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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  The new Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By robert deeb - November 22 - 10:00 am

  My titan has about 2000 miles on it. I get 14.5 mpg currently. It has alot of power and so far nothing has gone wrong. Clements auto in Mankato MN was a straight forward dealership that played no games. I like driving my truck and I will be putting it to good use this summer and fall. Bob Deeb

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  the best truck ever - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Nisxsz - November 22 - 10:00 am

  this truck is off the hook! the tightest truck ever!

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  COOL - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By TONY LEE NGUYEN - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE TO DRIVE THE CAR ALL AROUND THE USA

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  Fun car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By lal234 - November 22 - 10:00 am

  It has very good pickup and the body style does make it fun to drive, but you can sometimes here the wind around the doors.

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  Sweet ride - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By philamax - November 22 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Maxima and my 6th car. I am in outside sales, so I spend quite a bit ot time in my car. It is extremely comfortable, affordable, and classy enough to bring out clients. I am expecting it to survive as long as previous models....

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  Fun Mommy Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By dolphcheer - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I love my car. I have always had sports cars or off road vehicles there fore i was not ready to give up my manual transmission. So, I purchased the 6-speed manual and love it. it has so much power very easy to manuver and too much fun for a mommy car. Which is why i purchased a safe, four door. I dont feel like i have given up my sports car at all. love the vehicle!

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  Impressive Vehicle - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By ERSAN E. - November 22 - 6:50 am

  This is an impressive SUV for its value. I was planing to buy Benz or BMW but I am glad I kept my 20,000 bucks in my pocket and got more from my Murano than those vehicles offer. Excellent comfort, service and performance. It sticks to the ground on snowy and icy road conditions. Interior design is very attractive and CVT shift is the most interesting feature you can experience and only at Nissan vehicles. I am glad that I test drove this vehicle that day and bought it. Extremely recommended.

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  IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VEHICLE ALL MY LIFE - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Howard Kornblum - November 22 - 2:36 am

  HAVE OWNED HONDAS FOR 30 YEARS. I have driven Nissans such as the Altima and Maxima and was always very impressed with the pickup, the way the cars handled, the interiors, the finishes and the beauty of the cars. Well, It was time to by a new vehicle after owning my last Honda for 18 years (and will NEVER buy a Honda again when the perfectly maintained car blew its engine at 92K miles and Honda would do nothing, except loose a customer FOREVER) and then I saw the resigned Murano. This car sent be right over the top. I am not a car nut but then I saw this and it was instant love. The test drive was perfect. great on the street, terrific pickup with no lag, smooth as silk cornering ability plus the sexiest of both interiors AND exteriors. People have been stopping my and asking what car is that. I scream Its the new Nissan Murano and you have to buy one." It is so luxurious on the inside pickups like a dream and corners on rails, so you can make it whatever you want, a Sport SUV or one that fits your driving style. Personally pickup without lag is extremely important to me as are making smooth turns with a hard turn of the steering wheel. This vehicle delivers on both and so much more. Hey this LA where you are driving next to cars out there for 100K to 2M and this car with its 20 inch rims and flashy new design still have people looking so the redesign is also beautiful. The one criticism I dont understand it cargo space. Mine has a ton when my rear seats are down. I recently put in enough planning material for a 40 hedge so I am not sure what the critics are talking about. When the seat are up, there is still plenty of room for all the sporting gear, groceries, etc. This car is a winner. It is a 5/5 and worth every penny. It is the best car I have ever owned and one of the best cars I have ever driven in.

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  The best Yet!! - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By The "Z"Man - November 21 - 11:36 pm

  I have only had my 370z for 2 days now and it is the best one yet. I have owned a 1978 280z, 1984 300z, 1991 twin turbo z, 2003 350z, and now the 370 and all where great but none compare to 370! If Nissan keeps getting this car right at this kind of price I will still be driving a z when Im 80 yrs old.

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  Tacoma or Frontier - 2016 Nissan Frontier
  By Thom Phillips - November 21 - 7:15 am

  I set out to buy a Tacoma, but several factors set my decision on the Frontier. First The Dealer "Sparks" was as useless as a three legged horse. No help on the trade of my 2013 Prius that had hail damage. and the cost of the Tacoma was going to cost me more that 5K than the better equipped Frontier. SV Package included Tow PKG, Extend a bed Dual control Heat/AC, Heated Seats, Auto Dim Mirror with thermometer and compass built in fabric seats etc. The ride is much better than my Prius noisewise and comfort wise, The acceleration is excellent and the steering seems nice and tight. The Dealer "Grand Strand Nissan" and the sales and management were excellent. They offered more than 5k on my trade than the Toyota was willing to give. I noticed a superficial scratch on the tail gate spoiler and mentioned it to my sales agent and the shop manager came out looked and said well replace it without a problem. I could have lived with it but being a new truck I was happy they offered. Great overall experience