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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  Fast, Smart, Stylish, Practical, and FUN - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By robertfarns - June 18 - 5:26 am

  First, let me say that this car was chosen after much deliberation. I compared and test drove over 5 competitor’s car before I made my decision. The final selection came down to the Honda Civic and the Sentra (no surprise as these are each others main competition). Final decision was the bottom line price. I purchased a 2010 Nissan Sentra SER in black out the door before tax, tag, or title for $17,500. The very best price on the most comparable Civic (Si model) was $21,700. That’s over 4K! Honda also decided not to offer their performance enhanced Si in an automatic so I even compared the “normal Civic to the SER and the best I could do on a comparable car was almost 2K more! I was impressed

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  Amazing Car for the money - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Really nice car - June 17 - 9:10 pm

  My wife and I traded down from a 2003 Murano (which we loved) to the Rogue for added gas mileage. Really was not too much of a compromise in features and comfort. Although slightly smaller, all of the features of the SL are similar to the base model of the Murano SL. The Rogue has impressive power for a 4 cyl. The interior has all of the options that you need in a car an none of the costly items like GPS,dual temp controlas and DVD. Surprisingly the gas mileage estimates are accurate for our driving style. Truly Nissan has created a veicle that is fun and affordable. Really worth the money.

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  Love this car! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By rnorred86 - June 17 - 12:01 pm

  I purchased this car in March 2011. My previous car was a 2006 Toyota Corolla S. It was a great reliable car, but I needed a bigger car with more legroom (Im over 6ft.). It has a spacious interior & a comfortable steady ride & sporty handling. The interior is quiet & the 2.5L 4-cylinder engine is surprisingly powerful & has excellent passing power. It feels like a V6 & is also as quick as some V6s. Ive been averaging 22.5 mpg, not as high as they say because I do more spirited driving & like to feel the great power of the 4 cylinder. I bought this car for its sportiness & roomy interior & I recommend this car for those of you that need a sedan, but still want that sporty handling.

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  great suv - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By iiredorange - June 17 - 11:16 am

  i love this suv..the engine is awesome. i was in the market for an suv and looked at the hummer h3 but it was underpowered. the xterra can handle everything the hummer can with a better engine.

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  I am very pleased with the Xterra so far. - 2012 Nissan Xterra
  By johnwaynext - June 17 - 12:54 am

  I have only had my Pro 4X Xterra for a few days but so far so good. I bought it for $5300 off list over Labor Day at Bommarito Nissan in Hazelwood, MO. Nissan had some great incentives then. The Xterra drives great, smooth on the highway and solid when I go off road. Fit and finish seem to be good. I like the leather seats. The upgraded sound system is wonderful, much better than the one found on the S and X models. Too early to tell about gas mileage. It will probably be comparable to my 98 GMC Jimmy at around 18 overall. I considered going to a car based CUV for better mileage but none of those seemed to be up to the capabilities of the Xterra. I will write updates regularly.

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  Happy So Far - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Bill - June 17 - 12:10 am

  Well I have to say my experience has been very good with my Max. I have only had 2 recalls (both done at the same time) and no other issues. Im up in age so Im not incline to put this car through its paces, but I have had to step on it hard sometimes to avoid other drivers. The car really accelerates. It is way more safe than my last vehicle in this manner. I have confidence to pull out in traffic and know I can pull away from approaching cars.

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  Xterra SE 4w drive - 2009 Nissan Xterra
  By Tom - June 17 - 12:03 am

  Lots of power, handling is great, sits up high. Good vision, interior all leather great sound system. Exterior is rugged looking. Gas mileage 17.5 highway. I new that when I bought it. Wish I had heated mirrors, surprised it was not part of se package. Drove through snow storm in Michigan truck handling was super. This is very well made truck. Very happy with Nissan. Towing atv and snowmobiles and all of our gear and four adults was no problem.

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  Fun and comfortable - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Bob Murdoch - June 16 - 8:26 pm

  the second one that I have owned along with a 2004 Quest which is also a gem in the rough....

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  Back again - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By designbo - June 16 - 6:00 pm

  Well, have now 7000 miles on truck and once again all I can say is amazing truck. This truck is truly an outstanding truck. The truck preforms way past my expectations as it totally outperforms everything out there. If you want a great truck get one. My gas mileage is good for a big truck, and quick.. no one can keep up. Nissan needs to upgrade exterior design as this is the 4th year with same design, but otherwise couldnt be happier. Ride is exceptional, looks outstanding and the LE options are fantastic. If you dont consider one you have made a big mistake.

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  The Yeti - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Me - June 16 - 4:19 pm

  I purchased this truck from a small used car lot about a year and a half ago. Rescued is more like it and I knew it . It would seem that the previous owner did not care for it too much. It is a risk you take buying used from any where. It had 142,000 on it so I took that chance. I knew that it would be a project. I have replaced the valve gasket, radiator and hoses, thermostat, steering pump, rear window sprayer (missing when bought), spark plugs, distributor cap with rotor and wires, drive belts, brakes, ac compressor, refurbished the electronic control module, and replaced various lights. I still want to replace the shocks and touch up the paint. It is not difficult to work on with room to do so. Not typical of most vehicles now. The cost of repairs have been reasonable. It has always started and never left me stranded. It is a tough truck in which I see was designed to keep going. Surprisingly, it can hold and tow a lot. Never stuck off road yet. I can park it and not be too worried about finding it upon return. It lives up to its moniker; all that you need. Nothing big but more than it appears. I love the outdoors and play rugby. I love my truck and look forward to all the places we will go.