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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  dads rocket - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By nimmer - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Look at it ! Father of two now, and proud to fly in and out of mall, grocery, or home depot... dont care Im driving the quest!

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  The Best Quest! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By D. Brewer - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This is our second Quest and we couldnt be happier. The center console is very convenient and there is room for everything! We love the DVD with cordless headphones, and it handles like a dream! The dual power doors are perfect for families on the go and the remote door open function is priceless! We are very happy with our new Quest and wouldnt trade it for anything. Did I mention the neat bag to keep the headrests in if you have to take them off for your car seat to fit properly? Or the grocery bag hooks? Pure genious!

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  Murano Rocks! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Antiquesfreaks - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Tight, solid vehicle. I bought the Sunlit Copper model and there isnt a day that goes by that someone doesnt stop me and ask what it is or compliment me on how it looks! I LOVE THIS SUV! Bose stereo is the icing on the cake! Rides like a dream and handles better than most cars Ive had or driven, which are many. BMW X5 was my first choice, but for the money, I would buy a Murano any day!

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  The best car I ever owned!!! - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By salfaro - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I love my car. Its roomy. It has great cargo space and everything. Everyone complements me on my car.

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  Great Choice - 2009 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Danny in Houston - May 4 - 1:43 am

  I used this site to do research on my next purchase and it had a lot of great info. I feel I made a great choice in the Pathfinder, and I got a great deal on the one I purchased. Even this base model comes with so much. I changed the radio out and put fog lights on myself but other than that , it doesnt need anything else unless you want to Pimp your ride. Im not going off road but I still have enough room and power to go over something if i need to and not get stuck. Gas mileage for me is good, because i dont drive all over town and hardly any hwy at all. i needed a larger vehicle to haul around active kids (3) but still feel cool driving

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  Great Car! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By lauren11107 - May 4 - 12:03 am

  I love my Altima. My fiance bought this car for me but I had been looking at them for weeks. I love my push button start and the CVT transmission. I also adore my sunroof. This car looks amazing on the road, very sporty!

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  2 neighbors F-150s in the "Bone Yard"!! - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By swolfe44 - May 3 - 5:22 pm

  Bought a new 2004 Titan the same day my neighbor bought a new 2004 F-150. 3 years (80k miles) later his F-150 was falling apart, so he traded it on a 2007 F-150?? Here we were in 2010, 3 years later, his 07 F-150 has 92,000 miles on it and its just blown the tranny--He traded it, again-on another F-150...some people never learn!! My 2004 Titan had 378,000 miles on it when I decided to trade it on a new 2010. I thought about keeping it to see if I could put a 3rd F-150 in the "Boneyard", but Ive made made neighbor feel bad enough already ;o)

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  Awesome car - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By dm3 - May 3 - 3:17 pm

  Usually cars have tradeoffs. Power vs. gas mileage. Ride comfort vs. handling turns. Size vs. price. The Altima somehow seems to defy these tradeoffs in a way Ive never experienced before. I dont know if its new improved technology or money. It has an eager powerful engine mated to an excellent transmission thats knows what you want to do. Great mileage (32.5mpg mix). Handles turns great while providing supple ride. All with tons of interior room. One of the best cars Ive ever driven.

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  Great Basic 4x4 - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Mike FHR - May 3 - 10:00 am

  Who needs leather and wood grain dash?! Its a 4x4 dang it. Our Xterra is great. Plenty of room for our family and gear. Weve been up to the mountains, the beach and around town. I like that its very different looking than its competition too.

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  Fun, Reliability and Luxury in One - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Konopasek - May 3 - 10:00 am

  The 2001 Nissan Pathfinder is a great choice for SUV lovers who demand only the best, but refuse to pay $50,000 for another manufacturer. Ive not had any problems with this vehicle whether it be mechanical or cosmetic. The auto 4WD feature performs well in adverse conditions. Although it is a V6, it is a powerful 240-hp V6 that Ive used to pull a Ford extended cab pick-up, with a trailer attached and loaded, up a muddy incline. The interior features are very nice in the LE model and as a person who is 63" tall, I have virtually no problem with legroom or headroom.