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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  Love My Car! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Nancy G. - December 1 - 2:00 am

  Driving my new Maxima SL is a joy! I love the smooth feel of the car. It handles like a MUCH more expensive car. Everywhere I go people stop and comment about how beautiful it is. Also, I cant believe the gas mileage I am getting! I have been waiting to buy a new car that I loved to look at and loved to drive. I have finally found it!

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  Imapathfinder2 - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Lawanda - November 30 - 11:10 am

  This has been my best purchase yet! I really enjoy driving this vehicle, and the fuel consumtion is not so bad. I plan to keep it for a long time!

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  Good Buy - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By NissanMan - November 29 - 5:36 pm

  Good Hybrid alternative to Toyota and Honda. Good rebates from Nissan and also could deduct the CT sales tax. overall good car

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  Noisy Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Pete Zappulla - November 29 - 2:20 pm

  Ive owned this vehicle since february of 2004, and have experienced a very noisy interior. I believe this noise is emulating from the tires. The dealership in sarasota refuses to accept the fact that there is a problem with this noise. I believe the tire size makes this car too tight in the corner as it sits too high, with heavy body lean. Nissan tried to get into two categories of vehicles by having a station wagon and suv merge. This car isnt a good towing vehicle nor is it comfortable for me to drive. My only saving grace is that my wife drives this as a daily driver. I hope to have some sort of satisfaction with dealer this weekend with tires.

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  Nice - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jackwebb182 - November 29 - 5:16 am

  Love it.. I wish it had heated seats like the Honda Pilot though. It looks good and drives great. A little unstable in high winds. Controls are positioned rather oddly.

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  More filling, looks great. - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Rick L - November 26 - 1:16 pm

  Have owned other suvs but the murano has them beat. Really like the exterior and interior design. Handles great and rides well for an suv,although takes the bumps a little hard.Cvt takes some getting use to. Overall happy with car, but gas mileage is terrible,getting 13.3 mpg in city and 13.5 on highway. Car has only 3,500 miles,hopefully I will get a lot closer to listed mileage on sticker when broken in.

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  Runs like new @ 75K - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Seboe61 - November 26 - 1:10 am

  I bought the car brand new in 2004. Now have 75K miles. Still drives like new and still having fun driving it. Great Bose sound system (not sure why it has a tape player, never used it). Does not drive well in Wisconsin weather. Low pro tire needs replacement every 40K and pricey. Replaced by front grill b/c of peeling (common issue). Nissan great about fixing recalls. Overall pretty satisfied.

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  Beautiful car ---key problems - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Kathleen - November 25 - 1:26 pm

  Im thrilled with my murano. Ride is smooth and it is easy to manuver. I get lots of compliments. Bought the car used and got a good deal. Back seat ride is bumpy. Only problem is the key. I have had to take it to the dealer 4 times to get the key reprogrammed. The car at times does not start, it will turn over and eventually start. Dealer states key is sensitive and should not be kept next to magnetic items (i.e. credit cards, etc).

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  Great Car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By DustyT - November 25 - 11:46 am

  I bought this car in early July and I am still impressed with it. Very fast. Plenty of room for 2 car seats in the back seat. Gas mileage hasnt been the greatest yet, but it hasnt been on a highway for more than 20 miles at a time yet.

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  A Pain - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Sara Lee - November 25 - 5:26 am

  I love my suv! It drives awesome in the snow. I feel really safe and comfortable driving it. I feel like I can go anywhere. But since I have had it I had the wiring for my tail lights and dash lights replaced, at 55,182 miles my motor had to be replaced (crack in the block so on and so on), my exhaust manifold had a crack and was replaced, fuel sending unit replaced TWICE (factory recall). Check engine light keeps coming on and they cant figure out whats wrong. They replaced the wiring harness (wiring throughout the whole truck) but that wasnt it. Going in for one more try this week, while its being figured out Im looking at other vehicles to trade it in. Its been a pain.