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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  Rogue SL: It WILL Be Hot! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By MHmidhudson - April 26 - 11:40 pm

  I picked it up on October 1. Today is Nov. 13, and its got 2450 miles on it already. Gets 23-24 mpg locally, hilly terrain in the Hudson valley; 29 mpg at a steady 60-65 mph on the road! Never have owned a vehicle that sticks to the road like this one does. What theyve already said about Bluetooth and Bose is echoed here: THEY ROCK. This is my next "best car Ive ever owned", a title that my 06 Frontier still holds.

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  My Pathfinder :D - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By AlexParamount - April 26 - 8:36 pm

  I inherited this 2005 pathfinder from my brother, so Ive driven it before. I used to borrow it all the time for roadtrips with my buddies because Ive always owned a smaller car - now its mine! Gas mileage is actually pretty good - equal to my old 1989 240sx. Ive achieved as high as 28 mpg on the freeway at 70 mph. City driving is about 15 mpg - so it averages out to about 20 mpg with my mix of hwy/city driving. This is a fast car. I do 0-60 in about 7 seconds. Im 61 and 240 lbs and my truck fits me great. On a roadtrip to Palm Springs my three my-sized buddies fit in the back with their cargo and we got about 23 mpg with AC on full blast. GREAT truck with excellent cargo space.

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  No-hassle, Low-cost Daily Driver - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By SanDiego999 - April 26 - 5:43 pm

  I have owned my Versa for about seven months, and I have been delighted with it so far. My previous car was a BMW 3, which was getting too expensive to own. Obviously the Versa doesnt have the performance capabilities of the BMW, but I still find it fun to drive in daily use. I special-ordered mine with ABS, and I am glad I did -- I have felt it kick-in when stopping quickly on wet pavement. I test-drove the auto transmission and liked it, but the CVT makes the engine nearly silent in city driving and makes the process of going up hills much more pleasant. My gas mileage averages 28 in 50% heavy city traffic and hilly terrain. Our other car, a VW Golf auto, gets 22 mpg on the same routes.

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  Buy This SUV - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By youngwalt - April 26 - 10:00 am

  Extremely reliable, I purchased the vehicle used and saved a bundle. Because I researched the SUV before purchasing and found out it was a one owner lease, it helped me to make the decision to purchase it. I purchased the vehicle from a used car lot. The mileage was about 2,000 over expected, so far I still think It was one of my better vehicle purchases.

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  Very Much A Mixed Bag - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bfife - April 26 - 10:00 am

  Bought my LE in Jan.02. Looks great,well thought out interior features,great engine,nice Bose stereo, but it rides like a buckboard, has pitiful headroom, and has garnered nothing but complaints from my family about backseat room, comfort, and ease of ingress/egress.Took it in because "service engine soon"light was on. Now after my 5th trip back to the dealer, its finally fixed.

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  First Time Nissan Buyer - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By docholiday - April 26 - 10:00 am

  The exterior styling and colors are outstanding! The Bose sound system, sunrf, ABS, Traction control and 3.5 engine performance are hard to beat for under $25k. The ride is comfortable but steering is a bit too light at higher speeds (80+). But lots of room (Im 64 1/2") with room to spare. Getting 26.5mpg which is great based on the speeds Ive been averaging!

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  Love the Sentra! - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By tc - April 26 - 4:33 am

  Solid, roomy, quiet, smooth, comfortable, beautifully appointed, and the bluetooth and intelligent key such a luxury in a compact/midsize sedan. My husband is 62" and has tons of room. We are in our 50s and are thrilled with this car.

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  Stolen Headlights - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By stolen lights - April 26 - 3:56 am

  I Love this car have not had any problems at 35k miles, but my headlights have been stolen twice. If you live in the Northeast do not buy this car, it is a theives delight.

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  Z-GREAT! - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By DG-39 - April 25 - 10:03 pm

  I have had mine for four months. Hate to get out of it. super handling and performance.

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  My Versa - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By waylon - April 25 - 11:06 am

  A lot better than I was looking for, I was looking for a point a to b car. Everything is on the wheel cruise and radio plus 6 disk cd/mp3 player. Also the blue tooth is great I get in the car and it works. The fact I never need to pull the key out of my pocket is great too. I would get another