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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  great - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By dmg - November 3 - 10:00 am

  in town driving and hiway driving a real pleasure. the suv drives itself. the get up and go is great. storage space is better than the jeep grand cherokee i traded in.

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  No first year problems with 02 - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By mfelton - November 3 - 10:00 am

  When I purchased the 2002 Altima, I wondered how much risk I was taking with a first edition new model. I have owned the Altima for approximately 20 months and have been had no problems with any aspect of this vehicle. As with many other reviewers and critics, the interior and some of the interior assemblies have a feeling of "value engineering", or cost cutting. But all in all, this has been a very solid car.

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  coll - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Ja - November 3 - 10:00 am

  i love my sentra!!

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  Quest needed repair - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By southman - November 3 - 10:00 am

  The speedometer quit working at 902 miles. Dealer replaced. One of the sky windows leaked and damaged a rear seat. Dealer replaced and repaired window. Gas mileage not what I expected.

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  The Best MinIvan (If you can afford it.) - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Dale Weathers - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I looked at several Minivans both foreign and domestic, but when I saw the Quest, I was in love. I was going to settle for a Chevy Venture LT loaded because of the price and rebates,(My father worked for GM) but I just couldnt do it. I narrowed my choices down to the Odyssey and the Quest because of their quality. I was able to get the Quest for $29,800 out the door.

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  Great Minivan - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Bill Grant - November 3 - 10:00 am

  Awesome car thats got zip and comfort I cant believe its a minivan....really, its great fun

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  Nissan has a winner! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By LKoepping - November 3 - 10:00 am

  We own two 350Zs -- 2003 Touring, and 2004 Enthusiast roadster -- fun cars! Best buy for the money! Roadster, with or without top down is a head turner.

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  2003 NISSAN ALTIMA - ROCKS! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Speedergurl68 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  After researching competing models, (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord)the Nissan won hands down!The Toyota Camry was completely overpriced for the options they offered and the Accord was spartan in appearance and performance compared to the Altima. The interior is sleek without being barren and offers the driver convenient features like in steering wheel radio and cruise control along with the trademark dashboard features that Nissan is now famous for. Acceleration is a BLAST! The 4 cylinder V-Tech engine with 170 horsepower offers fuel economy WITH powerful response that is difficult to find in most ordinary 4 cylinder autos.

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  RATED A- - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By GRASHA918 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  THE ONLY THING I DONT CARE FOR, IS THE TEXTURE AND QUALITY OF THE INTERIOR MATERIAL USED ON THE DASH BOARD........LOOKS INFERIOR TO THE REST OF THE CAR

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  great - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By nissan man - November 3 - 10:00 am

  awsome to drive very fast. I outrun a 5.0 mustang of the line quarter mile