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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  I love this car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Joe2481 - January 2 - 10:00 am

  I just bought this car, and I am thrilled with it. I am surprised how well it drives considering the price. I test drove the corolla LE before purchasing the sentra, and it was horrible. It drives like a cow compared to the nissan. The sentra is about 2k cheaper than the toyota. The only problem I have had with the car is the check engine light came one at 80 miles. The dealer says its nothing. It does not even give a code when they hook it up to the computer.

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  nice - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By who really cares - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Very nimble driving ability (theres a reason for all those gears.) Good pickup from a dead stop; passing ability is superb. On clean, level pavement the handling is nice and tight. On uneven pavement the can go airborne very easily. The front end is very light. Im not looking forward to driving in the snow. There is not enough traction to keep even a modest start from making the tires squeal. The premium sound package is tight and well tuned. It is not super-audiophile quality, but it is mostly clear and has a good range. The back seat is _very_ cramped - there is hardly any leg room.

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  good wheels - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By AJJ - January 2 - 10:00 am

  looks good lot of power beats all others honda comes close

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  Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jake - January 2 - 8:10 am

  Ive owned several other 1/2 ton pickups in the past and nothing can compare to the power. I tow a 25 camper trailer with ease and the automatic shifting is awesome to use while towing. I have almost 36,000 miles on it and have had issues with the front end, cv joints, brakes, front bearings which the dealership has not been able to find the problem yet. When turning it grinds metal on metal, theyve replaced the hubs, but the problem is still there. They had a recall on the brakes too when I first got it, They ended up putting bigger rotors and pads on the front end. The old were to small and they would worp every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. Havent had issues with the brakes since.

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  Awesome Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Chuck Marchbanks - January 1 - 3:26 pm

  The Titan is awesome in every way! It is so quick when you need it to be and smooth when you want to relax and drive! The power and performance of this Nissan will surprise you every time you put the peddle down! It is an eye catcher! People are constantly saying how much they love it and how they would love to have it. I absolutely love this awesome machine!

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  Dont want another one - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Randy - January 1 - 7:40 am

  We fell in love with the minivan at the dealership. It had plenty of power. Went on vacation the fuel mpg was showing around 20.8 mpg. However the mileage continued to get worse traded it in this week was showing 17.5 mpg. It was in the shop right after we bought it to repair the manual sliding door (drivers side) because it would not completely close all the way. The dealership swore we had wrecked the van since they could not fix it in their shop. Tires were bald at 29k miles and the front brakes were terrible. The car would shake badly when applying brakes during normal stops. For 30k dont buy one of these. Traded it in on a 2007 Nissan Armada. Will give Nissan one more chance.

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  Quite Slow for a nissan - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Mike - January 1 - 5:36 am

  I just test drove this car. Id have to say I am very disappointed that it is so slow for a Nissan. Previous years were quite fast. The CVT allows for a very enjoyable ride but does not allow for the quick start from 0. However, once going 30+ it has plenty of power. Starting from 0 is like starting a car with a big engine in 2nd gear. If you have no reason to lay into the gas this is the car for you. Its smooth, no shifting, and the CVT gives for a ride passengers would enjoy. Ive got very mixed impressions - Its got Toyota Camry beat with everything except for the 0- 60 factor, or so it would seem.

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  Great car, very minor annoyances - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By JHall - January 1 - 4:20 am

  Was surprised with the power from the 2.5L 4banger. Went from an old 4.9L Cadillac to the Altima and am not disappointed, even with slight drop in pick-up. It is comfortable and stylish without a giant pricetag. Leasing option was cheap! Car has some very minor issues with comfort and accessories, but has been great mechanically and the ride is pretty smooth.

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  Continental Sport Contact 2 Tires Awful - 2009 Nissan Sentra
  By KnightLog - December 31 - 11:56 pm

  Happy with the car. The sunroof whistles. The Lighter is in an odd location. The Original Equipment Tires that come with the car are Continental Sport Contact 2. They are terrible in the rain and when you hit highway patches you start to loose control. If you purchase a Sentra make sure you have the dealer pull these tires off first. :)

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  Aggressive Styling - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Sacramento SDV - December 31 - 7:13 pm

  I knew I was going to get an Altima but didnt quite know which model. Cost was a major concern so I initially wanted the 2.5 with sports package. After some thinking I decided to go with the 3.5 SE because who can so no to 250 horses? I thought the SE-R was out of my price range but its awesome test drive and aggressive looks begged to differ. After more consideration I chose the SE- R. I figured it was worth the extra dollars a month to get a vehicle that has all that you want with a truly UNIQUE look.