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 all-round suv - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Matt - August 27 - 10:30 am

  My Pathfinder was well equiped w/ leather, Sirius radio, sunroof and stickered for $36,125. This was my first foreign car and has impressed me enough to want to buy another. It is very off-road capable, has a smooth ride on road. Has alot of cargo space. But the thing that impressed me the most is the engine and drivetrain combination. Throttle response is great and with the

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  Great car for the money. - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Tony - August 26 - 8:30 pm

  Oil it, gas it and step on it - this car requires little attention and will surpass all others in its class. Try one out and see.

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  its a truck! - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By a truck guy - August 26 - 7:40 pm

  The 2004 Nissan Frontier may not be a handsome truck but it does the job and at the right price. I would have preferred it to have a larger engine and more leg room in the rear, however I knew what I was buying so if I want to gripe about something it should be my thin wallet. This trucks best feature is its functional long bed.

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  Rattles Ruin the Enjoyment - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By JMW - August 26 - 12:53 am

  Its too bad that Nissan could not tighten up the interior of this car. The car is enjoyable to drive, gets decent mileage and is comfortable with minimal road noise. At 2500 miles I developed an interior rattle that comes and goes which is near impossible to have fixed since on two tries it did not rattle for service. It also takes forever to put the last 3 gallons in the gas tank but minor next to the rattle. Very annoying to listen to in a $30,000+ car so Ill put up with it for a couple of years and get rid of it.

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  96 Altima GXE - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Dennis Ragan - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Comfortable vehicle, Good power inautomatic 2.4. Not particularly happy with the way it handled in snow and on wet roads. Shifts strangely in lower gears. Seems to be in 3rd at times when it should be in 2nd, then jerks into right gear.

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  ALMOST perfect - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Xterragirl - August 25 - 10:00 am

  I like the style of the Xterra..it is fairly comfortable and I enjoy the ride. I do however miss the LITTLE things that my Maxima had..the Xterra has no drivers side vanity mirror, the passenger one doesnt have a light. I miss having a power/heated seat which is not an option on the Xterra. I miss the cass/cd combo and the light in my glove box that the Maxima offered. Other than those little things I am very pleased with the vehicle.

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  One Tough Truck - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By datsun72 - August 25 - 4:16 am

  Bought mine new. I now have over 140,000 on it. All Ive ever had to do is change oil. Ive only had to replace the brake pads once. The tires average over 60,000 before I replace them. Its never even had to be aligned. Toughest vehicle Ive ever owned. It still looks brand new. Its worked hard and now my son drives it. Liked it so well I bought a 2008 Frontier to keep it company. Nissan builds the most reliable truck out there.

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  Nissan Murano Rocks - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Dandy - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Sharp styling, great performance, excellent pick up. I love this car!

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  i liked it untill..... - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By 08versa - August 19 - 2:30 am

  bought it in 2008, so its 2 years old. has about 20000 miles on it. Bought it to go back and forth to school and work, so far has done its job. mpg is average-good. Handles pretty good in the snow but dont always trust it. shaky in the wind. love the inside, but ugly outside. Having some issues now where the car hesitates. like its not getting enough fuel or power. taken it to the dealership, they say nothing is wrong. BS!! Great for the price i paid. if i only had $12000 to buy my next car, would buy it again, but hoping not it. Great on long trips and storage space. was wishing for a little better gas millage.My dogs love the back seat. over all, Good-average car.

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  Nissan Quest good family van - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By travelsus - August 18 - 5:16 am

  I love my van - not too big, but big enough to be comfortable. The VCR is a big hit on trips & we can hook up the Nintendo also. Mileage is 20mpg. I would like better, but what do you expect for a vehicle that will transport 7 people!