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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  Best bang for the buck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By reelimprovement - January 30 - 10:00 am

  Looking for a truck can be a real pain. After a lot of research I started test driving. I had already owned a dodge and never even considered one, so I tried the other two main big boys. Thier power was ok, but not great. They both seem to want to go small but charge big. So I finally went to my Nissan dealer, We already own an Xterra and love it. I had also owned a 240Z and knew the nissan engine to be tough. After the test drive I had to have it, the grin factor was HUGE. Plus all the other features. Towing capability second to none,roomy interior, tons of storage, fold up and down rear seats, wide opening rear doors, ect. The only minus is it steers like

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  Titan Review - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Cadman - January 30 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Titan for 3-months now and I keep expecting to find something I do not like about the truck. Nothing yet!! This a fun truck to drive. It has awesome power at all speeds. I have had my boat on and come up to 3/4 and 1 ton pulling trailers or boats and you can pass them with with tons of power left over. It also sounds great just running around town. Nice mellow tone.

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  Parkin on TOP of Tundras! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By TOP - January 30 - 10:00 am

  MAN! I love this truck! Mine is silver with leather! Looks GREAT! Fun to drive! I tested all the others and it was an easy decision! I have had other NISSANs and never had any problems. I hope this truck is just as good! With all the features, the TITAN is 4 or 5 "K" cheaper and you know the resale will be much better than the others! Overall, I am sure that the TITAN will make my buddies at work who bought Tundras think again as I seriously have to question their judgement! WOOOOOOOOO!

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  Very good car,better than expected - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By adauphin - January 30 - 10:00 am

  i really didnot think that this car would run or handle the way it does. Nissan did a very good job in designing this vehicle.

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  best sports car for the money - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By pruss002 - January 30 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy the my car very. This one is my third. The torque is great of the hole. The top goes down very fast and if the light turns green people dont hunk their horns. The styling is on the money. I highly recomend the six speed it is a very short throw. This roadster is worth every penny.

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  Tried Nissan over Honda - Big Mistake - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Dean Hoffman - January 30 - 10:00 am

  The looks of the Maxima attracted me, and most of the reviews were postive, so I made a leap of faith and purchased a Nissan for the 1st time. What a mistake. Except for its good looks, this car rides like a truck, the wheels vibrate at unacceptable levels between 50 and 60 mph and dealer wont fix (this is "normal" for this car), and has tremendous torque steering issues when accelerating from a stop. Also the gas mileage is less than expected 22 on the highway, and I average 72 mph, and you cant park this thing in a tight spot, bacause you need more turning space than a HUMMER. Anyone want to trade for an Accord? Sorry Honda, but I will be back!

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  Love my Murano - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By goodday - January 29 - 10:36 pm

  Traded in a Quest van. Nissan really ramped up their quality with the Murano. The ride is excellent and the seats are very comfortable. All controls are easy to find and use. The back up camera is wonderful. The inside feels very large and spacious, while the outside looks sleek and compact. I am very satisfied with this vehicle.

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  The Big Kahuna - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Scott - January 29 - 9:03 pm

  We bought this suv because we have a travel trailer that we use on a frequent basis. The car is big, but the engine and design of the car makes it feel much smaller to drive. The one item to mention that other owners didnt is that if you plan on towing with this vehicle make sure you get the factory tow package with the vehicle. The tow package has a different lower rear end gears and stabalizing shocks that make it capable of pulling 9,100 lbs. for a 2 wheel drive Armada and 9,000 lbs for a 4 wheel drive Armada. A standard Armada without the factory hitch and other features only pulls 6,500 lbs. There are very few suvs that can pull this much weight. Powerful, capable SUV with room

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  Armada Is Great! - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By bouncykell - January 29 - 1:53 pm

  Nissan Armada is wonderful! It Drives great, looks great, has the best technology package available in large SUV. The best navigation system and user friendly! We get compliments on how great it is everywhere we go! I am glad I didnt get the over priced H2 or Escalade

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  Silver 2008 Nissan Frontier KC 4WD - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By dac420 - January 29 - 6:36 am

  I traded my 2000 Nissan Frontier 2WD for a Silver 2008 Nissan Frontier 4WD & glad I did, I love the 4.0 V6 power. Comparing it to my brothers Tundra (which I drive some) I like the Frontier much better - Just fun to drive and thousands less than Toyota