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 Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By bobby007 - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Love the car, love the design, love the power, love the attention it gets. The exhaust sounds wonderful and I love the Bose.

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  AWESOME - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By ndgaikowski - July 28 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Fun to drive, excellent braking, suspension, steering. The short shifter is in a perfect spot, along with all the other gauges

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  Great Vehicle but need some Updates - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By pprince - July 28 - 1:02 am

  Ive a 2013 Nissan SV which is a great vehicle and i love it. I wasnt a fan of Nissan vehicle but the new design gave me a push in buying it and also giving it a surprise gift to my lovely mom. The vehicle is fun to drive, with its great interior features and liability. Everything is top of class for its own level compared to other vehicle such as Honda, Toyota. Despite that, i think a few things needs to be made such as the Brake Light System & Air Bag System. The Air Bag System is finally fixed & im glad the dealership saw that i wasnt creating stuff up. Next fixing should be the Brake Light System because Ive changed my Nissan 3 times. Other than that, vehicle is Awesome.

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  Loved it until the fifth year - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Lori - July 27 - 3:40 pm

  I loved this car until the fifth year. The driver side seat broke and muffler system, and now steering column. It is starting to cost money but it still looks brand new.

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  I love this car!!!!!! - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By lisaanne - July 27 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used over a year ago and i love it. It has great pick up for a 126 hp 4 speed automatic. It did have about 3 recalls but the dealership did all 3 in one visit. I do have one complaint. There is this chirping/squealing coming from under the hood. Other than that, this is a great car.

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  Take it to the Max - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By John Bull - July 27 - 10:00 am

  Leased my Maxima GLE on a whim on my Birthday in 1999. I knew as soon as I fired up the silky V6 and drove down one particularly rough section of road, I had to have it. Its cushy yet fun to drive in the twisties, though it wont be confused with a sports car. This cars forte is silent running and comfy cruising. The Bose system is amazing. People have said the styling is non descript, and I tend to agree to a point, but blending in is good, especially since the car loves to run fast; Ive found myself well in excess of the 65 MPH limit and not being aware. Sometimes Ill go for a drive just to listen to the Bose and feel the response and smoothness.

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  2002 Sentra GXE With Synergy Package - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Miata93 - July 27 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Sentra I have owned. The first one was a 1986 model and took me to 186,000 miles before the tranny gave out. Already that says something about the Sentras reliability. So far, this car has been great!! Its very quiet on the highway, the ride is very comfortable and has enough power to get on the highway. The handeling on this car is great. Weve driven the car from CT to VT and got there on just under half a tank of gas. The trip is about 260 miles!! Amazing! The styling of the car is just beautiful. It reminds me of a miniature Mazima (one of the reasons we bought this car). Overall, I would highly recommend this car to anyone.

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  A ton of fun and bang for the $ - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Lady J - July 27 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I bought a lease turn in for $17k w/21k miles on it. We could be more pleased and laugh at our friends that by new Accords, J30/35, Camarys and whatevers. Its almost too much fun to drive. Hard to keep under 80mph on the Interstate.

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  Design+Performance = Best Buy - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By marco polo - July 27 - 10:00 am

  No wonder this was the North American Car of the Year. The design/style and the performance of the 3.5SE engine is unmatched for a vehicle in this price range. Nissan has outdone its competitors! I cant wait for the aftermarket performance parts from Stillen or Jim Wolf Technology to become available. The engine has untapped resources waiting to be unleashed.

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  Love It - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PathfinderOWNER - July 27 - 7:00 am

  I love my new Pathfinder. I just bought a 05 LE. The only things I hate about it is it sways in the wind and the doors do not automatically lock once it is put into Drive. My gas door always opens by itself if I dont lock the doors. I am taking it back to the Dealership tomorrow.