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 02 Sentra - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Paul - October 3 - 11:16 pm

  I love this car! Weve had this car for a year and a half and have put 35,000 miles on it and we couldnt be happier. It runs like a top, it is a charm to drive. It is my third Nissan, and I wont be shopping anywhere else from now on!

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  Altima after 4 years - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By dm - October 3 - 12:26 pm

  This car has been the best car Ive owned (and Ive owned a lot). I bought it because it was stylish, affordable, spacious (both passenger and truck space) and fun to drive. It has also turned out to be very economical (23 MPG city) and extremely reliable. On the highway, it has over a 500 mile range and it has never left me stranded. And with the 5 speed it is a lot of fun to drive. A lot of power for a 4 cylinder.

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  SE-R Spec V - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By hafbond - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Pros. Great performance. Decent gas mileage. Smooth engine. Great Seats. Decent Stereo. Cons. Poor dealership. Poor paint. Semi-sloppy shifter.

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  Great deal, great car - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By VSpec_Silver - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Just purchased a 2003 Sentra SE-R Spec V. Looked at Civic SI, but who needs an uncomfortable 3-spoke stearing wheel, tiny wheels, and pathetic stereo. Go with the Nissan and get an unbelievable stereo, sunroof, huge 17 inch wheels and true comfort. The seats are hard where they should be and soft where they need to be. Car is comfortable and a great value.

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  Best bang for the buck, period - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Specificationvictory - October 3 - 2:00 am

  you absolutely cannot get a better car for the price.

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  Limited Edition is a great deal now! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By happymister - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Hi, I disagree with the editors review that the Limited Edition is too expensive and folks should go for the Altima instead. Comparing the feature sets available with the Altima 2.5S and the Sentra Limited Edition, both come with same engines, but Sentra has better features.. in safety, audio systems as well as comfort features. and while the Altima is difficult to obtain at Invoice - $19.7k, I got the Limited Edition for $14.2k (Invoice-1% - $1000 cashback -$500 New Graduate discount + 0.9% financing..) thats a cool $5k less than the equivalent Altima. and doesnt justify my opting for an Altima since i dont need a larger car.

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  So content its ridiculous! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By The Brad - October 3 - 2:00 am

  I must say that I am truly satisfied with my Murano. The comfort that comes with this vehicle is simple amazing. Nissan has outdone themselves with this baby; no joke, foreal! I traded in my 2001 Prelude Type SH, my favorite car of all-time, but for some reason, I havent looked back. I would recommend this truck big-time!

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  A Must Have!!!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Loving it - October 3 - 2:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for over three weeks and I still cant wait to drive it everyday! I was a little sckeptical of the tv ads, but once I saw it in person and test drove it I was hooked. The Murano has plenty of power and a smooth drive with plenty of head and leg room.

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  Murano-State of the Art automobile - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Connecticut/PFD - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Fully loaded SE Murano. We wanted an SUV that was sized right for our needs. Easy exit-entry, great performance and handling plus good gas mileage. This car exceeds in all of the above with features that would be found in cars costing three to five thousand dollars more. It is very well engineered, fit and finish are excellent. Having owned a 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee, there was no way we would buy another after driving this car.

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  Best Crossover SUV in class - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Nikolas - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Drove Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, RX300 Lexus, Highlander, and Volvo. For the feature set and the price this vehicle cannot be beat. It sits at par with the Honda and the Acura, shames the Highlander, and comes mighty close to the Volvo. Now, compared to the Honda and MDX I chose the SL Murano AWD because of its newer styling, at par performance, and better interior (less conservative than the Hondas but not crazy-out-there). Compared to the Highlander and the RX300 Lexus, there is no comparing. The Volvo is nice but pricing starts at 40K unless you can live on the vanilla base model...