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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  Good. - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Travis Austin - January 18 - 11:50 am

  My first real car out of college, living in the suburbs of Chicago and was in need of something that I didnt have to mess with. Corolla was the default choice, but I actually found this more manageable in the act of driving. Fuel economy is 40 going 55 mph, 35 at 65 mph, and around 33 on typical highway driving. For the size I feel the car could get a little better, but if you know how to drive for the sake of economy, it makes a significant difference. I have the low-end version and I think the stereo is fine. The drive is quite smooth, though admittedly Im not entirely used to driving newer cars. Zippy. Smooth ride on the highway. Glad I have this.

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  2001 Sentra GXE - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By bman1027 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Nissan Sentra GXE brand new in april of 2001, I was deciding between this and a Honda Civic, I made the mistake of choosing this car. Since then, Ive put about 28,000 miles on it, and it has been in the shop about 6 times. 3 times for recall, and 3 other time the car just broke down. The most recent trip to the dealer is the most outrageous experience ive ever had. The car would just stall in for no reason, and after leaving the car with the dealership for over a week, the dealership still cant figur out what is wrong with the car. Now Im getting rid of the car and planning to purchase an Accord, Camery or a Jetta soon.

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  More Bang for your buck - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By goodcarfinder - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Im guessing people who are in this market of buying this type of automobile have already looked into the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Mazda 6, BMW 5-series, MB E-Class, and Volkswagen Passat. Out of those cars only the BMW was the best. It had better handling,design, and of course a good reputation. However, the price is not appealing. The Nissan though, more moderately priced does share some of the BMWs characteristics as its ride is very stable (no bumps felt) and the car itself it breathtaking. I highly recommend this car for any person in the market of buying a mid- size auto. Dont go domestic and dont go for the V6 (eats too much gas).

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  Maxima.....Loaded Altima? - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Foo - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I love the new Maxima. Looks great, superb engine, top notch interior (unlike the plastic woes of the Altima) and roomy. But I am doubting the strategy put out by Nissan. The Maxima is identical to the Altima mechanically and suspension and chassis wise, other than 20 more horsepower. For a car that cost so much more, I believe that Nissan should have forked out more development money to maximize the cars potential, especially chassis and suspension wise, instead of routing the cheap way, and building a car that looks great, but is just an Alitma. The car still handles well, but for the price, it could be much better.

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  A few words about the new Xterra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By PL Muren - January 17 - 5:46 pm

  Having owned and liked the original Xterra; I still had a few things on my wish list. I wanted more power, an easier to use transfer case and better interior design, especially with regard to the folding of the rear seats. All of these things and more were fixed on the new model. The new engine delivers a rush of power one seldom experiences in a vehicle in this class. The new electronic transfer case is a joy to use even especially when the driver is tired. The rear seats fold flat without the need for removing and storing any cushions. While I thought the older model somewhat more attractive, nearly everthing else is better on the new one. The built-in XM radio is a joy to own!

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  I love this car - 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jimmy - January 14 - 9:56 am

  Okay, this car just rocks. Fun to drive, power to spare, and room room room. Just a great car to drive. But I do feel like Nissan skimped on the S model in order to force us to bump to the SE (+$3000). I mean, cmon, its 2010, and no AUX jack for the iPod? Are you joking? Its a great car, and I love it. I just wish I could feel like I wasnt being effed over by the mftr is all.

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  2004 Nissan Frontier XE Crew cab SWB - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By Fabian - January 14 - 4:06 am

  Just bought this truck which had 37,000 miles. Rides a little harsh with off road tires but handles well and looks great. Interior is great, all instruments laid out well. Added a K&N air filter for improved fuel economy. Tows a 6x12 cargo trailer with my 4 wheeler fairly well. I plan on keeping this truck for a long time. looking forward to many years with it!

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  Great, But.... - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By PhotoPhritz - January 14 - 2:30 am

  This vehicle is really different... in mostly wonderful ways... Great Drive. Comfortable Seats. Super room in backseat. Versatile. Sharp looking. Tracks (drives) well. Very little stress felt, even after a 5 hour drive. Not seeing tire wear (like previous reviews mentioned). Middle dashboard confusing, too many knobs & options. Terrible gas mileage.

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  Passes Crash Test with flying colors - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By AnarKaotik - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I had heard bad things about Altimas in crash tests. Yesterday I hit an SUV, a telephone poll, and landed on my roof. I climbed out myself and aside from being a little banged up, Im fine. Thats what I call passing a crash test. I always enjoyed the car, it was very quick for its class, smooth ride, good handling, very roomy and comfortable. Great buy. I will say I did have to get a few repairs, axels and what not, but probablems didnt start until about 70000 miles.

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  Another Nice Nissan - 2009 Nissan Sentra
  By Kemp - January 13 - 5:16 am

  Had A Jeep Grand Cherokee once that was under 36,000 miles and the transmission went out - the freeze Plugs went out and the final straw was when the windows would not go up - that was my turning point to buy a Toyota 4Runner or a Nissan Pathfinder - Thank You Jeep for forcing me to make the Move and Thank You Toyota for being more expensive. This is my 3rd Nissan and I must say my faith in Nissan is as strong as ever - With the added incentive for Cash For Clunkers how could I pass up on trading in a 1986 4x4 Ford Bronco II. To have such a Reliable vehicle again (Nissan) is like a breath of Fresh Air.