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:

• 

  Performance and Luxury all in one - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By John Newmark - October 30 - 1:56 am

  The new Altima is completely redesigned and looks better than ever. Although a little shorter in length the horsepower is 270 and faster than most midsize sedans with its CVT transmission. The navigation system is touch screen and the intelligent key and push start are just a few of the luxury features.

• 

  Well worth it - 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Nissan Lover - October 29 - 5:36 pm

  I got a fully loaded version about a mopnth ago. Gas mileage so far is 33.6 MPG, consistent with what they publish. Having the gas engine cut out at low MPH takes some getting used to but the car still has good acceleration (consider it has more HP than the V4 Altima). Also is a very comfortable ride and looks sharp. Not only is it better for the environment, but the cash rebate makes it comparable in $ to a similarly equipped V4 and with the tax credit of $2,350 and the better fuel efficiency, this seems like a much better deal.

• 

  Best SUV in its class by far - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By best suv yet - October 29 - 4:26 pm

  The Armada has all you need for an SUV, when I purchased the truck I had to put it to the test, so me and 4 of my buddys took a road trip to south beach miami. Needless to say 4 fully grown men fell asleep 20 min into the trip. They all said that that this truck was smooth, and roomy, and the bose sound system was really nice. They gave the truck tens all around. The only thing is this truck does eat gas so know that when you purchase this vehicle, but all SUVs are gas guzzlers.

• 

  never thought i buy anything but a gm pr - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By dan - October 29 - 3:50 pm

  the best crossover i tested, and i tested most,the handing is great, the power is very good, i just love the transmisson. the comfort was the best, friends tell me the back seat is also very comfortable. what can i say? great job nissan. i just wish you could get it with a lumbar for passenger seat!!

• 

  Excellent commuting car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By TD - October 29 - 3:46 pm

  Purchased the 4dr hatchback SL with CVT and I have been impressed with the quality of options such as the 6 disc cd changer. The elbow rest is nicely padded which is respective of the quality of the rest of the interior. The rear seating is very impressive with two car seats and no feet pressing against the back of my seat, Im happy. The tires could be a little wider so the ruts left by semi- trailers wouldnt grab the vehicle so easily.

• 

  Good car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By RICH - October 29 - 1:46 pm

  Had no issues with mine except like alot of other people, had to change the front rotors. Other than that and new tires, no problems

• 

  I overall like my car - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Shaquille - October 29 - 1:10 am

  I think the car kind of depends on where you get your car from. If you get it from a crappy dealer who has like 3 or 4 owners then i wouldnt get it. I got my car at 62k (it was a rental, Igot it from Hertz car sales.) I am not at 85k and all I chaaged was wheel barons and oil changes on the regular. I drive about 300-380 miles a week thats just a guess. I drive alot and i love this car, I have no complaints. I love acceleration, push start and keyless entry. Great features for a a weaker model i fill up my tank on sunday and i dont fill up again until friday....... So the gas mileage is good to me, its roomy and i have great trunk space. This is a great car for young adults..

• 

  Very cheap to drive - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By keith - October 28 - 11:30 pm

  When I first got my license I bought this car with around 175k miles on it. The car is a great commuter and definitely cheap to own and drive. I get around 31 MPG in the city and 41 MPG when traveling, so trips are no longer going to eat your banking account. I carpooled with 3 other people to Chicago, 5 hours away, and paid about 12 dollars for a 2-way trip.

• 

  Nice truck - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By GEORGE - October 28 - 6:20 am

  It drives pretty nice, looks a lot better than other similar american made models in its class,

• 

  Try this for your 1st 4WD - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By back2nissan - October 28 - 2:00 am

  This our 1st Pathfinder. Really like it so far. Not a real prtty car but thats part of the appeal. Wife drives it primarily. Did well in the big snow here in the NE with one exception. All season tires work 90% of time. We tried the other 10% and the right tires would have fixed that. Good traction in ice. Ideal for a family of 4. Our family of 5 (all average) a tad tight. Weve put on just shy of 20,000 mi. just since April with no major problems. We have a little buzz in the steering column at about 2,800-3000 RPMs(?) Body is free of rust even though it spent several years in NY State.