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:

• 

  Worth Your Money - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Angela - July 15 - 12:53 pm

  I like the handling of the car. I was able to get a really good deal on the SL b/c of the end of the year. The stereo sound system isnt as impressive as I thought. I like the daytime running light feature (but I recommend NOT using the Automatic Daytime Lights b/c of over usage). Those bulbs become very costly & are not covered in basic or extended warranty.

• 

  Reliable until now! - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By russ - July 13 - 2:23 pm

  Up to last Saturday, my 10 year old Altima has been nothing but ultra reliable. It is a noisier car on the highway, especially compared to my wifes Accord, but otherwise a nice car to drive. It handles well, accelerates very well, with power to spare from its 4 cyl engine. Cruise control is a "must" to avoid speeding tickets! Until 3/14/2008, biggest maintenance expense has been for tires (Arizona roads eat them!), and minor maintenance. Saturday (3/15/8) morning, at 65 mph on the freeway the transmission failed. Car has 144,000 km (89,300 miles) on it. Failure occured within coasting distance of a dealership. Cost to repair almost $5,000. Grrrr!!

• 

  Room for improvement - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Shonte, NY - July 13 - 9:23 am

  Overall the 07 maxima is a nice looking car to the eye! But, there are downfalls. Such as, cabin noise, front end humming, mechanics state theres no problem. tire pressure light consistently comes on. On acceleration the steering wheel shakes at about 55 mph.

• 

  Great truck - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By nd - July 12 - 12:33 am

  Ive had the truck for a couple of years now and have had a few issues with it but all in all has been a good truck. I have put more than my fair share of abuse on it such as offroading and heavy towing and its done allright. Havent had any real Major problems. Another suggested improvement is the front bumper is very flimsy Ive had to replace it twice from offroading in snow.

• 

  Sentra SE-R - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By pursuit0226 - July 11 - 9:46 pm

  Got this for my sons first car. I wanted something very safe. He cannot drive a manual so we looked at the Civic EX and Mazda 3 Sport. Was convinced that we would get the Mazda until we drove this. The Mazda may drive a little better but it was so small. I am 64 and could not get in or out of the back and even in the front, I felt like I was in a go cart. The Sentra is great! Roomy, fun to drive, paddle shifters and he is getting 26 MPG with no highway miles at all. Build quality is good and for the exact price of a base Mazda 3, he got the moon roof, Rockford Fosgate audio package with I- Pod adapter and back up cam. Now my wife wants one!

• 

  My second review - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By bstern92 - July 11 - 7:34 pm

  Okay, so its been a little less than a year since my first review and I felt like giving an update. I get 27 mpg with mixed driving and some hard accelerating and I get 35 mpg with a light foot. The steering wheels lowest setting is too high for my liking and the material is really slippery; it makes it hard to turn with one hand. There isnt a lot of leg room in the drivers seat for me. I have 90k on it and not one problem. Am I still happy with my Versa? Yes, even with these drawbacks, I still like my Versa a lot. I get great MPG and despite the leg room, it is very comfy. I get great use out of the hatch and the folding rear seats. Also, you cant beat the price of it.

• 

  Not bad, but certainly not great - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By hfelknor - July 11 - 2:00 am

  The car will probably lasy a long time and give good service. It is a good looking piece. In side I feel comfortable. It has the same 2 ft deep dash as my last minivan. It has the same reflections in the windshield becaus os this too. Once you get it rolling, it performs well. That 3.5 is a sweet engine. The CVT costs you off the line. And the Economy that the CVT is supposed to give you just doeant happen. Overall a good car. But certainly not a great car. And it has problems that are PARTICULARLY irritating.

• 

  MY MURANO - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By XRVER - July 11 - 2:00 am

  MORE PLEASED THAN WHEN I BOUGHT IT.

• 

  350z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By christiane - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love to drive it. The only bad thing about this car is the rear visibility.

• 

  Say No To Snow - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By obushido - July 11 - 2:00 am

  The performance of the car is exceptional. Steering and handling is great. Overall its a real fun car to drive.