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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  small business owner - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By CHARLES - April 30 - 10:46 pm

  nice truck lots of power fun to drive. sticker reads 15 city and 19 highway. i get 10 city and 15 highway. doors dont close very well, passengers allways close twice. g.p.s. is not user friendly. when you are driving your passenger can not use the gps and pulling over so you can use it is not allways possible. thats sucks. hunda has a better gps.

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  Hits All The Right Notes - 2014 Nissan Versa Note
  By Bob McDonald - April 29 - 5:13 pm

  This is our 14th Datsun/Nissan vehicle, and fourth in the Versa family. The Note is our first non-manual transmission vehicle and the CVT performs very well. From cruising the highways in PA to the need for quick merges into heavy traffic in DC and NJ, the power train hasnt let us down. The Note is just a touch smaller inside than our Versa hatchback, but still very roomy, and rear seat passengers are always surprised by the generous legroom, even with the front seats all the way back. With a fifth passenger, the back is a little tight side to side, but that come with the territory. My wife commutes an hour to work, and we make frequent 3-4 hour drives on our travels, and the ride comfort is great, never feeling cramped. Weve been spoiled by the XM radio. Fuel economy is very good, and we didnt have to pay any premium for a hybrid. Solid, reliable transportation that wont break your budget. 4/14/16 Update: No real changes in opinion on anything. Since were at 60,000 miles, and after a talk with the service manager to inquire about whether a transmission flush on the CVT is recommended at 60K (it is), were having that done tomorrow. They tell me its called a "drain down" because with the CVT they dont drain all the fluid out because of how the transmission is built. Not having any issues with the CVT that I can tell, although weve been driving manual transmissions so long, that this is still a bit outside of my experience. Late winter we had a transmission reprogram done on a recall, which actually bumped up the mileage a bit, but didnt seem to change how it feels at all. Getting 41-42 mpg combined driving at the moment. Were going to Indy for the race this year, so that will be the next long road trip to check highway mpg.

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  Pleased not ecstatic - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By MidwestRoadrunner - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Looks great, drives great, very affordable compared to other compacts, nice inside and out.I would only consider the Toyota or Nissan, would not consider V8s or Dakota.Checked out new Colorado it seemed chincy and cheap yet $25K. This is a great truck for the money. We paid $18K for used 02 SE/LB with 22K mis.The previous owner took great care, looked like new has extra goodies like spray in liner, nerf bars, and after market security.Toyota is crazy they wanted $20K for a used Tacoma with 50K mis.Would not consider new. Worse, all Tacomas are short beds. With cost savings over Tacoma we bought an 84 mo. b to b extended warranty.

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  Eds new Murano experience - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By cityhog - April 28 - 10:00 am

  This is our first new car/SUV. It has all the room and power a young couple with one child needs (Im 511"). We love the leg room and the interior design. It has a wide stance that encourages confidence. Suspension is just right (a bit sporty but not too stiff). It recently came #2 in roll- over rating. Engine power is not brutish, very smooth and more than adequate for a normal human being (if you need/want faster, get a sports car).

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  Better than a Beemer - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By JPG - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Its a great car, the engine performance is all I had hoped for. I love that there is a lot of space inside and compared to both the 3 and new 5 series BMW, I feel you get a lot more bang for your buck, especially when you consider maintenance costs. The navigation system is a big plus for me and although it took some time to figure out it has some great features!

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  Almost Perfect - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Black Rogue - April 28 - 7:26 am

  Purchased two Rogues over the past 3 months. One is SL AWD with everything but leather package and the other has everything. In general, the cars ride smoothly, but can be noisy at wide open throttle. Highway merging is not a problem with the QR25. A good first attempt by Nissan in the cute-ute segment that needs a few improvements.

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  value of a 1998 nissan sentra - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By Barbara Batts - April 25 - 2:00 am

  I am buying this 1998 Nissan Sentra and I would like to know the value of the car. It has 113,000 miles, four door and it has never been wrecked.

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  Nissan Spec V - Bad Manual Tranny - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By nissanfan1639 - April 25 - 2:00 am

  I like the looks and engine has decent pep. The manual transmission leave a lot to be desired. Had nothing but problems with the manual tranny. The gear ratios dont seem right and shifting gears is problematic, hard to do and often caused grinding. Ive driven stick for 20 years and never had this before. The Audio system is overrated, for the price. The dealer turned into a #@$ after the sale, when I complained about the transmission.

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  Very Nice 4 cylnder Midsize Truck! - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Jesse - April 24 - 3:26 pm

  This is 3rd Nissan Truck and its an improvement! My first truck that I buy w/ an automatic transmission. Pluses: Mid-size truck feel, handsome exterior, smooth shifting automatic transmission, big cargo bed, firmer truck ride, lots of interior storage, durable cloth seats, power package/keyless entry, back doors that swing open to allow the the occasional passengers. Folding side mirrors, side airbags, anti-lock brakes, and bigger fuel tank. Lots more cargo room than my last Frontier! Reputation for reliability and better resale value than most domestic trucks. Todays vehicles have lots of interior plastics, and Nissan uses quality plastics.

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  Not bad for the price. - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By KofPguy - April 22 - 9:46 pm

  Overall its a decent truck but have been questioning its durability from day one. The drivetrain is clunky and loose and when in 2WD the gearbox has an annoying rattle which the dealer says is "normal for these trucks." The lack of true power would make one expect better gas mileage but both power and gas milegae suck. It does look great and I have enjoyed taking it off-road. And it came at a great price. However, my final thought on this truck after owning it a few months is, "You get what you pay for."