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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  nice ride - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By ken k - May 15 - 8:10 am

  car is very fun to drive, very smooth and responsive. the cvt transmission takes some getting used to, also under hard acceleration, torque steer becomes evident. overall very happy so far with this car. the styling and overall look is impressive.

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  ROGUE 2013 MISSING SAFETY FEATURES - 2013 Nissan Rogue
  By eyenthesky - May 15 - 6:39 am

  Nissan has decided to short customers buying the 2013 model. The hood insulator (black cover under the hood) is missing and they claim "it is no longer needed". When shopping for a 2013 Rogue, check under the hood and compare to a 2012 or the new 2014 and ask the dealer to explain why this safety feature is missing!

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  Wouldnt Trade Her For Anything! - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By KMac - May 15 - 2:50 am

  I Love my car! I bought her in 2005 with 108k. I immediately fell in love with his car and still love driving her. My Maxima is loaded with all the options. I absolutely love the climate control and Bose Sound! The interior design is beautiful- not cheap looking like the newer Maximas are. I feel totally safe driving this car- not to mention the smooth and powerful ride she gives. I now have 184k on her and have only had to do some basic maintenance. I am so impressed with this car. This was such a great purchase. I plan on driving her til she dies (which I dont anticipate being anytime soon!) I average 21 city, 28 hwy, and around 31 on long distance trips

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  Incredible Hybrid that is a Great Car - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By happyinct - May 14 - 9:26 am

  Its possible to get 40 mpg from a 3500 lb car with great acceleration, braking and most decent handling. This is a very comfortable car. The Tech package is great as is the rear view camera. Nissan took Toyota technology and improved upon it. The engine starts feel no different than a shift in a typical car. Very happy!

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  Point A to Point B with some extras - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By David - May 14 - 9:06 am

  Parents bought me this car (first one). Had it for 2 years this month. Average 29mpg 23 city / 39 highway. I usually only do 65-70mph on high way, was shocked at the mileage. I like that it has an aux. jack, which btw the 2006 infiniti doesnt even have (only included in the 2008 model). Windshield wipers leave massive streaks, but I think I needed to get that replaced. I cant ever seem to find a comfortable head rest position on long trips. Engine sometimes misfires on start up, I just have to wait a second and try again, not that big of deal. Hate the cup holders, fine for cups, but bottles fall right out on corners, also hits cd buttons because of position. 20 yo/boy/58

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  Great Car for the Money - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By honest_reviewer - May 13 - 3:00 pm

  Overall, a great car. Nice appearance – both the exterior and interior. The interior has a nice “futuristic” feel to it (not over the top) and is exceptionally spacious (back seat okay for adults). Mixed fuel economy has returned an impressive 30 – 33 mpg (albeit mostly highway). The CVT is wonderful – it offers seamless shifting (I’ll never settle for a conventional automatic again…). Ample acceleration (no sports car however). Great features for an "entry-level". Why buy an SUV, like the Honda CR-V my wife and I traded in, when you can have effectively the same interior space, much better fuel economy, in a less expensive package?

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  Our second Altima - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By W Lawrence - May 13 - 12:27 am

  So far, this has been a very good car. We have had zero problems with it and it is fun to drive. We have had dealer maintenance on it from the beginning, substantially following the Nissan manual recommendations. The driver position is very comfortable (power seat) and I have driven it on long trips very comfortably. The front passenger seat (not power), however, is not comfortable for long trips. It is set too low and my wife finds it very hard on her back. Overall I really enjoy this car and plan to drive it for a long time to come.

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  Great car - GREAT MPG - buy one today... - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By Happy Owner - May 12 - 8:56 pm

  Our Sentra GXE has been about perfect. We selected it over Hondas and Toyotas because of the equal reliability yet more affordable on the used market. Just took a long trip and got 35 mpg while cruising at 75 mph with AC on - WOW. Nearly 40 mpg should be achievable at 55 mph and no AC.

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  My Choice to Drive - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By cnsmike - May 12 - 4:26 pm

  The Versa is more of a car than any others in the class. I drove all of the other cars and nothing comes close to comparing. The standard features of the SL are unmatched.

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  We bought A Lemon - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By 2014nislemon - May 12 - 2:56 pm

  Our 2014 Rogue SLs digital ac control wont turn on when the vehicle is started we purchased it in June and since then it has been at the dealership 27 out of the first 40 days since delivery. Nissan has thus far been unable to fix the issue. Do not buy a 2014 Rogue! We are hard working people that were trying to provide a quality vehicle for our family and so far this experience has been a nightmare! The regional manufacturing rep for Nissan is involved, but they are still dragging their feet. Nissan of Chesapeake can not repair the Rogue while we are sitting back making payments and driving something much smaller and not comparable to our purchase. Again DO NOT PURCHASE A NISSAN!!!