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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  Completely Satisfied - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By maxowner - May 3 - 10:00 am

  I do a fair amount of driving in relation to my work, so I wanted a car more powerful and roomier (I am 63") than my Mazda 626. Completely satisfied with that choice. Lots of leg and head room, even with a sunroof, which is a power sunroof. Plenty of get- up-and-go, accelerating quickly and smoothly, and handles very well, even on curving mountain roads. Interior is leather with faux wood trim. A bonus is a built in dash 6 CD changer, with a great Bose sound system. I am convinced that a comparable Toyota Avalon or Acura or Honda,etc. would have cost 3- 4000 dollars more. Mileage so far appears to be 22-24 in town, and 26-28 on the highway (using regular unleaded gas).

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  Wow! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By colebob - May 3 - 10:00 am

  This was my last choice of car to check on my list of Honda, Passat, Toyota, Mazda, even BMW. I took a test drive & bought it! Incredible power in the engine! Drove a Suburban 7 yrs & was scared of a small car & no power. I got this car black & loaded with all the bells. Have 480 miles on it & people stop me all the time to say how cool the car looks. Im very happy & would recommend to anyone.

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  Brake Problems - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By debys007 - May 2 - 10:40 pm

  My husband and I bought our Altima 2003. We dont drive a lot comparatively speaking these days. I love the car but there is a real problem with the rotors warping. We have had to have the rotors resurfaced and new brake pads twice now. The first time was at 27,000 and again 10 months later and its only been driven another 8076 miles. So less than 36,000 total on this vehicle we have had to resurface rotors and install new brake pads twice. Both of us are in our young 50s and have had many cars in our lives. Weve never had a problem with brakes, so I say this is a car flaw!! Oh by the way, neither of us ride the brakes either.

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  Cool looking hybrid - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Ken - May 2 - 10:33 am

  I was looking for a midsize hybrid, so I choose the Altima over the Toyota Camry, due to the sporty body style. But the ride is just awesome. If you are looking for a mid size sedan with good gas milage, handling and acceleration, this is it. Not to mention, I got 600 miles on the first tank of fue l(75% hwy). But keep in mind, the gas tank holds 17 gallons. My previous car was a Corolla, so I was not used to buying 17 gallons at every fill up. In closing, if you want a cool looking car and do your little part in saving the planet and be less dependant on foreign oil, consider buying the Nissan Altima Hybrid.

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  My pathfinder is the best - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bob - May 1 - 9:53 pm

  This is one of the best SUVs you will find.... it is as tough as a hummer and as luxurious as a range rover. it is an all in one package. if you decide to purchase a pathfinder you arent making a bad decision.. it is as important as buying a house... it is as fun to drive as it is to tow... and rides like you are riding on clouds... you could be going 120 and feel like you are going 35.... be careful about the speeding tickets... this is a wonderful vehicle not just for you but fot the whole family....

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  A lot of car for the $$$ - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Jb - May 1 - 9:26 am

  Compared to Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion. Purchased Altima based on the number of options vs. price and first year of new style. Overall fun car to drive - CVT is great. You will not be disappointed!

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  Really impressed with this truck! - 2012 Nissan Frontier
  By rbagnate - May 1 - 5:55 am

  I just wanted to say this truck saved me and my family from a semi-truck that had no control(icy roads). We braced for impact and after the semi hit the rear end, I though we were goners! After being pushed into the other vehicle and everything was said and done. My daughter in the back seat with the booster chair and restraints and my wife in the passenger side. We all came out of this truck unscathed. The airbags deployed and till this day I am still in Awe! The truck was a 2011 SL. I would definitely RECOMMEND this truck to anyone. Now we have a 2012 Pro-4X...

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  Best car I ever owned - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Ray - May 1 - 3:20 am

  I bought the car on a whim because I had seen the car in a parking lot and loved the look. I love to drive it and we only use it on weekends and trips.The only draw back I have is with the heat and cooling in the rear seat compartment. You cant regulate it. It needs an extra blower to maximise the air flow. I read an article where the top speed is 149 miles an hour and Ill never drive that fast but I believe it.

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  It saved my life - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By It saved my life - April 30 - 9:03 pm

  I owned a nissan 350z for about 6 months Id like to have owned it longer but unfortunately I was in an accident in it. The car was totaled. It rolled twice after hitting a large boulder. All of this happened because of my error no part of the cars handling or control was at fault. Anyway, I walked away from the accident with only two bruises, both from the seatbealt. All six of the cars airbags deployed and in the end the frame of the car was still in excellent condition given the fact that I had rolled it so many times and struck such a large object.

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  Best deal on the planet - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By kzphil - April 30 - 8:03 pm

  My son and I both own 2007 Versas. Both are 4 dr "S" sedans that we purchased about 4 months apart from the same dealer. I have 14000 miles on mine and average 27 mpg. Everyone from the big to the little people in our family loves these cars and I am going to buy a 2008 model soon.