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 Light Duty Pickup - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By yader84 - December 24 - 1:57 am

  I test drove all the light duty trucks before I bought this in 2007. Tacoma was small, lower to the ground, and more bouncy. Mazda felt loose, Ranger couldnt touch the interior space. The Nissan is stable, feels larger than others, has great towing capacity (3000#), and I get 27 mpg. For the size, it has power you wouldnt expect. Best of all, it has had no major problems, and thats at 175,000 miles.

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  370 Z a"Winner" - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By JPK - December 23 - 8:50 pm

  I traded in my 2005 BMW 330CI with the sport pkg and sequential manual tranny. It was a quality vehicle and fun to drive. I test drove the 370 Z and felt it was more me than the BMW. It looks great, (turns heads)has rapid acceleration, shifts easily, and corners like it is on rails. I,m 511" and weigh 170. The seats are comfy, head room is ample and leg room is good. I now have over 1200 miles on the car (mfrs break in period)and engine and tranny feel much better. I live in East Texas and the temp has been in the mid 90s and low 100s since Ive had the Z. 240 degrees is the highest the engine oil has gotten. The Z engine is noisy but seems quieter as it breaks in.

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  Great Van! A++ - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By MGriffin - December 23 - 4:13 pm

  I got mine as an 04 left over in March of 2005 with 70 miles on it. It has ben a great van so far. Nissan extended the warranty for 04s from 3 to 5 years because of some minor bugs ie doors(which is bound to happen with any new model year)if this tells you about how they stand behind their vehicles. Looked at Honda and Toyota and got a MUCH better deal even if it hadnt been a left over. If your looking for a van definatley take a look at the Quest. The 06 seems to have even more features. If I still find I need a van in a couple years when its time to trade mine in I will go with the Quest again!

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  wonderful - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Laura - December 23 - 12:41 pm

  I. Love being up and able to see the road. I got the Rogue with safety package and love it.

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  Excellent purchase - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Darryl - December 23 - 2:26 am

  I love everything about this car. It was an impulse buy for me but have no regrets. The moment I saw the car I knew I had to have it. The car drives very smoothly, and has some get up and go power. The gas mileage is remarkable!

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  Nice Design, Lots of Power - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Neal - December 23 - 1:16 am

  After looking at both Toyota and Nissan, I felt the Nissan had better features, especially the bed channel system---of which has proven to come in handy for securing cargo with the short bed. After 1500 miles, Im very pleased with the quality and reliability to date and would definitely recommend this vehicle.

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  BEST CAR EVER!! - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Kim Ovelgonne - December 21 - 7:53 pm

  The Maxima SL is luxurious, sporty and fun to drive. This car has power with a smooth ride. The Maxima is roomy and sleek on the inside. The leather is soft yet sturdy. The carpet and mats are plush. When I saw the Maxima I loved the body style. I took it for a test drive and I knew that this was the car for me.

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  From Mercedes ML to Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Cross Creek Dave - December 21 - 12:20 pm

  I traded the ML in for the Murano. The Murano was as well equiped as the Mercedes. I traded the an ML 320 which I had wonderful service from, but the ride was rough. The Murano is very nice gives a better ride than the Mercedes, plus gives better gas mileage and has at least equal or better acceleration. This vehicle is stable in curves, smooth riding and gets plenty of attention. This is my first Nissan, but probably not the last.

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  Great car - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By java350z - December 21 - 2:00 am

  Even since this car first came out in the car magazines I wanted one. It has been a great and fun car to drive. The steering and pick-up is superb. Its a "head turner".

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  Awesome - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Michael Mcnally - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had the Armada for about 6 weeks now and absolutely love it. The drive is smooth the power is there if you need it and the size inside and out is great. The stereo system is great. I recommend the captain chairs for second row we love it. we love everything about it.