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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  Loving it so far - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Dennis - December 7 - 6:40 pm

  First time having an suv, great car so far. First time I stepped on the gas to pass a car my head hit the head restraint from the pickup it had. With a mix of 70/30 highway/city I am currently at 26 mpg after 1200 miles, and this tank is currently showing 27.7. Looking forward to it getting better as it continues to break in. Like the high ride, extremely smooth, even made my wife fall asleep which she doesnt do in cars. Bose system sounds pretty good when its turned up. Like the orange mood light near the moonroof switch. Son loves when the moonroof it open. Plenty of room for us, easily fits golf bags.

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  I love my altima! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By girliegirlaltima - December 7 - 1:36 am

  I was reading all the reveiws everyone had left about the altima and well i still cant change my mind about the car..I LOVE IT!! Even though since i bought the car about a couple of months ago i have been hearing noises coming from the brakes and the seat. Its funny someone else mentions that. But i still love my altima!

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  2013 Nissan Altima is a winner - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By mrtbone13 - December 6 - 5:52 pm

  To start, I traded in a fully loaded Infiniti G35xS. I absolutely loved the car, but due to the rising gas prices and the cost of owning the car, I made a decision to trade it in. There were really 2 main reasons for doing so. 1- I wanted a car that got better then 19MPG, and 2- something that wasnt as expensive to own. The Infiniti needed Premium gas and the oil changes and general car maintenance was a climbing expense throughout owning the car. I ultimately chose the 2.5SL as the features in the car are hands down better then the other trims Nissan offers. So far Im getting 32MPG+ depending on the type of driving. Best 4 door sedan out there when getting the SL trim.

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  I Love It - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Keri123 - December 6 - 8:43 am

  Overall i think this car is amazing. It is fun to drive and i love the way that it feels when you drive it. I have had no problems with it it is perfect. I recently just found new features in the car. In the center counsel you can take out the cup holders and it is one big open section. It drives very nicely as well. It is a smooth drive i can feel the power. I always look down and im driving faster then it feels like im going. The transmission is very smooth and i think that is the best feature to have.

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  The Only Choice - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Dan - December 5 - 5:00 pm

  I looked at all the similar trucks (Dakota, Ranger, Colorado, Toyota, Honda). I drove them all. There is no doubt that this is the best truck of the group. It performs with speed far better than any thing else. Its look and feel is much nicer than all the rest. It is comfortable and fun to drive. From someone who has always owned SUVs (Grand Cherokee, Explorer, Murano, Suburban, and Durango), this rates right up there with any of them in terms of driving comfort. Nissan has their act together.

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  My First SUV and is the best SUV!!! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Saint2010 - December 5 - 11:33 am

  This is my first SUV. Added the premium package and other extras like splashguards, floor mats, etc. We do a lot of road trips and this is the most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven. I test drove Highlander, Pilot, MDX and found Pathfinder to be the best of all. Being 61" I feel this vehicle has the most comfortable seating.

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  Econo-Mini-Maxima and a sports car heart - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Peter R - December 5 - 3:16 am

  Excellent aftermarket seats in SE-R. Very quiet car with powerful quiet A/C. Handling is outstanding, can literally do right angle turns, no fishtail. Needs no stability control. No torque steer evident at all. Car will best EPA mpg easily - expect 25+ city and 33+ hwy. Very powerful, torquey engine with 173 ft-lbs at low, low 2800 rpm. Car will leap forward if asked. Two laner @ 40 mph barely touching gas. CVT downshifts to maintain constant speed on steep grades saving brakes and fuel. Upshifts to save fuel if you back off a tad. Overall brilliant execution of engine/tranny/suspension and brakes. Engineering excellence obvious in build rigidity and handling under power. Midsize ergos!!!

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  My 1st new car is a Pathfinder - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kevin in Colorado - December 4 - 9:33 am

  In the past 8 years I have owned 2 vehicles, 1 - 1997 Jeep Wrangler and 1 - 1999 Nissan Maxima. I liked the 4x4 capability of the Jeep (which I need in Colorado) and the pickup and go / gas mileage and reliability of the Nissan. The 06 Pathfinder is the best of both worlds with style and function all in one. I bought a 2006 SE Off- road edition with less than 200 miles on it and now at just under 2000 miles I have experienced between 17.5 mpg and 19.6 mpg. I go up to Fairplay, CO from Denver at least 3 times a month and to the ski resorts about 2 times a month and get great gas mileage both up & down the mountain and in 4x4 drive. In the city I experience lower gas milage @ 17.5 mpg per tank.

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  Best option out of 8 tested cars - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By perek75 - December 4 - 4:46 am

  MY wifes wanted to replaced her Toyota prius 2008 with a small SUV (Chicago winters, getting up higher). We tested and read reviews of 8 SUV models (Honda CRV, Toyota Rav, MAZDA, Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape, GMC terrain, Subaru Forester) and we picked Nissan Rogue. I am 62, wife is 51, + 5 year old girl. The Subaru was a favorite but I was not comfortable. Wife liked the ford also but the Nissan is safer and better MPG. Great head space, easy navi system, great comfort and awesome 360 backup camera, top safety pick NTSB, great leg room backseat. SV trim comes with lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and NAVI. Take Nissan into account when looking, our first Nissan!

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  The Altima Perfected - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By John - December 3 - 11:40 pm

  Traded in my 07 SE for this one to get into a lease (I dont put many miles on the car). The 07 was nice, however the suspension was almost jittery and could get unsorted easily over several bumps. I got everything on this one, including NAV. This is the Altima perfected. The suspension is perfectly balanced between comfort and response, the 3.5 engine is one of the best and I love how smooth the CVT is - no gear hunting when passing, just power. The new grille/hood/headlight clusters look great against the super black finish. The Tech package turns the car into a mobile computer, with ipod, bluetooth, XM radio and traffic/weather, NAV, and the Bose system sounds great.