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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  My new Altima Rocks!! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Tropo - April 17 - 11:00 pm

  I did my homework looking for a manual gear sport midsize sedan that is loaded. After looking and driving everything in the $25K to $35K range, I was set on the Altima SE. It is everything that I wanted and then some. The car is everything it is set to do and then some!!

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  Baby Car - Still in Love after 16 Years - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By dani300zx - April 16 - 10:58 am

  Bought this car new in 1996 and still cannot bear the thought of parting with her (so I probably wont ever). Beautiful inside and out and an absolute blast to drive. Probably the best sports car ever made that cost less than $100K new (and, yes, I have driven, evaluated and photographed cars costing that much).

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  Z Monster - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By jleder - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Butt-kicking performance, style AND a comfortable ride all in one package. At a price thats not in the stratosphere. This is the best car Ive ever had. Performance ROCKS: 0-60 before your eyeballs come back to the surface, and you pretty much CANT get the tires to lose grip. The Performance Model is a really good compromise between performance and comfort, and it comes with cloth seats (in my opinion, the only way to go in a sports car. The best part is, Nissan has again (as it did with the original 240Z in the sixties) redefined the price- performance equation. Nothing this good can be had for less than about $15K more than the Z costs.

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  Wonderful in ice ans snow. - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By maccam - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Wonderful design. Love the CVT. It handles on ice as if it were sandpaper- -true grip! I still get stopped after 10 months by admrers who want a "tour".

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  WOW, Its the Best - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Nan - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This car/SUV is beautiful, comfortable to the very MAX, rides high like an SUV, gets mileage like a compact car, (Im getting 28 MPG) Bose speakers are just over the top. I highly recommend it to everyone. It makes me feel like a million bucks. Get lots of looks and inquiries.

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  This Car is well worth it. - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By metropolis32221 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  The car is very good in 99% of all the areas. I had never even considered a Nissan because of past ones that I have seen or ridden in. I was looking for a Sport Compact and decided to stop into my local Nissan dealership just out of curiousity. I looked at the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V and immediately started to like what I saw. I then proceeded to take it on a test drive, and I was completely sold. It is extremely fun to drive and has alot of potential for sport compact enthusiasts and aftermarket products.

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By PoliceHummer - April 16 - 10:00 am

  If you like a car that hugs the road and a car that turns with no problem and is a lighter wieght car then the Nissan Sentra SE-R is a excellent car and you dont have to go by my word but go to your local Nissan Dealership and ask them if you can test drive the Nissan Sentra SE-R. If you want to E- Mail please send it to PoliceHummer@aol.com.

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  Great - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By CLIO - April 16 - 10:00 am

  I went from 1988 Nissan 5-speed down to earth car to 2004 automatic heaven. The Sentra has grown up. I wanted a car that was a little bigger than the one I had but was as great as the old one. Looks like Nissan knew exactly what I wanted. I cant beleive this is a Sentra. I hated giving up my old car, but I am very pleased with my choice. I love my 10 day old car.

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  350Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Jim Z - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding vehicle, exceeded my expectations in all measurable areas. Fun to drive, everyone admires it, best car Ive ever bought! (Better than previous favorites (BMW 320i, Alfa Romeo Spider).

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  Fantastic addition to the Maxima legacy - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By TylerJ5425 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Maxima (previosuly having owned a 2000 SE) and the new one is just a great, with more power to boot!