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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  Fun, but room for improvement - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By GMO - August 20 - 9:16 pm

  Fun car. Looks great. Issues: Super loud wind noise esp. with windows down and driving over 40mph. Steering is weird. Always aligning it. tends to pull too much to left. Found condensation in rear brake light already. Volume knob makes squeaky sounds sometimes. Dont like the seek control on steering wheel. why hold it down and have to wait. That isnt good. Brakes are jumpy and just not right. The CVT shifting is okay,but takes too long to shift and hangs in high rev too long. It is better when i do it manual and shift at the proper time. It is not smooth at all. its fun to drive around town. Engine revs a bit too loud and wish the shifting was better. Mileage is good and it looks nice

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  90K and counting - loving it - Shift4x4 - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Shift4x4 - August 20 - 7:56 pm

  This truck has exceeded my expectations, A new purchase and have enjoyed very mile. only issue has been, battery replaces at 4th year, leaking a/c hose replaced compressor to top of condenser, new tires after 5th year and heat shields on exhaust removed (they began to rattle) due to some corrosion. I am not planning on getting rid of anytime soon. too much plastic in the front grill and fascia on the new one I will wait for a nicer design. I like its towing capacity, I have taken it from philadelphia to montreal several times with a fully loaded trailer, perfomance was good. the cruise control light, dimmer, and radio controls are a bit out of view on this model. overall I love it.

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  Awesome!! - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Andi - August 20 - 5:56 pm

  I absolutely love my Xterra. Driving thru snow is now a breeze since I bought my Xterra. I love it!! Best vehicle I have ever owned. Highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Flirty and Fun with Great Curb Appeal - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By shopclassgirl - August 20 - 5:36 pm

  I belabored over what car I was going to buy since Id had my last car (a midsized sedan) nearly a decade. It was hard leaving something I loved to something brand new, not knowing what to expect. I narrowed it down to the Sentra SR over the Toyota Corolla (so many are on the road.) The Sentra SR fit my fun style more than the Corolla but the ride comfort of the Sentra is not up to par with the Corolla. I do, however, enjoy the ergonomics of the Sentra SRs cockpit, with ease of reach for everything. I like the thumbs up I get from total strangers about the smoked lights and SUPERB black paint. The trans drags and jerks at less than 40mph, dealer says normal for CVT, but unsure if true.

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  Grandmas Truck - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Nissan Owner - August 20 - 10:23 am

  Ive purchased nissans since 1981, 1st large SUV. Love everything about it except the rattles & leather compared to other nissans I have own. The power it has compared to other SUVs is far superior.

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  Safety - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Scott - August 20 - 10:13 am

  When I purchased my Titan I had researched and test drove all the available 1/2 crew cabs. My wife and I felt the Titan offered the most truck for the money. The only thing I couldnt find much on was safety. Unfortunately I tested this myself in a snowstorm. My wife and two young children were driving in the middle of NOWHERE when we hit a blizzard. Long story short, we went into the ditch and rolled one time. The entire family was unharmed (not even a scracth). I was able to climb out of the ditch and drive 100 miles to the closest town. I was amazed at how well the truck held up. The only damage was minor cosmetic. Im very impressed.

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  Its Big!! - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By 41 - August 20 - 10:10 am

  So far, this truck has been fantastic. No other truck has the room that the Armada has. So much space in the back and the features are great. Truly a beast on the road. Safety is what you sense in this truck.

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  Great Truck! - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By tbs04xev6 - August 20 - 9:40 am

  I purchased this truck used in May 2008 to replace a 2000 Dodge Dakota. The truck drives well and can haul whatever I throw in the bed. The 4wd is flawless and works well when the snow flies. The truck has limited slip differentials, so I never get stuck. I have the long bed 4-door model, which is a bit difficult to park in tight situations, but the bigger bed is worth the trade off. The V-6 runs great and gets decent gas mileage for a truck this long. The automatic transmission is lazy on the downshifts, but runs fine. Wish it had a fifth gear for better fuel economy. I installed a Magnaflow exhaust on it, which helped freeway merging and mid- range power greatly.

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  Performance and Economy - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Scarhill - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I wanted to purchase the SE before Nissan changed the vehicle in March. I cant say enough good things about this vehicle. For the money it simply can not be beat. I am averaging over 30 miles per gallon, traveling the interstate at 80 mph. The combination of power and economy is very impressive. Anyone considering a V6 Accord/Camry should really check out the Maxima.

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  SPEC V or M3 - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By 7SPEED - August 20 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car 2wks so far and have nothing but love. Quiet engine and minimal wind noise. Usually I have the 180w stereo(standard equipment) turned up so I dont hear anything. This thing even pulls hard at 60mph in 6th gear. This is the poor persons M3!!