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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  Had a ton of vehicles and by far best "Family" SUV - 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
  By carlover1980 - September 15 - 2:43 am

  Ok, you are talking to a girl who loves vehicles. Ive had everything from Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Jeep. Ive stood by Honda products and still will. But, this Pathfinder Plat is amazing!!! Tons of space for car seat, stroller, Grammy & Papa, too. I use the cargo area in/the floor as a diaper station on wheels. Ride is great, large pano moon roof. Not sure if Id buy one-since I lease the base path-and wasnt impressed by long term quality-not like my Acura-which aged beautifully. But, going from a Path base to Plat-huge difference and totally worth the $$. Only wish it had the App feature like in the my Altima SL. Looking for space for family and everyone is comfy and happy go w/the Plat!!

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  Its a very strong vehicle - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By cheynene marshall - September 15 - 2:00 am

  a very good vehicle with a great reputation!

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  Great family vehicle - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By srcole - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Our young family of four is really enjoying this vehicle. The DVD entertainment center is great for long trips. It has a lot of power - Im someone that loves to accelerate, and the Armada has good, very smooth, acceleration for its size. It handles very well on slick roads. The interior is unbelievable - storage is everywhere! And the second row seats have a LOT of room! It is easy to fold down the third row, and the fact it has shoulder belts in all 8 seating positions gives us a lot of flexibility in where the kids ride particularly when my wife travels with friends.

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  Buy This Vehicle - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Alan T. - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Sold our 2001 Mercedes C-320 for this vevicle. It is a decision we have not regretted. All the luxury of the MBZ with Nissans dependability and lower price. (We also own a trouble-free 01 Xterra). Love the sound system and the vehicles comfort. Why buy the Infiniti? A wiinner!

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  Our First Mini-Van - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By dcran42 - September 15 - 2:00 am

  My wife has pestered me for years to buy a mini-van. I have resisted because I disliked to boxy look they all seemed to have. When I first set eyes on the 2004 Quest, I knew that the time had come to join the legions of mini-van owners. We are retired and travel frequently to new destinations. This is a sweet ride! The new Quest is head and shoulders above the competition in styling, safety, and amenities.

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  red, hot, and alot - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By pappyrags - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This mamma will get it! A smooth ride with alot of kick. The manual shifter is a cool item for those who wish a little up and down shifting at red lights. My drop-dead red with a black rag top defenitely turns the heads. Totally pleased in all categories.

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  BEST CAR - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By papinilo - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This is the greatest car I have ever had. It is so smooth to drive it and its extremely powerful and fast.

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  First Nissan Ever - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By dvkiel - September 14 - 4:13 pm

  Bought the Versa over the Toyota Matrix (have one already) because of standard features on the Versa. This Versa becomes the wifes car and I get the Matrix. Ive had the Versa for one week now and have a little over 100 miles on the car, all city driving. Gas gauge still on full. Car is very quiet and smooth running, CVT is very nice and very quiet. No estimate of MPG yet but am hoping for at least the stated average at this point for city/hwy driving. Great economical car thus far with many great features and good design and style.

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  Loved it, but... - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By citychild - September 14 - 3:03 pm

  We just traded it because we couldnt afford 16/mpg average. The only significant problem we had was around 88k, our A/C stopped working--crucial in Phoenix. We found out it was the radiator which was plugged at 30%. We were told since its such a small radiator, this caused the A/C to stop working. Thankfully, we had an extended warranty because the bill for this was costly because there was a lot of figuring out what to do before they figured it out. Between the gas, the cost of tires ($200/each) and oil changes ($50 each) we traded our car. It was a sad day, but we will be happier at the gas station, thats for sure.

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  Great Car - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By Johnny Drama - September 14 - 1:56 pm

  I have had my Maxima for just over 1 month now and I love it. Great features and the CTV transmission is flawless. This car is fun to drive!