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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  Love At First Sight! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By deltagirl - September 12 - 6:40 pm

  My parents car recently died, so I gave them my 2008 RX350. The Murano was aesthetically pleasing externally (a head turner) and with the 2009 internal upgrades it was hard to find any disqualifying features (save the orange display). Check it out yourself!

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  Nice car - 2018 Nissan Rogue
  By Roger f. Kane - September 12 - 7:57 am

  Great deal for the price

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  2004 Nissan Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By dworkman - September 12 - 6:20 am

  Great vehicle. No problems since purchasing. Excellent performance with unbeatable speed. Interior room is great, better than any other car in this price range with similar performance.

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  the consistant exhilaration - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Birky - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I bought it new before heading off to college. Special ordered the 5spd. Still blows the doors off so called "muscle cars" even with its conserative apperance. I hate the cupholders; they interfere with shifting. It has gotten me through blizzards and hurricanes with complete confidence. Reliable is an understaement. My mileage is exceptionally low and the paint has been professionally restored after a snow shovel oppsy. Im passing it on to my little brother who is starting at Villanova, as I move on to a CLK Cabriolet. If it wasnt going to my brother I wouldnt part with it. Beauty, power, handling, reliability, style and BALLS!

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  Great all-around performance car - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By dude_472 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I love this car and never doubt that it will perform in extreme situations. I go through front tires every year so you can imagine how aggressively I drive it. I had this car at very high speeds, including turns, and never lost control; it slides beautifully through the turn. The suspension seems soft and suspect on turns, but the compression is set nicely so that it holds...just have to get the feel. No problems with the engine after 50000 hard miles. Ive gone through 3 sets of breaks and 14 tires already ($$$) but that was my fault, not the cars. There really isnt much you can be unsatisfied with for the money. Had it for 4 years and plan to keep it for 4 more or so (sell@100K).

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  Buy One - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Grrreg - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Test drove Ford F-150 Crew cab,Silverado 1500 Crew Cab, Toyota Tundra, then Nissan Titan, researched it ,bought it. Gas mileage is pretty good. Built much better than Silverado or the F-150. My experience at the dealership was a disaster, I dont recomend Valencia Nissan, sneaky little guys, but I was prepared...........Thanks to Edmunds.

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  My Maxima 2004 - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Furqan Mirza - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Im having very good experience with this 2004 Maxima so far. I just got it last month. The ride is so smooth and very sweet. Im 22 years old man, and i love having fun in it by driving.

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  Excellent model - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By rdmprofsvcs - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vehicle now for 5 months and it still feels like its right off the dealer lot. The interior is functional, stylish and modern and the exterior as well as the color (blue) doesnt get old. I have owned several Nissans in the past but this is the first Altima. Alas, my heart is set on an all-wheel-drive Maxima when they come out and I will reluctantly trade this in or sell it on the private market once that day arrives. But I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I have spent driving it. The only problem I have is that I did not purchase the 6-cyl to save money while waiting for the Maxima but sometimes the 170 horses is just shy of whats desired.

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  Nothing to complaint - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By AnotherAltima - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I had an Altima 03 but I think the interior design/quality is ok. So, when the 2005 is out, I went to see both Solara and Altima. The layout of Solara is as good as Altima. However, in my opinion, the quality used on Altima is better than Solara despite others comments. One of the obvious examples is that Solara just used all hard plastic on the door trim while Altima used leather with pad underneath of it. At last, I traded my 03 Altima for the 05 Altima.

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  Great Fun and Goes through the Snow - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By headmonk - September 11 - 5:50 am

  I traded a Jeep Grand Cherokee for my Murano after a lot of research. I could not be happier. I live in serious snow country (300" a year) and put a lot of miles on my car in the summer. I blasted through 12" of snow on my way home. No problem. The car handles great and gets plenty of looks. Pickup in any situation is very good. Very comfortable and quiet riding. My wife thinks it looks like her old Gremlin. I wish I had bought the full feature version with all the fun stuff. This is a great car.