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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  Good car for this price - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By jaz - May 10 - 10:23 pm

  I have this car about a couple of weeks and I just love this car. I looked at Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. I see these cars on Route 1 and they look too small for that kind of Highway. I wanted 1.8 L not 1.5 like Fit and Yaris. Interior is roomy and it feels like a big car. Its zippy and I am very comfortable on highways.

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  2008 Nissan Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Very cool Rouge - May 10 - 4:53 pm

  The Rogue is tops in its class of compact crossovers when considering performance, quality, and price. Ive had many vehicles, 4th Nissan, and truly enjoy the fun nature and utility the Rogue offers. Great handling/ride combo. Very sporty without crossing the harsh line. Good quality and refined. Good gas mileage. Quiet. Very nice style and design. Great features and great Bose stereo. Small turning radius. Very good driving position and seat comfort. Fast for a 4cyl. Big glove box. Definitely worth your consideration if in the market for smaller SUV/crossover.

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  Love this truck - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Joe - May 10 - 8:56 am

  I absolutely love this truck!! It has been a hit with me since the day I drove it off the lot. Its powerful, its tough, its one heck of a great truck. The only problem I ever had was when the brake calipers had to be replaced, but believe that was a design issue that Nissan has started correcting in all Titans.

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  The Best Sedan to Date - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Devinn Armstrong - May 9 - 10:21 am

  They should know this car does not compare to any other sedan on the road.

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  Good value car - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By prkv - May 8 - 6:37 pm

  Bought a new nissan altima 2.5SL, got a very good deal on the price since i bought when the 2008 model was already in the market. exterior styling and features are very good. interior is very comfortable for 4 people. for 5 people it is good on short trips. rear middle set is really hard. trunk space is very good. can easily fit it two full size check-in bags and small cabin bag. handling is very good at normal highway speeds. takes the curves good, ive done 40mph at 65mph just adjusting the gears. acceleration is good with two people. even though i hear many people complaining about the CVT, dont feel it is bad for a family sedan. suspension is very good and gives a smooth ride.

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  Could have been a 10! - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Jack Franchek - May 8 - 4:33 pm

  Love everything about it. Plenty of pickup from any situation, everyone admires looks, needs better suspension or clearance. If loaded with 4 pax it will bottom out over driveway. Wouldnt stop me from buying it again, just add better shocks.

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  Performance that wont break the Bank - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By griffon5 - May 8 - 4:16 pm

  I finally decided on a Sports Car I looked at an Audi TT and a 350-Z In my mind after diriving both, there was no Comparison. While the Audi TT had a nice leather interior, this car had no performance unless you went with their 3.2 250 HP Upgrade. Needless to say I drove the Z and it was a no brainer. I bought a Performance model with 18" wheels and VDC. For the money you will be hard pressed to find a car that out performs this. Acceleration in the mid range is impressive along with the superb handling characteristics. While the Zs interiors are not exactly plush, I bought it for the performance and Have no complaints, Its a sports car.

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  varoom - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By jaime - May 8 - 1:23 pm

  I own a 2004 SERSpecV and it is one the best cars that I have ever owned. There is one problem I have with it though and that would be that I cannot find any aftermarket parts for it. Such as I would like to put a body kit on it and cannot find one anywhere. I have checked with local car clubs and even tried online. Maybe in a few years they will have them out. Other than that the car handles, drives, and looks great. It seems like I get a compliment on it everyday no matter where I am going. Jaime 27

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  A purchase you can feel good about - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By mrhudy - May 8 - 1:53 am

  I spent a few months reading reviews, comparing vehicles, and doing research on this and other crossover autos. I picked the Murano SE AWD (loaded) because it was the best value of them all. Good price, great ride and handling (down to the thick steering wheel), great comfort (heated seats & mirrors, auto everything, reclining rear seats), best rated engine many years running (same V-6 Nissan uses across its platforms, ITS BULLETPROOF). Most of the negative things I read were about ride, milage and CVT performace. Ride is stiff like a SE should be, gas Milage average for my first year was 17.9, and CVT is smooth (but different so that scares people). I now prefer CVT over a standard auto

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  An Almost 10 - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Impressed - May 7 - 3:50 pm

  What separates this car from all the rest is this car has style! Granted that some high end cars have looks, none look as good as as this one with a few thousand dollars less. Only smart ones will truly appreciate the beauty of this car. This car also has a very smooth CVT, spacious interior, great sound (with the Bose system). Instrument panel is easy to read, also nice wiper/lighting switches. With this car, driving is fun and exciting again, needless to say that 240 horses add nicely to the whole package.