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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  Excellent 350Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By thano93 - June 4 - 10:00 am

  This car has exceeded all of my expectations, the ride, comfort and interior room are all excellent. I am 6 feet tall and have plenty of room to spare. The only knocks are rearview mirror is located too close to the ceiling which does not allow a good view out of the back window, and I am not a fan of the tires, the 17" rims seem a little small when cornering.

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  Best crossover on the market. - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By Joe - June 3 - 7:28 pm

  Just traded our 13 Rogue SL with 70,000 miles for a 15 Rogue SL. I really get tired of the reviews that brag up the Honda CRV and the Toyota Rav 4. When we bought the 13 it came down to the CRV and Rogue. We chose the Rogue because it was a better all around package for the money. This time came down to the Rogue vs the Rav 4. Again,the Rogue won out even though the Rav 4 was slightly less money. The Rogue has all the features that the Rav 4 offers and is far superior in many areas. The ride is superior, much smoother and quieter, the seats are much better and more comfortable,and the interior quality is far superior. The acceleration is just as good as the Rav for any normal driver

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  Excellent SUV - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By John Springfield - June 2 - 2:46 pm

  Very enjoyable to drive with plenty of power. Engine and transmission very smooth. If you are used to an 8 cylinder you will notice higher RPM engine noise with the V6 engine during takeoff. Second row seating could use some extra leg room. Overall it is a well built SUV with plenty of room for a midsize.

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  Excellent Truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By CP in STL - June 2 - 5:46 am

  Purchased the Crew Cab 4x4 LE with floor mats, hitch & cloth interior in March 2008. Traded in a 2002 Ranger. Driving position is comfortable and the feel on the road is solid and sturdy. With the 261hp engine, good acceleration and the BF Goodrich OEM tires are good, but not great. The turning circle is a bit too big for the size of the vehicle. I like the covered/weather tight hitch connection. Two glove boxes are nice, but one could be cooled. The steering wheel mounted cruise control buttons are not illuminated at night. The orange dash lights should be blue for easier night vision adjustment.

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  Good Vehicle - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By navetx - June 1 - 8:19 pm

  My SL Rogue is a very good vehicle. I bought it for a daily driver but wanted it loaded. While it has almost everything, it really needs a home link option, a rubber pad for the left foot rest and a bigger screen for the nav/back up display. Other than those issues, the Rogue delivers. Its very quiet for a small SUV, and cruzes well on the highway. Also, after 10,000 miles in 6 months, Im getting over 25 combined city/highway mileage.

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  Buy It! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By V - May 31 - 1:00 am

  Great styling, great handling, awesome performance, Very reliable (its an import). Everywhere I go people stare. Want a sports car? The Z is "the" sports car. Theres nothing out there like it, Theres nothing out there that performs or handles like it either. Never an issue with it. Also one of the easiest cars to mod.

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  Awesome car for a GREAT price - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Lucas JP - May 29 - 10:40 am

  I purchased a new 09 Maxima after much research and lots of time looking and driving a few other cars. When I first decided to buy a new car, my wife recommended a MAX because she has an 08 - Well, they are COMPLETELY different. This car feels roomier inside and even drives bigger. The exteriors also look separate. Overall - if you want a car in this price range just go DRIVE a MAX and youll end up taking one home. The tech features as well make it a hard car to pass by. Overall its an awesome car and I wouldnt want any other vehicle in its class...possibly even in a few classes above it.

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  I love my truck!! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By South Carolina Pride - May 29 - 5:36 am

  I have 29,500 miles on my Nismo Crew 4x2. White with Charcoal interior, tow package, audio upgrade (rockford fosgate 6 disc cd/sub-woofer), power sun-roof, bed-divider/extender. This truck handles well and looks great! I get compliments all the time on this truck. A lot of power. I upgraded the exhaust with a magna-flow exhaust with steel tip pipe adding a nice little growl and about 10 more horses. Plan on adding the air-raid air system/filter for more HP and increased fuel economy. This truck is a KEEPER!!

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  The JUKE is fun, sporty, great gas mileage! - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By alidab - May 28 - 7:38 pm

  Never bought a Nissan in my life. Was at car lot with sister in law, as she wanted an Altima (WHY? I thought). Saw this COOL looking, froggy car with black leather (heated) seats with red baseball stitching...looks inside like an airplane with the RED hard doors/dash. Exterior is the gun metallic. The car is for single person or SMALL family ..dont plan on putting four peoples camping supplies in it for the week! THe back seat does go down, making it larger if no passengers in back. The gas mileage---one has to manually put it in "econo" mode...and drive it like Granny would. If you put it in sports mode and use the paddle shifter-like it was a manual trans, you get performance !

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  Value+ - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By JMarcinkevich - May 28 - 1:43 pm

  Nothing compares to this vehicle. You cannot beat it for the dollars, almost nothing can beat its performance, the fit and finish work very well at this price point, and it does not need to make a lot of noise to get the job done or attract attention. Looks certainly do attract attention, it is different, not for that purpose, but to again get the job done! Its the aero efficiency, the 2+2 ability, and real trunk space. The numbers are widely known, why would an informed, intelligent, and cost conscious consumer buy anything else?