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:

• 

  Love it so far - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By hpver - January 12 - 12:38 pm

  We almost bought a 2012 but waited and leased a 2013. We opted for the charger and rearview camera package and are glad we did. State (CA) and local air district rebates cut the already low three-year lease cost in half, making this an unbeatable bargain. We havent driven our ICE car once in the 10 days since we got our Leaf S. This car does everything we need and is comfortable, easy to drive and costs less than 5 cents a mile for fuel. No problem keeping up with traffic, especially if we take it out of Eco mode. It also appears to have more range than the previous models. We only charge to 80% to save battery and can drive almost 70 miles in urban and suburban traffic.

• 

  Minivan with personality - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By my_first_nissan - January 11 - 11:43 pm

  With all the reviews Ive observed, this was the only minivan I considered. Im glad I chose Quest since it is powerful, handles very well especially for a minivan, has so much room for passengers and storage. Im still breaking it in, but it has enough torque to zoom zoom under 4k rpm.

• 

  Great SUV - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Michael - January 11 - 10:30 am

  After looking around, we decided that the Nissan Xterra was the best deal for the money -- cost less than Toyota, better then Jeep. It has been great so far -- reliable, helpful, definitely big enough for family stuff and my kayaking. Only downside -- lower gas milage than the Honda Civic it replaced -- the the ability to get places, drive in snow, and store stuff outweigh that.

• 

  Love it! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Srikanth - January 11 - 6:20 am

  I love my 2005 Nissan Murano so far. It has a nice ride and gets decent mileage. I like the exterior very much and it handles well in snow. I also looked at the Honda Pilot, Mitsubishi Endeavor, and Acura MDX, but settled for the Murano since we did not need the third row seat and liked the ride and performance.

• 

  2007 Xterra issues - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By schott5504 - January 10 - 10:39 pm

  I have owned my 2007 xterra for 15 months now, and its a love/hate relationship. I purchased mine used, with 58k and purchased the (unusually expensive) extended warranty with it. Shortly after purchasing the car, the radiator began leaking and was replaced. Then the rear differential seal began leaking and was replaced. Soon after that the entire rear end basically gave out, and the transfer case, rear differential, and rear axel were all replaced. Now the rear hatch quit locking, and the water outlet on the engine block is leaking coolant.. I love this car but with 74k and already $5400 of maintenance (luckily mostly covered) in 15 months it may not be in my garage much longer.

• 

  I Like It - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Dave - January 10 - 3:36 pm

  It is an 08.5, I looked at all the others and was set on the Toyota, but the full crew cab had a poor 5.5 foot bed. What would you do with that? So my wife pointed me to look at the Nissan, and I have yet to look back, it has just turned 12000 miles, and I Like It, the fuel mileage is good between 15 and 17, 60% highway. I lost 3 mpg from my old Toyota Tacoma but gained so much more load and towing ability. With the LB there is room for the ATV, gear, and the Deer. The LE is great too and all the comforts someone could ask for. Good job Nissan.

• 

  IDWIN - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By kvg - January 10 - 10:00 am

  great car fast and i mean fast. i beat cars i should not beat example 4.6 liter mustangs, i also beat a 240 sx with a sr20det front mount, boost controller, and full exhaust.the thing that makes this car a blast to drive is the amount of torque from this 3.0 is really well used with a 5 speed.

• 

  My Third Sentra - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Ron Powell - January 10 - 10:00 am

  This 2003 Sentra is the third one for me. My first, a 91, lasted me for eight years and I drove that car like there was no tomorrow. Wish I still had it. My second was a 98. Although I didnt like that as much as the 91, it was still a great car. Now I have the 03 model. I love everything about this car. Its sporty (I have a spoiler), great on gas, love to drive it, and it has ample power. I definetly get noticed with this car. There is just so much greatness about this car. I am sure I will be in love with this car for quite some time!

• 

  Best car I have ever owned - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By jeg - January 10 - 10:00 am

  This is a fast car. Responds quickly in any gear no matter how fast you are going. Love the steering in this car.

• 

  Lovin my max! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Maxxx - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Superb handling, good looks. I am sold on Maximas! I tried Camry, Honda and BMW and went to the dealer Saturday and purchased the Max SL! Its an all-around good feel!