucky enough to have this vehicle will be totally in love with it. handles better than our old RX300 - very heavy, sturdy and comfortable.

• 

  great car,great walue - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By GIS_ - June 29 - 2:30 am

  Had the car for about 4 months now, is all I thought it would be. I bought it used, so I knew that there will be some work needed done to it, but so far so good. Is strong, smooth and it delivers at any rpm.

• 

  I love this car! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By latino224 - June 28 - 6:50 pm

  I have driven this car to Houston Texas 2 times and gone to Florida 3 times, and i went to South Carolina 2 times. each time pulling a U-Haul trailer "the small one of course"

• 

  the best "small" truck around - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By dhectorg - June 28 - 2:56 pm

  Ive had my Frontier LE for about 3 weeks...not really long enough to review it yet, but i like this truck so much that I couldnt wait! I had a full size 2005 GMC Sierra before this and the Nissan is 10 times more refined in just about every way. I am ALWAYS more impressed by products from Japanese companies, compared to GM products Ive owned. Tacoma cant even beat this one. Frontier wins in power, ride, handling, refinement, etc.