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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  OK truck not better than a Sequoia - 2009 Nissan Armada
  By John - September 9 - 1:33 am

  Wanted a Toyota Sequoia but ended up buying this one because of it is 4K cheaper. Never own a SUV before and will never get use to drive a car/truck this big. Yes it has all the creature comfort but it drive like a truck. With gas price moving up again this look like a mistake to get one. If you really need a truck to carry 7 or 8 adult then this is not going to be your first choice. This truck has higher clearance so it is good for offroading...but who will take this 50K machine off road? Before you decide to buy one make sure go take a test drive. Did I mentioned that I felt it was a mistake to bug a truck this big? Maybe it will grow on me. Thus far Im still driving my 10 yrs old van.

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  Best SUV I Have Owned - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Brian - September 8 - 6:40 pm

  Fantastic vehicle. Great pickup. Great for towing. Very comfortable and every creature comfort you can imagine. Not one mechanical problem. This is by far the best SUV I have ever owned and will definitely purchase another one.

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  4x4 Sentra - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By Zaurka - September 8 - 10:00 am

  This car is amazing, it never stop preforming. No mechanical problems what so ever, and trust me when i say i put it through hell. This car can take a beating like no other car can. Ive been offroading with my sentra many times and its still purring, great for e- brake slides, this car will not flip! This is a VERY dependable car, can take a beating, hell of fun to drive. Corninering is ok, but its no abs system with the design of the car makes it awesome for doin narly stuff on the road. Get this car... you will not regret it.

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  Not just another minivan - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By UMA the Cat - September 8 - 10:00 am

  I dont think the Nissan Quest is really a minivan. There is something good going on under the hood. I was truly impressed with the handling and acceleration. The interior was intelligently thought out to give those backseat occupants another dimension when travelling. The skywindows add that missing feature not found in any other minivan. The dash is a bit "retro", but could very easily grow on anyone for its shear simplicity and user friendly interface. I hope what the dealers are telling me about not worrying about the CV joints when towing anything up to 3500# is true. That is my only reservation I have for the vehicle at the moment.

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  Coulda been great, but... - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By laslo - September 6 - 7:46 pm

  Bought in 2004 & loved it at first. Great pick up, good mileage & got compliments on the appearance. But too many reliability problems beyond usual maintenance... replaced coils, MAF, starter, front springs, shifter solenoid, and rear calipers so far. Afraid that O2 sensor and cat converter are next. Power seat motor died. Lots of rattles and squeaks - sounds like an aging taxi.

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  Solid performer - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By fastalt - September 6 - 2:00 am

  The Altima 3.5SE is a solid performer. Its great fun to drive and fast as a shot. It handles great and has plenty of interior room. The exterior styling is hard to beat and much nicer than any of its competition.

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  From SUV to Car - LOVING IT! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By AltimaOwner08 - September 5 - 5:10 pm

  I traded in my SUV for a small car after gas started to rapidly rise...wasnt convinced Id love the new car, but did it anyway to save money. Best thing I have done in a long time! My Altima is much more spacious than it looks and gets awesome gas mileage. I average 34 MPG on my daily commute. I have recommended to many of my friends and family who are complaining of the gas prices.

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  need more safety - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By mfbf410 - September 5 - 7:10 am

  We recently purchased our 2005 Nissan Murano SL. We are enjoying the ride. Wish that it got better gas mileage. However,more so than that I wish that it had automatice door locks. We didnt notice this when test driving...actually I assumed it had this feature since older vehicles that we own do have this nice safety feature. When talking to our sales person he informed me that no Nissans have auto door locks. I believe this would be a great addition in future years. In the meantime I am training myself to lock the doors when I get in.

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  Compacts have come a long way. - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Scott - September 5 - 2:23 am

  I have mostly owned Toyotas and decided to give Nissan a try. Jury is still out on if I made the right decision. The car has been reliable accept for a front end clunk that the dealer cannot replicate. Seems to be a common issue that Nissan should address. The interior space and smooth engine are its greatest assets. Not sure if I like the 6-spd. It should provide a lower RPM in 6th gear for highway driving. Having said that the gearing allows for unmatched power on hills. For an entry level car this is miles ahead of the Tercels and Metro I have owned. It provides a fairly quiet cabin, plenty of rear legroom, adequate power, and many modern amenities at a fair price.

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  Easy on the Eyes....Not on the warranty - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By 02 6T N5 - September 4 - 12:46 am

  I purchased my 350Z almost one year ago and with the exception of the front tires feathering I really enjoy the car.