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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  Love My SUV! - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Hands On - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I researched (edmunds.com) this vehicle prior to buying it. I tried several others SUVs because I was afraid of getting a premire SUV. I work as a massage therapist and I travel to my clients. Having a vehicle that accommodates my table. I literally took my table with me in trying out each one. The Xterra, besides accommading my table, has carried many loads of camping gear, groceries, shopping sprees, and so much more.

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  an SUV for the new century - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By deh - May 20 - 10:00 am

  We purchased our Murano SL in blue/black and are very happy thus far.We live in New England and we look forward to putting it to the test.Handling is fun and precise.We have noticed that visibility is somewhat challenging on the driver side bar by the side mirror.We have been very impressed with the fit and interior of the car and my kids love it!

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  altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By jay l. - May 20 - 10:00 am

  lousy sound system good styling good ride gas milage not good yet pickup is good

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  2004 - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By matt hanscom - May 20 - 6:20 am

  This truck is powerful and fun to drive. Not good on gas but when you need the power, it is just a pedal push away. I like how spacious the cab is.

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  Love my Murano - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Dube - May 18 - 8:26 pm

  Ive had my Murano for a year and a half. Love the ride, room and reliability. You must rotate tires ever 5000 miles, I learned the hard way. Little hard on gas 15.5 in L.A. 21-22 on the hyway. Like the back-up cam., great for parking. Heat and air great with the hi speed fan. Great radio, love the sunroof. Leather nice, but I hear the 09 is much better. Brakes do squeak in reverse,I knew this when I bought it, it is annoying. Headlights dont seem to be to bright on low beam no matter how you adjust them. Ride is good a little hard, but still not bad, handles great. 4wd works great and will go threw some deep snow, Im from Maine. Love unlocking the car without the key and starting it.

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  Fun with Compromises - 2013 Nissan Juke
  By phranc68 - May 18 - 7:07 pm

  I love my Juke. I was looking for a unique, sporty, AWD for my new car and found all that and more in my new Juke. We already have a minivan, so the small spaces of the Juke are not an issue. Fun, responsive, eye catching. Most of the controls are intuitive and the "manual" CVT option actually works pretty well, giving the driver real control over the power.

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  Good truck with some flaws - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By 07 Fronty - May 17 - 5:56 pm

  I love this truck, its very capable off-road and hauls it all around town and on the freeway. I have just under 7k on it and I get the occasional squeak/noise from under the dash, paint chips semi-easily and does GREAT on the freeway, but badly around town. Gas pedal takes a bit to rev. Interior shows scratches like mad. Otherwise, love the looks, features, power.

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  Fun car... gas mileage stinks!! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By ELIZABETH - May 16 - 11:00 pm

  The car is just outright a fun car. I love the bluetooth capabilities considering the phone is my life. I especially love the CVT. It makes the car less noisy and its a smooth ride for the most part. I have not had the car for long but I am beginning to think the car doesnt really get 36 MPG. I am averaging about 28-31 MPG on the highway. The car tends to be a smooth ride with an occasional drifting. Not sure what that is about. I feel my 1999 Grand Am with over 200,000 still gets better gas mileage.

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  ejmreview - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Edward Moskaly - May 16 - 10:50 pm

  I am satisfied with performance and styling of my 2005 Nissan Maxima. I would like to have running lights, self-locking doors, and leather on the door panels as standard equipment though.

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  Smooth ride, quiet interior - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Andrew - May 16 - 11:03 am

  I bought this car mainly for my wife, but I do enjoy driving it because the ride is very quiet and smooth. Acceleration is nice and road noise on the highway is minimal. I dont like that the steering is very resistive to turn, and the auto headlight sensor basically needs pitch black light to turn on. Overall a great car with a nice interior, soft ride, and great visibility. The nav unit with birds eye view is nice, but lack of touchscreen and the small function knob make it a bit difficult to manage. Bose sound not as great as advertised either. Fuel economy is typically average ~19mpg 50/50 city/hwy. Car is not for sport enthusiasts though. Very comparable to RX 350.