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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  Corkies review - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Corkie - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Handles well in 4WD during the recent snow. Seems a bit sluggish at first but better as its breaking in. Reliable vehicle, came highly recommended from co-workers.

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  Xterra Review - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Hglider - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Rugged vehicle, cool styling, versatile. All around good vehicle for my needs but a few irritating things which could be improved (listed below). A big decision factor in buying it was anticipating high reliability. So far so good, but time will tell.

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  SUEZZZZZZZZZ - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By shakenbake - March 19 - 2:00 am

  the bose system is hollow sounding...needs to be trashed.

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  Quick car for a 4cylinder engine - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Cory - Wise - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Love this car. The 4 cylinder 175HP is very nice and gets up to speed very quickly. This car is the best car i every owned. I have owned Chryslers for the past 5years and they are the wearst cars ever. I have a good joke the nissan has a 175Hp and the standard 6Cylinder is 168Hp on the 2000 model.

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  Edmonds pays off again - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By jerry45205 - March 18 - 12:29 pm

  My son re3ceived this car as a gift. It was very clean for the age. As soon as he got it he did an Edmonds review and this is what happened: He ordered a direct bolt on stainless steel racing header from optionimports on e bay motors, The main cat had already been removed. We eliminated the orig header/manifold which contains the problem pre-cat and the header went right on. Upon further examination of the car it looked like the engine had been replaced. Tell tale signs were the junkyard yellow marker markings on the side of the engine. Car body has 90,000 miles-after even more inspection could very well be a newer 2.5 engine as it was clean-as in oil and tranny fluid.So looks like a win.

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  Review Of Nissan 2002 - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By ken 2002 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Nissan Is not easy to deal with problems. I would avoid buying a Nissan. Try calling Nissan in Glen Dale Calf for help you will get the jerk around.

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  Nice Ride - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By geesaint - March 17 - 12:13 pm

  I looked at the new Hyundai Sonata first, but it felt like a cork bobbing in the water at speeds over 45 miles an hour. I also considered a new Jetta and a new Mazda 6. Without a doubt, the Altima 2.5 with the SL package offered the most bang for the buck, and it a pleasure to drive. The black leather interior is awesome, as is the Bose 8 speaker stereo.

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  Most Uncomfortable seats ever - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Mario - March 17 - 11:26 am

  I have a 2008 Altima SE V6 and this is by far the most uncomfortable seats I have ever had. I downsized from a 2007 Infiniti M35 those seats were OK. Before I bought the Altima I had read several posts in Edmunds about uncomfortable seats on long drives and I should have listened better. It only takes 5 minutes and my back starts hurting. I do have back problems but this pain is different. It feels like there is no support in some areas especially left side. I have bought padded lumbar cushions but it did not help much. I would invest in custom seats if it would help but if not I am going take loss and get another car but what car in this class has superior comfort?

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  Mechanical mess - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By vtagirl - March 17 - 8:20 am

  This car looks very nice, but is a mechanical nightmare. Every sensor on this car starting going bad at 50k and catalytic conv at 80k. Nissan said cat ruined engine and needs a new engine (bad placement of cat). Lots of other people with same problem...would not recommend this car. Also own a Infiniti G35...no problems..think the problem is with set up of the Altima. If your under 80k Nissan will only fit cat, not your engine :(...They know about the problems but dont care.

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  Practical and fun. - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Dave - March 15 - 3:33 pm

  I bought a used 2003 Spec V in April 2005. The car has 60,000km on it. I researched many cars and tried to decide which one was best for my situation. As a recent grad with a new condo, the Spec V was the best bang for the buck. Low profile tires make noise on bumpy roads. Handling is very good, low body roll. 4 doors make it practical. I looked at the 1.7 Acura EL and was turned off when I had 4 passengers, the car bottomed out whereas the Spec V does not with 4 passengers. Gas mileage not as good as anticipated but it could be the way I drive. Stereo sounds good. The brakes are good. Torque-steer not an issue unless youre driving too hard. I would reccommend this car to anyone.