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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  Overall impression - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Ange - September 13 - 9:03 pm

  Great vehicle. This thing accelerates like a sports car and has the firm and sure handling to match. This unit has the ability to go and stop fast, walk through deep snow sure footedly and to keep driving interesting and fun for many miles to come.The vehicle seems to be a unique cross between an SUV and a sports car. Nissan brings the best from each category to this platform with decent fuel mileage to boot.The dash is expansive and serves to hold a potentially large quantity of items, I believe that space could be more wisely allocated to the console area that seems too far down and forward to make easily accessible. This is a fine vehicle for a now emerging segment of cross-style SUVs.

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  OH BABY - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By meo~ - September 13 - 9:03 am

  Great car fun to drive seats not long enough, when fill car with gas will splash back on you and the car, why I dont know. Could have better materials for interior. But still a great car to drive.

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  Great Car! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By HevyDevyHead - September 13 - 6:20 am

  I absolutely love this car. Had one on order for longer than a month and now that I finally have it, I know I made a great decision. It feels more like a car that should cost $27k and is the smoothest riding vehicle I have even ridden in. Seats are nice and plush. Stereo sounds great and I love the aux input jack. The drivers seat offers a great view of the road and the backseat is huge.

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  1997 Maxima SE - Great Car! - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By corona1373 - September 12 - 11:37 pm

  An amazingly reliable car after 210,000 miles and 17 years of service. It is dependable and has never let me down or left me stranded. I bought my 1997 Maxima SE about 17 years ago and it has been the most reliable car Ive ever owned. It is super easy to service, replacement parts are inexpensive and the engine/transmission still run flawless. With 209,000 miles it still cruises quietly down the highway and gets about 25-26mpg on highway trips. The motor is smooth and the transmission shifts perfectly. I frequently see many of the 4th Generation Maximas still on the road. If you can find a rust-free one that has been well maintained I think its a good bet as a used car.

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  Well worth the money - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Joe - September 12 - 4:20 pm

  I have now owned the car almost two months and am very pleased. I have the premium package with the nav. You are getting plenty for your money and everything has been great. I am averaging 23/27 for hwy/city and I am using premium fuel. The pickup the car has is excellent, nav is great, Bose stereo is great and climate control is great. Heated seats and steering wheel is a plus. The ride and handling are fine and steering is fine. Dont be alarmed the brakes feel a little soft but they are fine. The trunk needs a little push to close but a minor issue. I recommend the car highly to anyone!

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  mike - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By MIchael Amato - September 12 - 3:53 pm

  Great van, i recommend this car over all other minvans, this is the easiest van to get into. im 70 with a bad back.

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  2016 Murano platinum - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By tanooz - September 12 - 10:03 am

  I have owned Muranos since 2007, which was my favorite. The new platinum is beautiful. The interior is luxurious much like the Infiniti with all the bells and whistles. My negatives are, the engine is much louder, and the back seat leg room is much smaller. Having the larger wheel makes for a harder ride. I still love the car.

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  Rogue Happy - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Rogue Happy - September 12 - 2:16 am

  I purchased my Alloy Orange Nissan Rogue on 10/31/07. I traded in my beloved Nissan XTerra for a more fuel efficient vehicle. I absolutely love it. You cant hear it running in park. There is a great red light illumination in the overhead console for night driving. The keyless fob actually has a key in it to get in the car if the battery goes dead. I love the keyless entry. The Bose stereo is awesome. The seats are comfortable and it is absolutely fun to drive. My boyfriend bought one 2 weeks later. My gas mileage is great at 22.8 city and 25.878 Hwy before break in. I like the bag storage in the way back to keep packages from shifting. Love the bluetooth! You gotta get one of these!!

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  350Z - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Mike - September 11 - 9:40 pm

  I own a fully restored mildly modified 1978 280Z that I have had for 23 years. I love how much the new Z is like the old one- only better.

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  nice ride - 2009 Nissan Quest
  By Dave - September 11 - 4:46 pm

  I am not dissapointed I traded my gas guzzling Titan for this gas sipping van. the truck was no longer practical and driving 30K mls a year, I will save about $150 a month in fuel alone. great ride and handling, unique style.