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:

• 

  Great Car, Buy a Camry ! - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By MikeB - October 12 - 3:23 pm

  My wife and I have an 04 and an 05, both 2.5S models. The 05 has held up pretty good so far, only having to replace an O2 sensor but the 04 is rubbish. Brakes are bad and need replaced often, had an O2 replaced, radiator/AC fans, rotors, rattles and noises. There is a rattle coming from the engine compartment. Check engine just came back on, again. Code P0420, catalytic converter. Warranty goes out after 80K on cat convts and after that youre on your own. $950 to fix +engine may be compromised. I really like the car when its parked. Im scared to drive it. Lucky me I own an 03 Corolla which never lets me down. Absolutely no problems. If you like having car problems a lot get an Altima !

• 

  Great truck - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mouseparty - October 12 - 10:16 am

  I really enjoy this truck. It was extremely well thought out. It is so luxurious, I forget that it is also an offroad vehicle. The nav and dvd are great!

• 

  Speedy Econobox - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By ffratrik - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Very impressed overall. Got a great price, and I am very happy with the performance. Great buy just coming out of college. Has plenty of guts, but still gets almost 30 mpg. A friend with a 00 civic si loves it. Overall, higly recommended.

• 

  2003 Murano SE HOT!!! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Bl@ckDr@gon - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I picked up my 2003 Murano on 7/3/2003 and put close to 1000 miles on it over the July 4th Weekend This is my first truck and Im totally impressed with it. Ive driven the Ford Explorer & Toyota 4Runner the ride of the Murano is in a class by itself. The CVT transmisson always seems to be in the correct (range/gear) While cursing on the highway at 65mph the RPMs were just below 2K on level ground. The handling while not 100% car like due to the height is excellent. Even highway driving with 5 passengers and luggage in the rear the truck moved effortlessly. The 245 HP powerplant always has power to spare for passing and climbing hills.

• 

  Altima 2.5S - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Love-A-Nissan - October 12 - 10:00 am

  The car is a little over 6 months old and has 11,000 miles I still love it. I must agree with what many are saying about the poor interior fit and finish and "orange peel" look to the paint, but I feel that Nissan put the money where I would rather have it...in the chasis and engine. The ride is a little rough, but the car really sticks to the road and the steering is crisp. Although the build quality is a little sub-par, I have faith that this car will be just as reliable as the 5 other Nissans that have passed through my family. Besides, this car is far better looking and much more fun to drive than a Camry or Accord.

• 

  Lovin my New Baby!!! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Rachie - October 9 - 6:16 am

  I just bought my 05 Titan about a month ago after owning a 06 Equinox for about 9 months and before that a 00 blazer for 5 yrs. I had 2 have my 4x4 back!! This truck is awesome. Very comfortable and actually handles better than my previous vehicles!!My sister had one before me and she loves her also. The fuel economy is the ONLY thing that I hate. Right now mine is averaging 12.5 mgp. Stinks, but the horsepower this truck has is incredible. I have only got to drive in a few snows this yr with it but it has done excellent. I would recommend this truck to anyone but if youre looking for fuel economy, his is not it. Overall though, I absolutely love this truck and would buy another one!!

• 

  SE Model takes it to limit - be prepared - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By SR3.5SE - October 8 - 5:40 pm

  We have always owned SEs (Nissan/Toyota), so typically we dont really consider non- SE models. May re-think this next time. When you initially drive the 07 Alt SE, youll get an inital rush similiar to driving a Z. However, just like the Z, for the long-term make sure you really want to live with the sport-tuned (SE) model. It does indeed handle impressively, but not surprisingly it does not soak up bumps all that well on a less than smooth road. This is exacerbated by the very firm front seats. In other words, Nissan really took things to the limit. I suggest taking very long test drives before making your decision, particularly with the new CVT trans.

• 

  Extremely happy - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By hts1190 - October 8 - 3:43 am

  The first 18,000 miles have been totally trouble-free. No glitches or repairs at all. Quiet, comfortable, smooth and powerful and with all the bells an whistles (except for satellite radio and GPS).

• 

  the pathfinder - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bigtard - October 7 - 5:50 am

  Ive had my pathfinder for about a month now and i love it. The only downside that i can think of would be the gas mileage. Other than that my frieds love it since i put the DVD entertainment system in it. I have had no problems with my pathfinder so far and i hope it will continue to be that way. So to whoever is looking for a awsome midsize SUV this should definitely be on your list

• 

  Not enough power - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Blacksheep - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Good truck if you dont want to use it to tow anything. The design is nice and it is very capable in 4WD. At 140 horses, it just doesnt have enough power. The gas mileage (18-15MPG) should be better. No problems mechanically. Looks nice and design features (cargo netting, rear power point, roof rack, etc.) are useful if you are an out-doors type.