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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  Armada Mama - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Suezen - June 19 - 3:43 pm

  I have 5 kids and really need a large vehicle. I had a Montana for 6 years & really didnt want another minivan but I thought my options were limited to a Suburban or Expedition, neither of which excite me. We went to look at the Quest and decided that it was too small (I need 8 seats). The Armada was so cool! We test drove it overnight and fell in love. We went all out with the LE and leather seats (great for messy boys)! The gas mileage is okay because I do mostly highway driving. I figure that SUV owners are actually helping the gas situation..when the oil is finally gone, car manufacturers will have to implement the alternative fuel technology that you know they have!

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  By by ford - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By flare out - June 19 - 11:30 am

  Overall this truck is impressive. Very good off road. We use this truck in the oil & gas field and it is standing up better than any other truck i have used ( ford , dodge, gmc , chev ). The overall handling and power towing is great.

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  Great Car at a Great Price - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By maxxed out - June 19 - 9:20 am

  Ive always been a SUV guy, but with rising gas prices I started taking a look at a few of the larger sedans on the market. The 09 Maxima trumped all the other contenders... hands down. Fun to drive, decent gas mileage (about 20 mpg in the city so far), very comfortable, and it turns a lot of heads. I opted for the base package that includes a moonroof, power seats, 6 disc changer, 18 inch wheels, and cloth seats (although they are more like microfiber). Test drive this car, you will not be disappointed!

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  Very good - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Student - June 19 - 12:53 am

  I got 08 Blck Nissan Altima 3.5SE for my 17th birthday and still driving now. The CVT is terrific, i think it saves more gas than other 6-speed transmission cars. my battery died last month and my dealer covered half of the price. its also good on snow too. i test drove Camry and Accord, but Altima was the best in design and speed, because they dont have pish button and keyless.

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  Fast, Smart, Stylish, Practical, and FUN - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By robertfarns - June 18 - 5:26 am

  First, let me say that this car was chosen after much deliberation. I compared and test drove over 5 competitor’s car before I made my decision. The final selection came down to the Honda Civic and the Sentra (no surprise as these are each others main competition). Final decision was the bottom line price. I purchased a 2010 Nissan Sentra SER in black out the door before tax, tag, or title for $17,500. The very best price on the most comparable Civic (Si model) was $21,700. That’s over 4K! Honda also decided not to offer their performance enhanced Si in an automatic so I even compared the “normal Civic to the SER and the best I could do on a comparable car was almost 2K more! I was impressed

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  Amazing Car for the money - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Really nice car - June 17 - 9:10 pm

  My wife and I traded down from a 2003 Murano (which we loved) to the Rogue for added gas mileage. Really was not too much of a compromise in features and comfort. Although slightly smaller, all of the features of the SL are similar to the base model of the Murano SL. The Rogue has impressive power for a 4 cyl. The interior has all of the options that you need in a car an none of the costly items like GPS,dual temp controlas and DVD. Surprisingly the gas mileage estimates are accurate for our driving style. Truly Nissan has created a veicle that is fun and affordable. Really worth the money.

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  great suv - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By iiredorange - June 17 - 11:16 am

  i love this suv..the engine is awesome. i was in the market for an suv and looked at the hummer h3 but it was underpowered. the xterra can handle everything the hummer can with a better engine.

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  I am very pleased with the Xterra so far. - 2012 Nissan Xterra
  By johnwaynext - June 17 - 12:54 am

  I have only had my Pro 4X Xterra for a few days but so far so good. I bought it for $5300 off list over Labor Day at Bommarito Nissan in Hazelwood, MO. Nissan had some great incentives then. The Xterra drives great, smooth on the highway and solid when I go off road. Fit and finish seem to be good. I like the leather seats. The upgraded sound system is wonderful, much better than the one found on the S and X models. Too early to tell about gas mileage. It will probably be comparable to my 98 GMC Jimmy at around 18 overall. I considered going to a car based CUV for better mileage but none of those seemed to be up to the capabilities of the Xterra. I will write updates regularly.

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  Xterra SE 4w drive - 2009 Nissan Xterra
  By Tom - June 17 - 12:03 am

  Lots of power, handling is great, sits up high. Good vision, interior all leather great sound system. Exterior is rugged looking. Gas mileage 17.5 highway. I new that when I bought it. Wish I had heated mirrors, surprised it was not part of se package. Drove through snow storm in Michigan truck handling was super. This is very well made truck. Very happy with Nissan. Towing atv and snowmobiles and all of our gear and four adults was no problem.

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  Back again - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By designbo - June 16 - 6:00 pm

  Well, have now 7000 miles on truck and once again all I can say is amazing truck. This truck is truly an outstanding truck. The truck preforms way past my expectations as it totally outperforms everything out there. If you want a great truck get one. My gas mileage is good for a big truck, and quick.. no one can keep up. Nissan needs to upgrade exterior design as this is the 4th year with same design, but otherwise couldnt be happier. Ride is exceptional, looks outstanding and the LE options are fantastic. If you dont consider one you have made a big mistake.