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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  eeee doggie - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By diamond dawg - October 20 - 10:00 am

  what a car for the money. love the bose system, interior and exterior style. leather looks brand new.

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  SE-R Spec V - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Gurds7 - October 20 - 10:00 am

  This thing handles like it is on rails.0-60 in just over 7 seconds and brakes from 60 in 121 feet. This car is very fun to drive and draws lots of looks from others from its factory body kit and 17" wheels.

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  3rd Maxima--this one is the best - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By yobrooks - October 20 - 10:00 am

  2002 GLE loaded---cant beat the value compared with the competition. Great engine, steering and brakes. Have fun!!!!

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  Very Happy Customer - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By lsufan61 - October 20 - 10:00 am

  The new design for 2002 is a real eye- catcher. Luxury car look inside and out at a middle class price. I couldnt be much more happier with my new Altima 2.5 SL!

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  Smooth Criminal - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By stan_sr - October 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive. It just ask you to give it gas everytime you get in the car. The car holds the road in all the turns. As I was driving down the interstate one day a Volvo owner decided he want to have a little race. I gave him a thirty yard head start and blew his doors off. I never saw that guy after that. My kids named the car smooth criminal because the car moves faster than you think you are going so you know a speeding ticket is just around the corner. LOL!! This car is a real kicker.

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  Still impresses People - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Jess - October 20 - 7:36 am

  I Love my car. I have a 98 GLE and it is dependable and it still looks good. Its still drives excellent and has nearly 130,000 miles on it and I have never had any major problems. People still get in my car and tell me wow this is pretty nice. And i have come to love the rear end, but I have a spoiler which really evens things out.

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  I love it! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By DTT - October 20 - 7:23 am

  Test drove both Tacoma and Frontier and decided on Frontier due to more comfortable ride, nicer interior, availability (Need to wait 3 months for Tacoma), price (about $4000 more for comparably equipped Tacoma), and more power. The Frontier has a quieter cabin and the bed is traditional steel with a sprayed on liner which is not slippery like the Tacomas plastic liner. The utilitrac is very strong and durable and seems like it can hold a heavy load. Had six mountain bikes and six people on board and it didnt break a sweat driving uphills in the mountains. Very strong and smooth V6. Test drive both and see for yourself. All other trucks werent even considered.

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  Overall, a very nice SUV - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Steamthief - October 19 - 9:56 pm

  I was hesitant to buy a 2004 due to problems mentioned on edmunds, and Im glad I waited. The 2005 is indeed a very nice truck. Gobs of power; merging onto the freeway is a breeze. Interior cabin is very quiet, surprisingly so at freeway speeds. Lots of interior room; front seats (leather) are firm and supportive, middle bench has lots of legroom, and the kids prefer sitting in the third row, so I assume its pretty comfy back there as well! Bose stereo sounds great. One concern is the underpowered brakes; steering wheel started shuddering after about 3k miles, mostly city driving. Dealer serviced brakes at no charge, all is well again. Overall, I love this truck & have NO regrets.

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  Solid - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jason - October 19 - 4:46 pm

  Had the Pathfinder for 10 months now and still cant find something we dont like. We went to buy the 4-runner but this just blew it out of the water.

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  Great Car - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By GEM-NEY - October 19 - 2:50 pm

  My 1999 Nissan Sentra has been a great car. I use it to commute to work and school. I have been getting great mileage. If you are familiar with the Bay Area, I can make it from San Jose to San Francisco and back on only a quarter tank of gas. This is a very comfortable car.