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 car - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By bob r - November 14 - 11:40 pm

  I bought this fully loaded murano with nav. and back up camera. Both were purchased for the sole purpose of being another "toy" but turn out to be quite functional and fun. Excellent ride, not mushy but a little on the firm sporty side. Great handling, better than my 1997 pontiac GTP.Gas mileage around 21 mixed driving which is great because I have learned they get better after some break-in. Good all around performance. Great in snow with AWD model. Steering and braking are predictable with just the right feel. A little hard to judge distance in the front when parking, back up camera eliminates this problem in the rear. I like this car better than the rx330 or fx45 that I drove.

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  Great Truck - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By CHAD - November 14 - 10:00 am

  No problems yet fun to drive but a little poor on the gas mileage.Overall, i would buy again

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  Excellent Small SUV - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By reddobie0 - November 13 - 5:25 pm

  Bought a fully loaded Rogue and recieved a deal I couldnt refuse. Traded in my CRV because I had my fill of Honda and their busted up transmissions in thier SUVs and vans. Absolutely love the rogue. From a dead stop it is a little slow but on the highway it has plenty of power to pass. Seems to keep the car right in the powerband. Own a 2010 Escalade and it seems my wife is always taking my Rogue when Im not looking. Could use a little more cargo space but sufficient for my needs. Handles well and I wont have to replace an expensive timing belt ever again(unlike my Hondas). Drove several other competitors and kept going back to the rogue. Very happy and I have fun driving again!

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  Solid SUV - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By DesignerX - November 13 - 10:23 am

  I bought this 4wd truck used almost 4yrs ago, it was a rental car for the first 13k miles and I have added 57k miles. This SUV is solid... Im not a gentle driver and have had no problems. This truck has endured 2.5 yrs of city driving (short trips and lots of stop and go) and over 4k miles pulling a 3500lb trailer. Its not the most luxurious truck, its no speed demon and the mpg isnt any better than a Chevrolet Tahoe v8... but to me the cost of ownership, reliability and functionality does the trick!

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  Xterra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Xtera Kev - November 12 - 7:46 pm

  I love this truck. I have been driving Explorers since 94. This thing smokes them 10 to 1. Plenty of power and off road it rocks. I go places where some jeeps have trouble. The ride is on par with the explorer. But the motor is way better. Mpg is about the same I avg about 20mpg 60/40 driving hwy/city. No problems of any kind yet.No rattles or squeaks I am at 60000 miles. Time for some new rubber. I just couldnt be happier.

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  Love the car - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By Brian - November 12 - 7:30 pm

  Car is well worth the money. Has plenty of power to accelerate on to the interstate, without worries. A/C cools the car quickly. Stereo has great bass and sound quality. Car is quiet no wind noises up to 80 mph. Its light weight so be prepared when an eighteen wheeler fly by. Any compact will give you the same feeling of being blown off the road. Wish the rear seat on my sedan folded down, but does have a lot of trunk space. Blind spots and the small quarter glasses on the front doors take some getting use too. Automatic trans shifts smooth, 1.8L engine has noticeable injector noise or valve noise when accelerating hard. Would buy again, and again. Great gas mileage..

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  New Maxima SE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By nddst - November 12 - 5:13 pm

  After driving every import in the 20-30k price range (BMW, Volvo, Passat), I decided on a Nissan Maxima SE. Since I wanted a manual transmission, I was limited somewhat (No Accord, Acura or Camary). I fell in love with the Maximas looks and it drove like a dream. I am moving from an Acura Integra and what a difference! The Acura is a fun car to drive, but the Maxima blows it away. It has much less road noise and a lot more power. No other cars I drove gave me the value I got with the Maxima.

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  sooo very happy - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By charlie - November 12 - 2:16 pm

  my first maxima and it was a good move...had the car lil over a year and still enjoy driving it on a daily basis...very special automobile...may sound silly, but love the drive...even the engine compartment is outstanding...

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  Great Car - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By Great Car - November 12 - 9:13 am

  I bought this car new at the end of 2001. Because it was an XE with a 5sp manual it was still on the lot. For the first 100k it had very few problems, and they were covered under warranty. A new catalytic converter and a fuel pump were all that went wrong. The clutch lasted until 115k. Now that I have 140k on it, Ive had to replace the rack and pinon steering and needed some engine repairs for rough idling. Overall, I love this car and for the mileage it has needed few repairs.

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  Beware of just Design - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By nissancustomer - November 12 - 8:56 am

  I have been a Nissan vehicle only for the past decade. My decision was enormously influenced by the sleek Quest designs. I have just driven 800 miles since I bought it a couple of months back and the passenger side door doesnt open or close properly. This Van is pretty hard on the gas and the transmission slips at times. Plus Nissan of North America corporate folks are pretty "customer unfriendly" if approach them for any post car buying issues.