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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  Excellent Truck, Poor MPG - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Etheric1 - June 14 - 11:23 pm

  Much more stable and comfortable ride than the Tacoma. Better engine shifting (much smoother, quieter and feels more powerful overall). MPG for most trucks is not very good and this is no exception. So far about 17 mpg on the highway (but have only driven it 300 miles so far, and it seemed to improve the longer we drove). The Nismo trim is fabulous off-road in both the 4 x 2 and 4 x 4 version, like buttah! The traction control is a great feature on the 4 x 4 and very useful in inclement conditions. We are thrilled with our NISMO 4 x 4 but urge all automakers to increase the mpg on all trucks (and create some retrofits for those of us who already own your vehicles).

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  Fun to drive - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By Wu-lin - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Thinking of the cost of Nissan Sentra GXE and feel these: From 0 to 45 mph in few sec, no probelm. From 70mph to 90 mph, no problem too. It is so much fun to drive this car. "Everthing you need, nothing you dont"

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  Maxima SE 5-spd - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Chip - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought my SE 5 spd for a steal. $13,500 and it looks brand new. BOSE system is great. Big, easy-to-use knobs/buttons. My 1993 SE (209,000 miles w/ original clutch!) had the BOSE but its faceplate was half the size. Auto climate makes you wonder what you ever did w/o it. Leather is in great shape and two power seats is what you usually see only on high-end luxo cars. I wish Nissan had opted for a built-in antenna. The power antennaes always seem to develop a problem. I agree with the previous post...the SE is a BMW 5-series for a lot less money. Ill check back in when my 1999 duplicates my 1993 and crosses the 200k mile mark!

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  great car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By mike johston - June 14 - 10:00 am

  great car with great luxury I love the engine the most and everything about it

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  Awesome - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By Tony Leparulo - June 13 - 9:23 am

  Had a lot of fast cars but none as fun. This package beats all. The car on the track is sick. you cant find, its limit. It is the car of the decade. No one give you the performance of this car for the price nothing corners like it. the only car that even comes close is the Lexus. There taking orders now for $375, Sold my Porsche Carrera.

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  Just Right Nissan - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Just Right for Me - June 13 - 8:40 am

  Reliability is great and it is very easy to drive. Construction is pretty solid, but the outer car body dents easily. Maybe all cars are like that now. Outside mirrors are big and have a lot of range. Gas mileage is around 20 mpg when I drive conservatively - no racing the engine and driving 60 mph on the freeway (most of the time. :-)).

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  Dont like imports - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Darrell - June 12 - 3:50 am

  I purchased my wifes 2005 Maxima in march 2006 from Enterprise Car Sales and I must say that it took a lot of out of me to buy. Because I dont like imports! But let me tell you something, this luxury/muscle car is worth it. Its and head turner, My wife just get compliments everywhere she goes. Great acceleration, and handling. Great interior room (buying point) and comfort. If theres anyone who doesnt like this car, they must be on drugs. I hate imports, but I like this car. Some small improvements needed. Is this car perfect No. But it comes very close. I hate to say it, Go Nissan

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  Elegant and Fuel Efficient! - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Val - June 11 - 9:10 pm

  I needed a classy car with fuel efficiency for my Real Estate Business. With the Altima, I have it all! Its very roomy, handles well, and so far I get about 26 miles to the gallon! I read about, "road noises," in consumers comments, but I have to disagree. I have a Mini-Cooper... Now thats ROAD NOISE!!! This does not compare. This is a, "Must Buy!" You get Top Design for a reasonable Price. Good Luck with your car shopping! ~Val~

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  Best Car ever, except for Bose Speakers - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Charles - June 11 - 3:30 pm

  I got this car brand new with 2 miles on it and have not stopped loving it ever since. I was looking at the Camry as well as the Accord, but the Altima stood up ahead of the other two. The CVT is awesome. For a 4 cylinder, it drives like a 6 cylinder. My only problem is that there is a rattling noise when I turn up the Bose speakers to volume 15 of 32. It sounds like something is loose in either the dash or the passenger door.

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  First Nissan Owned - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By CRE - June 11 - 10:00 am

  What a great vehicle which has been underrated by the press. This SUV is very well engineered inside and out and appears to be solidly constructed (owned for 3 months). It drives very well for an SUV and even handles better than many cars on the road. The purchase process with the Nissan dealer was better than I ever imagined buying a new car could be.