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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  Most Who Review For A Living Lose Touch Sometimes - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Rob - December 23 - 7:26 pm

  I read reviews on cars in this category before I went searching and, unlike Edmunds review, most have the Sentra as a near last "resort". I went to a Nissan/Kia dealer and drove a Sentra after being shown one. It was attractive enough and felt comfortable so I drove it and ultimately bought one. I was proud of the deal , but before taking delivery was wondering if I made a mistake given the reviews I read. Now that I have owned it long enough to be objective enough, I can say that I made a good choice, not just because the price. It is not flashy by any stretch but, again, looks good. The compliments I have got on the look (gunmetal with the tinted windows) have been surprising. The interior has really grown on me. For me, it is give and take with net "take". The radio display is not the largest and does not have the best display (with the radio on), but sounds very good (it processes the XM radio signal very, very well). The reverse camera is very clear. The climate control area does not have a fancy layout and that has grown well on me. No having to examine the area to figure out how you want to set it. The drivers display has grown on me, too. The large speedometer and tach are great for driving. The 5" drivers display is a standout. The SV doesnt have all of the functions, but is enough and the color display is pleasing. The gas mileage has been better than I expected. Pretty darn thrifty. It is a slow accelerating car with a small gas tank, but the cost of driving it has neutralized the lack of acceleration. I am a bigger guy and find the seats very comfortable. I found them comfy when I drove it relative to other cars I drove. They are not sport seats, but for me do not need to be. Just nice cloth and really comfy. The one thing that stood out when I drove it and has remained my favorite part of the car is the steering wheel. This is a car I paid a little over $16,000 for and considering the price the steering wheel is of a sport diameter and thickness. The steering and handling are not sporty but the car it rides smoothly. Quiet in the city, quite a bit of road noise on the highway. The Conti tires may be part of the reason. i had them on my previous car and interior noise went down a lot when I got new tires. Overall, my Sentra is quite the nice car to spend my days in. I drive quite a bit. A lot of car magazines rip the car for what it is missing. My perspective is, it deserves kudos for what it does give, quite a bit of passenger room, nice ride, maneuvers well, a feeling of safety, comfortable seats, simple dash and controls (a stately look), great instrumentation, very nice gas mileage and a fantastic steering wheel (the first time I have ever admired the feel of a steering wheel on a car). The ease on the pocket book when buying one is a bonus.

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  Nissan Maxima SE - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By white98se - December 23 - 11:00 am

  Very functional, roomy performance sedan. Good road manners on freeway or windy country roads. SE suspension gives road feel without the rough sports car ride. Dependable never fails to start. Easily "modable" for the enthusist that wishes to squeeze a few more horses from the very well built 3.0L V6 Fine for 4 adults. 3 small kids will fit in the back if they get along ... Ample trunk room. A joy to drive on the daily commute or sunday run through the country.

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  bad mistake - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By amoore - December 23 - 9:16 am

  purchase in 8/2004 only has 4,000 miles on it and rattles everywhere rides like a log truck, gas not so good. trying to trade cant do that nobody wants it.

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  2009 Xterra - 2009 Nissan Xterra
  By George - December 23 - 4:43 am

  I have the S with tech package, 4WD, 6M. I rented a 2006 and traveled 2000+ miles and it was a rough ride at that time. Nissan has made some wonderful changes in the suspension and engine power. The 2009 is more sports car than SUV. A true joy to drive. Very little road noise. Hands free blue tooth is great. The Rockford Fosgate music system is out of this world 8 speakers and a sub-woofer. The back seats are stadium placed so that the back seats are higher than the front. Lots of cargo area. This is my 3rd Nissan the other 2 (Stanza & Altima) I got 190,000+ miles out of them. I know that this one will do the same. A week is hard to tell much about a car, but its long enough to say its great

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  My First convertible ! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Mike - December 23 - 2:56 am

  I did alot of research on this vehicle before purchasing my 350ZR Touring. I really love this car, it fun to drive and cause a stir of excitement wherever I go. It has a solid frame and its well built. Nisann needs to market this car better, they still consider the Maxima their flagship.... This is my daily drive vehicle and I ejoy being behind the wheel with the top down, no better way to enjoy an afternoon drive.

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  Its early, but this car rocks - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Mr. T. - December 23 - 12:36 am

  Im nearing 1,000 miles on a 2010 coupe and have zero complaints. Excellent acceleration and handling, a joy to drive. Test-drove the Mazda 3 and Accord Coupe. The Altima has a much more solid feel than the Mazda -- no comparison really. The Accord was roomier and drove about as nicely as the Altima, but we liked the styling on the Altima better and it cost thousands less than the Accord. The dash layout is a big plus for us -- simple, easy-to-reach controls. Love the CVT trans. Alum alloys are standard on the base model and they are really nice wheels. The back seat is smallish and the trunk space is very limited but these are trade offs weve accepted to get a very sporty looking, fun car.

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  Great New Truck - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Jene Moseley - December 22 - 10:13 am

  Instead of a Toyota, I bought a Nissan Frontier 4X4 and drove it home from the dealership 200 highway miles. The last 20 miles were over a snow packed, icy, steep dirt road through a forested and mountainous area. It was midnight and I was alone. Im a 71 year old great grandmother and felt totally secure. Though still quite new, I really trust this truck. If youre looking for a smaller, rugged all- terrain pickup, check out the Nissan Frontier. For performance, its an impressive vehicle.

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  Z-one - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By bobsaun1 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. Gets tighter and faster each time I drive it. I was told the computer kicks up the engine at 3k and 6k. Its true. My decission to by this car was made with one exception, comfort. I am a "big guy" and I finally got to sit in the car when the car was released to the dealers. I fit perfectly.If I had to nit-pick, I would only comment on two things. One of the things is because Im upset about all the rain we have been getting. Opening the window when its wet outside is not how I want to wash the interior.Nissan needs to design - cont below

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  shame of American Nissan - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By zeus48 - December 22 - 9:39 am

  I bought a 2005 X-Terra because I very much like the VQ engine series and their automatic transmissions. The first thing was the cheap interior seats began to shred. At 60K the paint is flaking off the roof and the factory knows it had white paint problems (no roof clear coat) at the factory and sold the vehicles anyway. No help from the dealer or factory. I bypassed the radiator w/a tow external cooler. The gas guage sender is failed, the fuel vapor recovery sytem is failed and now the loop cam chains need replacing along w/ the tensioner. I love driving this truck but it is a mess considering its age. I believe the responsibility rests with American Nissan management and cheaper is better

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  Nissan Sentra - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By reviews2 - December 22 - 5:09 am

  The Sentra is a good car Runs well and gets good gas mileage