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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  Great first convertible! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Phil R. - June 2 - 3:15 pm

  I was looking for my first convertible as a birthday present for myself and found this 04 with 41,500 miles, platinum with a navy blue top. No dents, no scratches, leather in good shape. Only problem was that the interior plastic seems notorious for looking pretty beat-up, especially around the interior door handles and the center console. Fortunately, my issues were all on the center console. I took the center console apart (PIA), which took a lot of time and care and sprayed all of the black parts with flat black plastic paint (Home Depot) and it came out great. While I had the thing apart, I also installed a back-up camera (make sure your head unit will support this before you go through the trouble) which I got on line for $15. This is very helpful for backing up with the top up! This car is a hoot to drive and holds the road well with the Michellin Pilot Sports its wearing. I am so glad I got the manual transmission as it is much more drivable than the automatics I tested. I have put a little over 4,000 miles on the car and am still really enjoying my toy, and can say the following about performance: The Z holds the road well with the above stated tries (45s up front and 75s rear) but has noticeable body roll. Maybe its a convertible thing. It is quick but not as fast as it seems with the top down. With the right tires my Infiniti G37 will blow the doors off this car in a straight race, and possibly do so on a slalom course. With all its power, the Infiniti also beats the Z for mileage by a long shot. I realize Im comparing apples and aardvarks but, there it is. That said, you just cant discount the "fun factor" of driving top down in this beautiful car on a winding road. To anyone looking for a fun second car, do your homework. Youll find better cars but I dont think youll find a better value.

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  6 Speed Fun - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Vicsone - June 2 - 4:06 am

  This is the third Nissan we have owned. My wife loves them. She opted for the 6 speed which is smooth and fun to drive. We have 11k miles on the car and so far so good except for one squeak in the back no one can find. The fuel mileage is great at 36 mpg Hwy. The biggest improvement would be a little more leg room for the knees the shifter console is rough on them after a few miles. Overall very satisfied and will keep for about 6 years. Thanks Nissan and keep up the Good work!!

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  Happy...but.. - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By jeff65 - May 31 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 2003 sentra gxe w/ road package on clearance. It is a nice car but I am questioning the integrity of the paint and interior components. It has been two weeks and nearly 1600 miles so far. On the first day the "coin draw" fell off and by the second week there have been some concerns with the paint quality. Overall t has been a fun car to drive with road package. It was my fall back car due to the deal I received ($11000). I test drove the jetta wagon mazda protege and lastly the Sentra. I actually wanted a wagon but fell in love with the smooth ride, tight clutch, and looks of the sentra.

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  Bad paint job - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By frosted - May 31 - 10:00 am

  The car rides a little rough. You can feel every bump in the road. My car also came with a bad paint job. Two months after purchasing the car the paint job started showing light blotches on one side of the car. After 2 months, 4 trips to the dealer, and 19 phone calls(calls made to dealer and nissan customer line) they are repainting part of the car. I have also been having trouble with the A/C. Once you use the defrost setting, you can not shut the air conditioning off until you turn the car off.

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  Nostalgic for older model - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Steve86 - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Extremely small tight backseat Nissan should seriously consider reverting to the older sentra design which had a wider body and a better decent back seat. The car also has a poor ride quality at 60 hitting a highway bump bounced my head into the cieling of the car.... Aside from that the car has decent fuel economy and features though the accord would be a better buy for less...

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  Great sheer performance - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Go Blue - May 28 - 3:30 pm

  Pros: Superior 255 HP engine. You canÂ’t beat this in the family sedan market. This car flies- great acceleration. Standard Xenon Headlamps. Very cool feature- gives your car luxury status. Great safety feature. Cons: Some people donÂ’t like clear tailights. Paint quality not that great- chips easily. Premium Bose stereo not worth the high price. Overall, more exciting than Accord or Camry. Not as pretty as the Passat, but much faster.

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  problems at first minor things happening - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By rick d - May 27 - 7:20 pm

  PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM LOT NO TEST DRIVE.1ST PROBLEM TIRES(BF GOODRICH TA) TIRES SHIMMY REPLACED ALL FOUR WITH NEW. 2ND,RADIO STATIC REPLACED BY DEALER. 3RD SKID PLATE SCREWS FOR OIL FILTER STRIPPED WAITING FOR NEW ONES STILL.TITAN IS A STRONG BEEFY TRUCK THAT THE COMPETITION CANT TOUCH FOR POWER OR COMFORT.I JUST WISH NISSAN WOULD MAKE STANDARD OPTION OF POWER MIRRORS FOR THIS TRUCK XE MODEL.

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  Good Purchase - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By aaron - May 26 - 11:56 am

  I love driving this car. It has everything a hard working middle aged man needs (aside from a corvette). I honestly dont see this car as a family sedan my wife thinks it is too fast and she drives a BMW 528I. So this being said I prefer the Nissan over my BMW much faster and more fun to drive,

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  Nissan Murano FWD SE - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Doug - May 26 - 5:56 am

  Ive always liked the exterior styling of the Murano, with the two chromed tailpipes protruding from under the swept-up rear cabin area.(Impractical) black paint color makes it look even more "Darth Vader"-ish. Being a knowledgeable car nut, I was pleasantly surprised by the quick acceleration(0-6 in 8.0 sec) of the V6, given the 2-ton weight, but I think this is due to the ingenious CVT transmission(a modern version of the old Buick DynaFlow) which also helps maximize fuel economy(25mpg on the highway). The SEs suspension is a bit harsh, and there is some noticeable road noise intrusion into the cabin. Controls are well positioned and easily learned, and FINALLY---the perfect sunvisor.

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  2007 Nissan Murano - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Stephanie - May 25 - 2:36 pm

  I purchased the 07 Murano in May. I find the vehicle comfortable and easy to handle, however, the gas mileage is not so great. Also, the vehicle has been in for service three times in the last two months for squealing brakes in reverse only. So far there has been no resolution to the problem. The service department said that there is nothing more they can do and to contact Nissan directly. I did, and was told Nissan is trying to find a way to fix the problem with the brake noise in reverse. Still waiting to hear what will be done with mine.