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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  Sporty-looking, elegant car for grownups - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Larry - March 5 - 12:50 pm

  This coupe is a fine-looking car. I got the Slate color, which is a really nice and elegant color, looks much better than white. Classy car that looks sporty without hanging a silly spoiler on the trunk. Have gotten lots of compliments on its looks. Have not seen another of these coupes on the road, although have seen the Infiniti G37 couple, which looks just about the same but costs about twice as much. This car is a very good value for the money. Car handles well, giving a sporty drive while keeping good road feel. Comfortable to drive. I am well satisfied with my first Nissan.

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  6 speed manual - 2015 Nissan Sentra
  By Verne - March 5 - 7:25 am

  I can not speak to the long term aspects as have only owned my car for a month. When I bought it I could not find any reviews on gas mileage. I currently own a 2014 Camry SE. While not quite as comfortable and roomy as the Camry, it is fun to drive and in the in town mileage is 35.5 mpg. I like the cruise control location much better on the Sentra and it still is comfortable, quiet and the trunk is roomy for its side. At 50, it will get will get 50 miles per gallon. For an inexpensive car, there is no equal. I shopped Corolla, Civic, and Focus.

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  My Nissan - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Ron - March 4 - 11:20 pm

  This is the first Nissan of any type in our family. Trucks I have previously owned: 5 new full size fords (still have a super duty f250 10 cyl) 6 new full size dodges, 1 new Dakota, 1 new full size chevy. Since they upgraded the size and power of the Frontier I decided to give it a try, during my second visit to the dealership I bought my Nismo package crew cab in superblack. I absolutely love it. Prior to buying this year I also tried the dakota, tacoma, tundra, titan, chevy. No comparison - they all had different quirks that I did not like but with the Nissan I found nothing that I did not like. After the first thousand miles I have found nothing to disappoint me.

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  I got a lot of car for my money. - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By diverse379 - March 4 - 9:44 pm

  I bought this car used in 2010 it had 32000 miles on it. The thing that blew me away was that you can coast in 4th gear at 5 mph. Anyone who drives a manual knows that sounds impossible. Somehow The engineers at Nissan figured out that stop and go traffic is made more annoying when you drive a manual. So this transmissions helps with the commute. on to the car. I was shopping for a bmw recently and test drove a 330 with performance package Right after the test drove I hopped in my Nissan and pushed the envelope a bit. This Nissan really performs. I cant say enough. If you can find one of these with the manual test drive it you wont regret it

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  Great machine 2016 SL - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Dick - March 3 - 1:05 pm

  This is my first maxima and I am very much impressed by its performance and fuel economy. After reading some of these negative reviews I am at a loss at how they came to say they got poor gas mileage or there was inadequate power, etc. Obviously these people either dont know how to drive their machines or are never satisfied with anything. If they were rating a Rolls Royce it would obviously have a multitude of faults!

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  Fits like a Glove - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By sallylyn - March 3 - 10:00 am

  The size is perfect for me at 52". There are no blind spots. I can take passsengers in the back seat without having to worry about their comfort. The best thing about this car, however, is its power. Its wonderful to pull on to the highway without worries - I used to drive a Cavalier. When my lease was up this month, I couldnt bring myself to turn it in - I bought it.

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  Nice SUV - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By exphys - March 3 - 10:00 am

  Bougt this SUV as an upgrade from a Nissan Frontier pick-up. Plenty of room for people, cargo and the dog. Smooth car like ride makes this SUV fun to drive. Safety of anti-lock brakes,and conveniance of on demand 4wd enhance the overall apeal of this vehicle. Excellent reliability and durability track record are a definate plus.

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  My Baby - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By harmony - March 3 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car for anyone single or with a family. It is sporty enough for the single folks but yet roomy enough for a family. I would recommend this car to anyone wanting something powerful.

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  114th Car, One of the best - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Alive2K - March 3 - 10:00 am

  Ive had a lot of cars (114 to be exact) and owned just about everything but a BMW (Just hasnt interested me). Last sports car was a Lexus SC400. This beats it hands down for value and fun to drive. Ive liked a few cars more than this (most owned when I was a kid, like a 1968 Chevelle SS) but this is certainly in the top 5. I will likely break my record for time owned (currently at 14 months).

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  Great Car - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By husker14 - March 2 - 10:08 pm

  Purchased the 2013 Altima 2.5.SL a week ago. So far the car exceeded all my expectations. Traded in a 2007 Camry Hybrid and very pleased with over all MPG (33.8), only 1 MPG less than the hybrid. Altima also drives much better than the Camry with a very solid feel and tighter steering response. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market for a midsize sedan. My only complaint is there is no compartment to store loose change.