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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  Quirky and fun! - 2012 Nissan Cube
  By hippiedippie4 - June 22 - 4:04 am

  The cube won out against the Kia Soul. My cube is so spacious. With the rear seats down, I fit a dresser and 2 boxes of clothes in the back! Does not handle great in the snow, but I cant be too judgmental on that piece since my previous car was an SUV. Also disappointed in the audio system. Imports usually have high quality speakers as stock, not Nissan. Overall, I grade this car as a solid B. The quirky and fun design makes driving it a blast and I have never had anything go wrong with it.

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  Nice car - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Jermonte - June 21 - 8:40 pm

  Very reliable car, bought it with 44000 miles on it and have never had a major mechanical problem, now has almost 73000 miles on it!

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  A lot of value for the money - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By jwh204 - June 21 - 4:38 pm

  I looked at the Accord, Camry, Sonata but ended up picking this sedan. The combination of style, performance and fuel economy are hard to beat. I agree with other reviewers that style will age better in time. I had to get used to the CVT but the 4 cylinder has a lot of power and the vehicle rides and drives very well. I havent found anything that I dont like about the car yet - I was driving a 00 Pathfinder and was getting horrible gas mileage - not so with the Altima. I got the convenience package which is very helpful with the power seat and leather wrapped wheel. Overall, for the money, I think this is a solid car and you cant go wrong.

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  One classy car! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By drbill2 - June 21 - 12:02 pm

  The previous generation of Altimas must have been put through finishing school by Nissan, as it has emerged as smoother, quieter, and much more refined than my 2010 S. The engineers have succeeded in masking much of the drone of the 4 cylinder engine. Theyve also succeeded in creating a car that appears and drives like a car priced in the 30s rather than the 20s. LOve the sat radio and the dual climate control also. Well done, Nissan!

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  Great Truck - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By Mike - June 21 - 9:20 am

  I am quite pleased with this truck. I was open minded towards purchasing any brand and type of truck. I chose the Frontier for several reasons:Better seating position then Tacoma (I am short); Good build quality; Power; (V6) plenty of it with decent fuel economy. Not too big, not too small; perfect size for someone who doesnt live in their truck. Drives very well; confident handling and feel. Dont be fooled, you cant have someone in the back for any long period of time in King Cab

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  My New Z - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Maureen - June 21 - 2:10 am

  I drove an 85 Z for 20 years and loved the performance and reliability so bought the new Z. Im loving it as well. The fuel economony isnt great but I havent had it long and have been driving "stop and go" around town so its not a "true" picture of what highway driving fuel use would be. Some say its a "rough" ride but I say it drives like a sports car should!

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  Most bang for the buck - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Robert - June 20 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased the SL with the XM convenience package. This car offers an amazing array of features for $25,000--heated leather seats, sunroof, push-button start, cd changer, built-in bluetooth, dual climate control, etc., etc. The CVT is incredibly smooth and the power (including passing power) from the 4 cyl engine is nothing short of amazing. This car evokes images of an much higher priced Infiniti or other luxury sedan. Could not be happier.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Richard - June 20 - 11:03 am

  I bought my XTerra in Apr 2005 and have already put on 35,000 miles on it. It is an awesome vehicle. So far I have not had any problems with it whatsoever. This is a very VERY reliable SUV - does not have too many extras which is how I like it - There are fewer things that can go wrong with it.

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  Good Truck, Super Reliable - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By norcalboon - June 20 - 10:00 am

  Bought new in 2004 for 17700. 95K miles and no problems. Replaced OEM tires at 55K with same (BFGs) and battery died in 2008, replaced front brake pads around 60K. No other problems, just oil changes. 18-20MPG consistently. Wanted something I could keep for a few years with little to no issue and this has been great. Definitely a truck ride, especially on bumpy roads and interior starting to feel small, but overall its been a fantastic truck, never let me down.

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  Horrible - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By m951 - June 20 - 10:00 am

  Not reliable at all. The worst gas mileage. Barely any horsepower. Isnt very good for towing. I hate eveything about it. I upgraded to an 08 tundra and do not regret it one bit. It has way more horse power and towing capacity and is more comfertable, a lot of fun, and much better on gas. Its offroading capabilities are also much better. The tundra has a bigger bed and a much nicer look.