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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  The Ultimate In Altima - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Specialty RN - July 14 - 7:16 am

  Went looking for a black Altima 3.5 SE that was loaded, but left with only the 3rd SE-R this dealership had that year. Ive got the only one in town like it. It is soooo classy yet soooo fun to drive, excellent performance, stylish, comfortable, sporty and quality built. Its everything you want in a car and all in one great package. The Honda Accord cant match its comfort or ride and the Toyota Camry cant match its style or quality. I get looks everywhere I go, because it is definately an eye catcher. I did it right this time. One classy unique car for one classy unique lady...ME !!

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  I love it - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Polak - July 13 - 6:53 pm

  i drove the 2007 camry, accord, civic and altima 2.5 S. the camry wasnt as comfortable as my sisters 2003 Camry and was weak on performance. the civic and accord were not that great for the price. for all the options you get and the performance, the altima was the best buy for me. the altima has more hp, really good fuel mileage for its class, its extremely comfortable and has a smooth-silent ride. ive driven it over 50 miles and i love it. I purchased the convenience plus package with some other random upgrades and i received a remarkable deal. i really recommend the 07 2.5 S altima.

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  Great car! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By YAHOO USER - July 13 - 1:26 pm

  My altima is very fast! I use it for fun and for commuting. If my husband and i ever have children, there is plenty of room! I dont plan on selling this car ever! I love how fast it is and how smooth the ride is. I will definitely get another one like it if this one ever breaks or god forebid it gets hit. I love the navigation system, the bose system, and all of the power accessories.

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  1st Timer Loves The New Pathfinder! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By 1st Timer - July 13 - 5:40 am

  I love the new 2005 Pathfinder. I considered getting a 2004, but was sure of the 2005 once I drove it. Not that the 2004 is bad, but the 2005 just has more room. I got the LE 4x4 and am amazed every day how great it is. The gas mileage is 17 in town so far, which is not great, but what do you expect when you buy a rugged mid- sized SUV? Maybe automakers will improve the gas mileage some day. Until then, this is decent. Lots of room. Nice leather interior. Excellent safety features, as the LE has the front, side and roof airbags standard. Lots of cargo room in the back. I wanted a SUV that didnt guzzle lots of gas and didnt drive "big". This one fits great.

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  Great Car - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Tropo - July 11 - 12:46 pm

  Just picked ours today. I drive a 2007 Atima SE V6 MT, and my "Better Half" 2001 Audi S4 was getting to be too expensive to maintain. We have the sunroof and Tech package. It is a fun car to drive and the price and tax benefits are better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid. After driving the Audi S4, we were wondering about the feel of the hybrid, but so far, the acceleration is great and with the money that we save over MTC of the Audi and 50% better fuel, this car will pay itself off in tree years.

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  Great Truck - 2009 Nissan Titan
  By Buddy - July 11 - 10:56 am

  My son owns a 06 Titan...I fell in love with its spacious cab and excellent features and power! I have mostly owned chevys but when I started looking for my next truck I tried out both...no comparison. The Titans features, styling, power, and handling was just much better. Then came the price...almost $5000 different. I mainly pull a 19ft. bass boat and a lot of this is on back country roads....I dont know the boat is back there and the handling is like a sports car. I have found that I can get 17.5 mpg combined driving,,,,20.5 highway if I stay at posted speed limits. When towing the boat it drops to 14.5 - 16 mpg. So far I am well pleased with everything about my Titan. Love the room.

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  98 Maxima - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By dan - July 11 - 6:53 am

  Ive had 2 BMWs, 2 Buicks, 2 VWs, 4 Olds, 3 Nissans and a Cad. This is overall the most dependable and driver friendly car Ive owned.

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  VERY NICE VEHICLE -OVERALL - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By elp - July 11 - 3:46 am

  We bought this vehicle after looking at and driving many competing suvs. After 2 months and 4000 miles of assorted driving I find that I am overall satisfied with the Murano because it does what we bought it for, larger size, 2 rows of seats with plenty of room between them, ease of entry, and a fair load of features as we have it equipped. However, I find several small items on the Murano that I would like to be improved to make it great. Just my suggestions which I will list below. This SL has premium, technology, and leather packages.

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  First One - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Grunt - July 10 - 10:00 am

  This is the first one I have owned and am completely happy with it. It is fun to drive, fast and comfortable. A good looking automobile.

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  2003 Nissan Altima 3.5SE - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Shive - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Best compromise between a "family" sedan and a sports sedan I have ever seen or owned. Love to drive it.