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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  @1000 miles - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By dmantic - July 14 - 4:49 pm

  So far, truck is working out well. Minimal road noise for a pickup. Plenty of power. Steering tracks very good, especially at high speed. Seats firm and comfortable. Interior not well thought out. Too many cup holders that could have been used for storage compartments. Cheap plastic chrome exterior trim. 21+mpg mixed hwy/city. Overall, good value when compared to competition with similar equipment. Fun to drive.

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  Great Value! - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By J Ruff - July 14 - 3:36 pm

  I leased my Altima about 2 months ago and have been very pleased. The car is quite comfortable for communting, good on gas (24.5 mpg mixed driving), and fun! I never tire of feeling the smooth power of the engine. The interior is a big improvement over the previous Altimas. The seats are very comfortable. The stereo sound is better than average, but not great. Overall a great value for the actual price paid. You wont get any competitor this inexpensive.

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  Fun as heck, could use improvements... - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By JeyB - July 14 - 10:00 am

  If you buy a Nissan, buy it expecting never to see the dealer again, as they are about worthless. The car is incredibly fun to drive, is responsive to simple performance add ons like a header/exhaust system, and is relatively cheap to run. Get 24-5 mpg avg. For 16g you cant get a car thats funner to drive. At this price point there is no better car. For a bit more the imprezzas a good buy, but not as fun. Id recommend the spec v only if you love shifting and/or live in a snowy climate, as the differential could come in handy there.

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  Fast and Fun - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By BCutler - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Fast and fun are the keys to this car. Quick off the line with the 5 spd. Accelerates nicely over 70, but seems to drink gas. Getting only 23-25 mpg. I have still less than 5000 miles on the car.

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  From a Buick to a Versa - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Jack Beun - July 13 - 10:46 am

  I traded an 03 Buick Century for the Versa and I dont feel that Ive given up much in the way of comfort. I am a young 64 years old and I enjoy the way the car handles. The ride is surprisingly smooth and quiet and the build quality is excellent. My only disappointment so far is the gas mileage. I have only used one tank, but my combined city-highway mileage was 25.5 mpg. Hopefully this will improve a bit. All in all though, I am very happy with this car.

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  Looks, safety, and comfort - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By kpitzmc - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I have to say, if you are looking for an SUV thats fun to drive, and really safe for your loved ones, this is it. I just toatalled mine and it saved my life. The frame bent, the vehicle gave, but I escaped with very minor injuries. Also, invest in the Nissan dealer installed bumper guard. It gives you an extreme amount of added protection. I highly reccommend this vehicle if safety and style are your main concerns.

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  Great All Around Vehicle - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By bstakes21 - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I had my Xterra for about a week now, and I absolutely love it. Good on-road and great off-road hanlding. Some of us SUV buyers actually dont mind the "truck like" ride. Let the soccer moms drive the cute utes, but if you want a great looking vehicle, which is a blast to drive, this is the choice for you.

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  Pleased - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Tone - July 13 - 1:36 am

  Overall, it has been a pleasant experience. The shift from 1st to 2nd gear is not always cohesive. Sunroof should have auto close as well. Nice room for a family of three. Adequate trunk space. I love the sporty feel and look of the vehicle. Chrome license plate shield should be standard. Average 26 mpg combined. Unfortunately, my 2.5 would not run without premium fuel. The car would consistently knock with regular fuel. This is the biggest hang up I have with the car. I would have purchased the 3.5 if I would have known this would happen.

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  Its A Beast. Keeping it till its dead! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Nilek - July 13 - 12:26 am

  Aww man, i got this car like 2.5 years ago, it had 52,000 when i got it in 07, it currently has 140,000. Its been in 2 accidents, 6000 in damage the first time, and it was just currently totaled from me side swiping a tow truck, and hitting a guard rail. Its a great car, i have had some of the problems listed from everyone else, dealer had to put a fuel pump in it, crank sensor, new window motor and trunk motor, when i bought it the tires were "new" but had bad road noise. dealer replaced those too. Also, the damn belt has been replaced 4 times, still squeaks like crazy, doesnt hit bumps very well,and gas guage doesnt always go to full, if ya turn left fast it will, or about 60MI it goes up

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  A nice truck based SUV - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By Hoss - July 11 - 12:23 am

  I did a lot of research before buying the Xterra, I looked a the FJ , the Wrangler, as well as some trucks. The X has the perfect blend of creature comforts and ruggedness. I traded an Audi for the X, and I do miss some of the luxury, but the X makes up for it in other ways. The gas mileage is OK, I get 13-15 in town, and 19-20 on the freeway. The seats are leather in the SE, but they are low grade leather and not heated. The stereo sound good, better than the Bose unit in my old Audi. Its very easy to see out of, and my kids think its great to sit up high. Im glad I bought the X, The Portable GPS is great, better than built in units.