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 value and reliability - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By iowaboy - January 31 - 2:26 pm

  Bought privately when it had 7,000 miles due to sellers expecting twins. No major repairs in 104,000 miles of ownership - now has 111,000 miles. I now drive 47 miles one-way to work all highway and average 33 mpg using non-ethanol 87 octane fuel. Plan on driving until 250,000. No rust anywhere. I believe the great reliability is due to the 6th and final year of this body/design style. All kinks worked out.

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  Excellent - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Miranda - January 29 - 1:56 am

  The Nissan Altima is a reliable vehicle and is envied by many who see it. This vehicle is a great investment for road trips or for toting around a lot of people. I always feel a little stylish in my Altima.

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  Best Minivan For the Money - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Larry Amoso - January 28 - 10:00 am

  Therere two things Im against in a vehicle: Front wheel drive and Minivan. But yet weve had this Quest since 01/2004 and my wife loves it. She likes it better than the Mercedes ML430 weve had for the last three years. Me, I have nothing against this front-wheel drive minivan.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Billy T - January 28 - 10:00 am

  I dont think the CVT is power sapping, just the opposite. Gets great MPG for a car of its size, speed and power.

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  Nissan Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By ray001 - January 28 - 10:00 am

  This car really has it all.

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  Happy with the van - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By dlb333 - January 28 - 2:36 am

  We have been happy overall with this van. I love the interior design, especially the center console. The car continues to drive well and has been very reliable. Handling is good. It is comfortable to drive on the highway. One drawback, backing up and parking are both difficult. Material- wise, I like it but have a few complaints. First of all, the water temp and gas gauges are poorly lit and have poor graphics. Second, I am not happy with the coating on the center console which has worn off in places and in others has become dirty and cant be cleaned. We have had a couple of minor electrical problems with console lights going out, but not a big deal. Overall it was a good deal.

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  a truly underrated car - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By m stennett - January 27 - 5:30 pm

  Being a BMW lover for years I must say this truck impresses me because of its handleing and manuvering in emergency situations, its comfort surpasses all styling in and out could not be better, I have a family of 5 and I am a trucker therefore i love driving always. on road trips this truck is the best purchase ever, and dont worry about fuel because if you have a mini cooper and the price goes to $10 gal we would still be buying it.

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  5 star - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By thejoker009 - January 27 - 9:20 am

  Fun mid-size truck with full size feel. The power is perfect for this truck. Love driving it.

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  Black on Black 06 SE-R - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Jason in St. Louis - January 27 - 4:53 am

  1 year now with my SE-R. Many positives, but room for improvement. Very stylish, I receive a lot of compliments from young and old alike. Great performance from a very reliable and well engineered engine. Aggressive exhaust tones, Xenon headlights, 18" wheels, 6 speed, 2 tone leather, Bose stereo, etc. With all this great stuff you get TORQUE STEER... big time, interior road noise from tires that are expensive to replace, and huge front wheel wells (car looks unbalanced from side profile). Overall, Im VERY satisfied with my experience with this car... highly recommended.

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  Love My Sentra - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Wolfrd24 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  So far Ive got just under 600 miles on this car and I love it! Its peppy, fun to drive, comfortable, and looks great. I got mine with the Synergy Package (bigger wheel/tires, better radio, spoiler, fog lights, map lights, cruise control) and still got a great price. Its loaded with features. Compared it to a Corolla, an Elantra, a Focus and a Civic. In test drives, it blew them all away. Plus, Nissans are reliable.