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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  Nissan Pathfinder Platinum - 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Julie Wright - August 14 - 6:02 am

  Know what price you want to pay and get your discounts before going into the finance office!!!!

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  Mini Murano - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By captcrunch570 - August 14 - 4:46 am

  After 800 miles I must say Nissan did an amazing job with this crossover. Sporty fun and I am getting 24 mpg.

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  2001 Maxima SE - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By BV - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Great car. Very quiet interior. Powerful V-6 even at 222hp. Handles better than expected for a full size sedan with 4 doors. Excellent room inside. fits four adults easily. Steering wheel radio controls. Big trunk. Seats are form fitting, but could be a tad "cushier". HUGE storage with FOUR areas for drinks,cans,cups etc....and holds them secure!! Huge center storage for CDs to even stand upright. Would easily buy the same car again.

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  Safe in the Lap of Luxury - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By To The Moon - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a Murano SE 2 weeks ago and Edmunds.com helped so much in our research...thank you! First made a list of what we needed, the plushness of the Murano was a plus. Graduating from a van we test drove (that I recall) Pilot, CRV, Rav, and Pathfinder and inspected many others. Focused on the Pilot then we drove the Murano and fell in love with fully loaded SE (didnt want DVD or GIS). Pricing (asked to see dealers invoice), mpg, safety & smooth/solid ride of this dream contributed to our purchase decision. Its smooth rounded exterior is a pleasure to run a shammy over, no crevices for grit to settle in.

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  problem with heating - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Phyllis Fischer - August 12 - 9:46 pm

  Total experience was excellent for the first 2 months, at which time the heating for the floor stopped working; the face and defroster are okay. It was in the shop twice and was told that nothing is wrong; they put it up to 90 and it seemed to be okay; but the next time we drove, it was still cold! Where do I turn now?

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  Awesome vehicle - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BRYAN - August 12 - 6:20 am

  Owned two pathefinders , 2003 and 2006 never had a warranty repair yet on either. Never needed brakes on the 2003 yet with 36,000 miles , just replaced tires once. Great vehicles. Nissan could inmprove rear end styling on the new 06 pathfinder, but i still love it.

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  Good at the price - 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bluevista - August 12 - 5:43 am

  The PF is truck-based SUV with off-road capability. This is the main reason I bought it. It also saved me thousands of dollars compared with its competitors. I like the 4WD function, DVD, rapid acceleration(0-60mph, 7.4 seconds), and third row seats for children. It is a good SUV at its price.

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  More bang for $$ then Tacoma! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Critter - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Great midsize truck,plenty of getty up,handle and rides nice for a 4x4. Youll pay 2-3 K for Tacoma same equipt. Dont think Toy is that much better if at all! Fuel is so-so 16-18 normal. 20-22 Hiway! Yes would buy again best truck Ive had in along time. Its head and shoulder over my old 94 Nissan. Had 160 k when I bought the new one. Bang the buck Frontier is it!

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  Real SUV - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By 4x4Russ - August 11 - 7:36 am

  I have owned many different 4x4 SUVs (Trailduster, Suburban, Rodeo, Trooper) and have to say my 2002 Nissan Xterra is the best of the bunch. It provides a great balance between off road ability and highway comfort. Towing my boat is painless and my 96" longboard fits inside! I have put almost 50,000 miles on mine since without any problems.

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  Cant believe I waited this long - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By BaconRx7 - August 11 - 4:06 am

  I worked for Nissan from 03-05, and during that time owned a 04 Maxima SE with all the bells and whistles. Drove the Murano back then and fell in love, just had to wait till my lease was up, boy am I happy. Picked up a SL AWD, with touring package, all I can say is WOW. IÂ’m a huge fan of the styling, amazed with the color display and reverse camera (didnÂ’t know it had it till I picked it up). The ride is great; gas mileage so far is nearly identical to my maxima. And the Lumbar is so much better then the maxima. IÂ’m still in the industry, working for a Cadillac dealer, so I get the chance to see and drive a lot of vehicles. Muranos the best!!