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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  GOT WIFE OUT OF SPORTS CAR - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Dandy D - June 28 - 11:36 am

  Wife loves and has driven sports cars ie Corvettes, Eclipse GST, Mustang for years. Moved into the Mountains of Colorado which requires a 4WD. She made the switch to the Murano and admits "I love this car". Good combination of sports car handling, comfort, style, and getting up the mountain in the snow.

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  Love It!! Very Nice Redesign - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By MsJ - June 28 - 10:27 am

  I purchased the Maxima SL 6/30/15 and I love it! It certainly is a head-turner as its a beautiful car. Running on the highway in sport mode is great although the cruise control "safety component" is something Ill have to get used to. I cant say anything bad about this car. Everything is great. Many complain about the CVT but I dont really notice a difference in this model. I think Nissan has improved it over the years. Test drive one and youll be in love with it too!

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  kids and dogs and work too - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By baseball mom 1 - June 28 - 10:00 am

  no problems with anything until nearing the 3 year mark, 1 problem, minor this isnt luxury, this is life

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  Value - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Swing - June 28 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding vechicle! It has great gas mileage with and without the air conditioner running, considering how high the price of gas is right now. Great for long trips,and the bed liner makes for easy clean up when needed for yard work.

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  Solid SUV With Superior Reliability - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bcwalt - June 28 - 10:00 am

  All-around a very good SUV. Good value for superior reliability. Reasonable to maintain.

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  Nice Car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By mdsentra - June 28 - 10:00 am

  I test drove the Sentra, Corolla, Protege, and Civic. All were good cars. I got a really good deal on the Sentra and thats why I chose it. Now after 15,000 miles Ive had no problems.

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  Maxima kicks butt!!! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Max-Girl - June 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. It truly kicks butt. This car is FAST and handles like an exotic sports car. You take off and barely touched the gas pedal. Its comfortable and the engine is sooo smooth. This car is like having a Lexus ES 300 w/out paying for an ES 300. Love the HID Xenons and the gated auto shifter.

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  Goodby annonymity - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Slicer - June 28 - 10:00 am

  I gave up my Lincoln LS which was a terrific car for the Murano.Driving over the Colorado mountains convinced me that I had made a good choice...it drives even better than the LS with the best transmission I have ever driven. What a pleasure to drive.

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  Conv Z Review - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Stevez - June 28 - 10:00 am

  Plain and simple, its worth every penny. You will have to pay a little more than MSRP, but again its still will be less than anything comparable.

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  Okay, but Ill never own another one - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By cobraboy1 - June 28 - 9:08 am

  I bought this car to get me something with good gas mileage that was different with all wheel drive and standard bluetooth. And a sub compact size with a good fun-to-drive ratio. And it had to have a sticker of under 22k Overall its an okay vehicle, but Ive been talking to people (nissan techs - to remain nameless) whove all said to trade it in after the warranty is up. That is enough for me to say I wont own another one again, but overall its not terrible. The major complaints are three: 1. MPG is not what was promised 2. Gas tank is only about 11 gallons 3. Although you dont have to run 93 octane your really should to get the best mpgs