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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  Love the car - 2017 Nissan Sentra
  By Lslblues - December 14 - 2:58 pm

  Fun to drive stick. Averaging 34.7 mixed city/highway. Large interior and trunk. Great car and got a fantastic deal.

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  Nissans Entry Vehicle - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Commuter Man - December 14 - 2:36 pm

  In short, great car! I bought this car for its features, price and mpg, in that order. At 16K in todays market I did not expect a performance vehicle. I wanted good transportation that was safe and economical. The ride is great for a compact econo-box. The engine is quiet most of the time and it performs well in city and on the highway. This would be a perfect car for a college student or a commuter of any age. My average mileage is 30 mpg and I am quite pleased with that. On occasion it is called on to carry 5 adults and it does so with reasonable comfort. The leg room in this car is amazing! I have had no mechanical issues and the fit and finish is excellent.

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  I Love My Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Ann Wilson - December 14 - 9:10 am

  My car is wonderful. I would buy another if I was ready to trade. The only problem is the blind spot on both sides of the back.

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  Drivers door lock is a real problem - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Brenda Rinebold - December 14 - 1:20 am

  I am very pleased with my 2004 Murano. The first week I had my new murano I thouhgt I would go out at night to see the appearance of the head lights. Well, I shut the door, with the car still running. When I tried to get back in, the door had locked me out. I had to call road service and the auto dealership. The dealership sent someone to open the door. I took it back to have this fixed. It was not repaired and I was told that maybe I was hitting the lock by accident(duh!) Well now I still have the problem, but I am not going to take my SUV all the way there to be told that this is a flaw with this model. I have to make sure I have my keys at all times. This is a poor feature.

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  Fuel Mileage - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Susan Kite - December 13 - 4:30 pm

  We traded in a 1998 Toyota Corolla to purchase our 2007 Nissan Versa in order to save gas. The sticker on the window indicated that we would be getting 28 city and 35 highway miles. We have now owned this car for almost a year and are barely getting 23 miles to the gallon, a far cry from our old toyota that ran perfect. So not only due we now have a car payment but a car that gets horrible gas mileage. Weve tried several times to off load this to purchase a car that gets good gas mileage only to find out that a car we paid $14,000 for less than a year ago is only worth around 9 or 10 thousand dollars. Im so sad that we no longer own our toyota. Cute car, fun to drive but dont buy it to save.

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  Great car, if it only ran - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By Susan Marshall - December 13 - 11:12 am

  From jerking violently while shifting/CVT to shuddering until it shuts off while idling at stop lights, turning, behind school busses, etc., shutting off each time the car is placed in reverse or drive to completely disengaging while driving down the road/highway leading to coasting while the gas pedal and engine stop "talking" to each other, my car has progressively become a death trap. This 2014 Altima appears to completely flummox the dealerships service folks. They cant seem to fix it. Corporate refuses to pay for or replace whatever is broken. Oh, to top it off, the same Nissan dealership said it is only worth $9k for trade in. Despite being very happy with the car for the first 18-months, this 4-time Nissan buyer is desperately searching for faith that this cars current issues are a fluke, can be fixed, and the car I worked so hard to buy will return to being the reliable, comfortable, and economic car I loved.

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  Car is just ok... - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By Sharkie - December 13 - 10:11 am

  this car has no guts.... poor Transmission.... the interior is cheap and easy to get dirty

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  A dream car, but dreams arent perfect - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Sherrill - December 12 - 9:13 pm

  I drove my 1986 300ZX until 2005 and sold it for a great price even then. In the 370, it took a bit to get used to such tight steering and a great spring in the clutch. Another feature not to be forgotten is a very effective breaking system - press gently. I drove the car very carefully for 2 or 3 days. Now, I am taking curves at speeds that would tear a sedan off the road. This car sticks. I have a great feel for it. Still glad I took time to break things in gently. I have put 700 miles on so far. And summer awaits!

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  u better get one - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By path finder - December 11 - 6:26 pm

  I had this car for a week and the odometer reads 527 miles already. It is extremely fun to drive it. I have to admit the seats are very comfortable along with the car ride. You can fill up gas tank with about $42 and it will go for about 345 miles.

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  Amazing - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By arif - December 11 - 10:10 am

  Amazing car. Feels like a Jaguar while on the road, and total confidence off road. Fuel economy a little low, but, hey, arent all SUVs? Bought brand new in March 2002 and no problems at all. Thats why it has amazing resale in our part of the world. Prettiest 4x4 in terms of exterior, while interior is comfortable and functional. All in all, $ for $ the best SUV in the world. Its ripe for replacement as its approaching 4 years, but I cant find any alternative that will match it for build quality, comfort, ergonomics and performance in that price range. So I guess Ill be keeping it!