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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  2007 Frontier - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Mark - January 12 - 4:30 pm

  Great vehicle with stunning design. Perfect size matched with awesome power. Not too big, but big enough to do just about anything... with great features all about. Great purchase.

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  2005 Nissan Frontier SE 4x2 - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Joe - January 12 - 2:46 pm

  I have put almost 13,000 miles on this truck since purchasing new in Aug. 2005. The milage is a good mix of highway and city driving. Overall the truck is a solid performer. I havent hauled anything really heavy but what I have hauled did not strain it in the least. The cockpit has a real nice feel with easy access to everything. Plenty of storage space for all the junk you would need to carry. Driving on the highway is great at higher speeds. It doesnt have a lack of get up and go. Short hauls with passengers is about all I would suggest. The seats are comfortable. Overall craftsmanship is top notch.

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  Murano - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By dog - January 12 - 11:40 am

  I just purchased an 06 Murano, I traded in an 03 Suburban, on my way to get the new vehicle, the Suburban averaged 9 MPG, the Murano averaged 24.4 MPG for the trip home driving 70 MPH, the gas savings alone will make half the payment. Thank you, Nissan..

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  This car is not worth the money. - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By kdutcher05 - January 11 - 11:09 pm

  I have had this car for 6 years and would get rid of it today if I could afford to. I have had so many strange problems with this vehicle and have been shocked to go on line and see that thousands of people have had the exact same things go wrong and still Nissan wants to blame it on wear and tear! I am not a youngster and have owned many cars in my lifetime. This, by far, is the worst one of all. It has been the most expensive and most problematic vehicle I have had the bad luck to purchase. The worst part of it is that Nissan will not acknowledge these problems exist in ALL of the Muranos. It wont be immediately evident, give it a year or two and then it starts. Look at the real reviews!!

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  Where is Nissans quality? - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By Nissanjunk - January 11 - 7:56 pm

  I purchased this vehicle NEW 2 days ago. Within 10 miles I had brake pedal feedback/shudder. At 200 miles, the brakes shudder so hard that the steering wheel almost shakes your hand off of it. The A/C compressor was cycling in/out way too often. Check engine light on at 225 miles. Took it to the dealer today - Updates as of current: 1) Front rotors are warped 2) A/C compressor is shot, needs to be replaced 3) "We havent had a chance to find out what the service engine soon light issue is, nor have we found the source of the odd howling noise. This is the 2nd Nissan that has had ridiculous issues, but this one is only 36 HOURS OLD!

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  Great SUV Hands Down - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ESUVEE LUVR - January 11 - 8:13 am

  Replaced our Lexus RX330 with the fully-loaded Nissan Pathfinder LE with Nav-DVD. Great car/truck/SUV. Best we ever had. There are some trade offs with the RX330, but all-in-all, it beats it and all of the others I have test drove. If you are concerned about fuel mileage, stay away from this, or better yet, dont get an SUV.

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  Got rid of it after 3months - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By billmoze - January 11 - 6:14 am

  As previously mentioned, CVT Drivetrain sucks!! This was my first Nissan Product and most certainly my last. I took my lumps and traded it on a very nice Hyundai Sonata ( while they had their rebate offers ). That helped with the loss I took on it. I previously had a Hyundai Azera, a great Car ( for 6 years ). I just found out this morning that Nissan issued a recall on the 3.5 Engine CVT, but not the 2.5. Technical Bulletin issued just last week. I would very strongly suggest this Vehicle with a poorly designed & engineered drivetrain be avoided !!!

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  Antonios Review - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Antonio1958 - January 10 - 11:03 pm

  I traded two vehicles: an 03 Murano SL AWD and 05 350Z Roadster after realizing that it is no longer practical for me to have 2 vehicles requiring premium fuel. I purchased a black on black w/leather LE loaded with the dual panel roof instead of a DVD player. This car is an absolute delight to drive and Im amazed at the amount of room as well as the creature comforts. When you press the accelerator, it responds effortlessly. 20hp more than my 03 and seems like about the same mileage with mid-grade fuel. If you select a black one, only use microfiber cloths on the exterior and say good-bye to automatic car washers.

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  Not bad if you dont look at the paint - 2014 Nissan 370Z
  By Erin - January 10 - 5:28 pm

  BUYER BEWARE! I purchased my 2014 with a potential minor paint issue that has become a nightmare. The ENTIRE clear coat is separating from the paint. Some of it looks like a frosty pattern, other parts look bubbled. Nissan will not make this issue right, claiming that RAIN caused this issue with the clear coat. RAIN?! I have owned many cars, and rain has never damaged my clear coat. I have never regretted a car purchase as much as this one.

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  SO HAPPY!! - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By laurenxsaysx - January 10 - 2:28 pm

  I love my nissan. It has way more to offer for the price than the chev equinox. You definitely want the backup camara, it helps out a lot. Its prefect for my family. I have 2 large dogs whom fit just right in the hatchback space (a third medium dog fits too). A lot of legroom in the backseats (which fold down flat). If i could do it all over again, i would still buy this car but i would pay more for the AWD. The stock tires handle well in snow and rain from my past experience with a kia. However, rogue is very light weight so the wind can push it around pretty easily. I get 23 MPG city and 29-30 mpg highway.