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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  Sound economical choice - 2014 Nissan Versa Note
  By montigirlmn - January 14 - 6:55 pm

  This car is the first new Nissan product that I have purchased. I have now owned the car for six months and have put 11,000K miles on it. With that said, I am glad that I chose this car. I am averaging 38 mpg, most of it commuting 50 miles a day to and from work. The great fuel economy makes it the right choice for me. I did drive the car for a couple of months already during the winter and the push button traction control is absolutely wonderful. Minnesota winters are harsh and it handled the 8+ inches of snow exceptionally well.

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  Most luxory in a sedan well under $30k - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By othello - January 14 - 1:13 pm

  Jam packed with tons of new features and options. Available safety features include side air bags, traction control, active head restraints (standard), ABS (standard). Would highly recomend purchaser consider traction control for vehicle, especially if to be used in any snow or ice conditions. Markedly improved performance over Maximas without it in specific circumstances.

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  My wifes car. - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By ray anderson - January 14 - 8:16 am

  the car is fun to drive but the 1.8 liter engine dosnt have enough punch for me.For her its just fine.The up graded radio is a plus and it rides and handles awesome for a little light car.When i get to drive it i just have a blast but i also enjoy the power my titan has to offer. R.A.

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  Nissan Cube Review - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Jacek P. Drozda - January 14 - 7:16 am

  The cube is absolutely amazing. Its like getting a minivan for the price of a Honda Fit. Its fun to drive due to stability control system, abs the acceleration is more than adequate, Im over 61 and feel that there is plenty of space in front as well as in the rear, there is an incredible amount of headroom. You feel like you are driving a small bus, with turning and braking of a sports car. I recently went to home depot and after reclining back seats I was able to fit the screen door! I bought this car for my wife and I drive the bmw coupe myself which I rate 10/10 but still enjoy the CUBE after driving my beemer.

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  Great truck, Ill stick with Nissan - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By biker - January 13 - 6:36 pm

  8 years and still going strong. I use my Frontier for towing a motorcycle trailer and it does fine. Not any reliability problems except my A/C compressor is a bit noisy when it kicks on at highway speed. Nice and cold though. It has held up well in the body and interior department as well. The 2.4l 4 banger with the 5 speed is adequate but wont win any drag races. The gas mileage is great. Even with a raised topper, I get 25 and without the topper I average 26-28 on the highway. The ride is a bit stiff but it is a truck after all. Overall I am very satisfied and plan to keep it a LONG time.

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  Most comfortable & quiet vehicle - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By cjbrumm - January 13 - 1:06 am

  My wife and I looked at multiple vehicles by multiple manufacturers to replace our 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. We narrowed our list to the Nissan Murano SL and the Honda CR-V EX-L. We took a final test drive with both vehicles on the same day and it was no comparison, the Nissan Murano had superior comfort, better ride quality, more trunk and interior space and more features for the money. We have put 2500 miles on the Murano and we absolutely love it. We have been averaging 21 to 23 MPG using midgrade and premium gas. The CVT transmission is amazing and want to replace our other vehicle, having a six speed auto, with one that has a CVT transmission.

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  Decent Car - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Decent Car - January 12 - 11:26 pm

  This is my second review. I have almost 5K miles on my Versa. A couple of things that Ive noticed in comparing the Versa to the 2001 Honda Civic that it replaced are that the dash rattles over even the slightest bump and it appears that Nissan does not have the same attention to detail or quality of materials that Honda appears to have. I have gotten as high as 39 miles/gallon; the Civic got 43-45 on the highway in the summer. The Versa rear windows go all the way down, the Civics dont. The Versa seats are more comfortable and the ride is not as brutal as the Civic. The tire pressure sensor is useless and comes on for no apparent reason. Reliability is still a question.

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  A Great Car For Anyone - 2012 Nissan Xterra
  By olaf_c - January 12 - 8:04 pm

  I bought a 2012 xterra pro-4x with about 9k miles on it about 4 months ago. So far the car is extremely reliable, fun to drive and looks good. The only thing I do not like about the car is the cheap interior but even then it is made up for with comfortable leather seats and a great stereo. I also take it off roading and it is extremely good. Other jeeps can barely keep up with it. If you dont have fun in this car then you havent been off-roading in it.

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  Ill keep buying It... - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Maria - January 12 - 6:50 pm

  I have owned many vehicles in my time but this is by far the best suv on the market today. I am a big woman and I feel like a little girl inside this truck. Now if you can make it in a convertible "My dreams will come true"

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  Great Truck - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Ron - January 12 - 5:13 pm

  I bought this truck for my wife to drive to work and also for my use when I have little projects at home. At first my wife did not want a truck but she finally gave in after the test drive, now she wont let me drive it. This truck is awesome for the price. I was debating between this and the Tacoma but the Toyota people must think Im rich because they want to charge crazy money for the Tacoma. This Frontier is plenty of truck for the money. And of course the reliability that comes with Nissan is something to consider. Overall this is a great truck.