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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  Beautiful Max Very Safe - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By saxguyck - July 19 - 6:36 am

  I purchased my beautiful 05 maxima sl in early January and unfortunately got in an accident in the snow a month later and totaled it. The back end fishtailed going around a curve, I did a 360 and I hit the gaurdrail twice, once in the front and once in the back. Unfortunately, the car was totaled, but I was perfectly fine. The airbags didnt go off, I was able to drive the car for another week after the accident, but it would cost too much to fix. Car was amazing, roomy, had all features including a heated steering wheel! Fast too! I will purchase one again when I get my check from ins. Buy this car, just be careful in the snow. Very safe and tough. High quality.

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  Best Value For Your Money - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Dave - July 18 - 5:03 pm

  With all the features and good build, not to mention easy on the wallet, how can you go wrong? 100% satisfied!

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  best of the bunch - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By jerry m - July 17 - 11:43 pm

  it is the best all around truck i have owned. it has all the power i need - is quiet even at 80 mph and above. the ride is excellent. it will tow my boat and i have no doubt it will go in snow.

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  Great Foundation - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By thewiredgeek - July 17 - 8:50 pm

  This car has a great ride around town and on the back road. It cruises comfortably on the highway, but can be a little scary if you have to manuver at that speed. The 4 wheel drive system is great, but you need better tires than stock for good snow and mud traction. A high end all terrain tire in stock size will do wonders for performance. I added a cold-air intake to get a little more passing power, and it was money well spent.

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  Great Styling - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Sit L Wong - July 17 - 3:23 pm

  Upsized from Maxima after 110K+ miles. Gave the Maxima to my son. Am a believer in Nissans reliability & durability. I was wowed by the looks of this SUV. My Murano SE has firm, almost still sporty European ride. Love the interior roominess. Love the CVT - smooth acceleration without the shifting.

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  Sweet Ride..... - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Import Driver - July 17 - 1:33 pm

  Just got the vehicle needed somethin 2 drive to give the Spec V a rest. Max is a beautiful car rides and handles nicely. Stock stereo in my Spec V is better than stock stereo in Max (huge dissapointment opt for Bose). Ride & Handling like Spec V but a bit softer. Seats are comfortable and look of high quality. Dash materials are nice and display quality but could be softer like the Toyota Avalons. Headlamps are beautiful and makes the Max look expensive. Love the Interior/Exterior design b/c it doesnt look like somethin u would see everywhere u go. This is our second max and hopefully will be just as reliable as the 1st and the other Nissans that we have owned. The engine is a Top Notch...

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  Fun & Comfort - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By daveton - July 17 - 11:06 am

  The car drives very smooth, the CVT is amazing. Surprising acceleration for a 4 cyl. The SL package, though expensive, comes with everything one could ask for. The controls are well placed and easy to use. Tons of storage space in trunk and lots of small hidden storage places inside the car. Excellent car!

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  Great Truck! - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Bill - July 17 - 9:43 am

  This truck is great, Ive shopped the competition and found this to be the best deal. Im getting 18.9 mpg average in summer and 17.8 average in winter. Ive upgraded to 89 octane this winter for a 1-2 mpg boost. you may get 16 mpg in the cold on 87 octane. Im gonna try 93 and see if it is overall cheaper or not. Ive got 6,000 miles on the truck and have had no problems at all. the 4wd works great, snow and hills are nothing. Great truck!

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  The Z - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Jim Johnston - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Contrary to historical experience I like this car more now than when I bought it. This car is a blast. It begs for high speed turns and it stops on a dime. The transmission loves to wind and the torque ratio is great in any gear. The body style is cool. The interior is more than adequate and is designed for sports car performance. The rev light, tire temp monitor, extensive gauges and best of all SEATS that conform to my body that prevent lateral movement during high speed turns etc. All for under $32000-WOW

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  lots of performace for the money - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By BobZ - July 16 - 10:00 am

  My wife just got one these 350Zs and is almost as fast as my used 1991 Porsche 928GT 5speed purchased for half the price.