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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  Bettinas "Sassy" - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Bettina Voigt - June 26 - 10:00 am

  I was ready for a performance car with a little luxury and smoother ride. "Sassy" is that car. For the money, she is sweet!

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  good value - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By juniorshariff - June 26 - 5:35 am

  good auto for commuting. roomy inside , good exterior curves on sr model. only ,it should have more h.p

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  Road Trip - 2015 Nissan NV200
  By janyrseda - June 25 - 6:57 pm

  Loved my new NV200, handles so well and gets really great mileage doing 80 mph got 26-28 mpg going up hills...first road trip was 2400 miles and it hummed along the road and in the city!!!

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  Excelllent value reliable transportation. - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By stephen felts - June 25 - 1:23 pm

  The manufacturer (Nissan) guarentees the Recently sold my Versa after 9 years of happy ownership because I got my wifes Infinity when I bought here a new Alfa Romeo Julia. I never had any trouble with the Versa and loved it.

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  awesome - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By cali_altima - June 25 - 2:46 am

  I recently bought my 2.5s and Im so satisfied I have had absolutely no problems and keep finding cool new features that my car has. It is so fun to drive and the stereo is awesome. Im so glad I went through with an Altima. If your shopping for a car you should seriously consider an Altima. You wont be disappointed.

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  It was the most perfect car Ive had - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By clock84 - June 24 - 5:10 pm

  I bought my 08 Nissan Altima Coupe in 2008 brand new. It was my first brand new car and Im still in love with it even though I dont own it any longer. I put over 50k miles on it in 3 years. I took it on long drives from Omaha to Chicago and Omaha to Indianapolis. The seats were so comfy that my butt was never abused. The acceleration was always great even though it was a 4 cyl. I had no problems getting around in the winter during some bad snowfalls. The only reason I traded it in was because I needed to get a bigger car for a family. When I think of my silver 2008 Altima I get a little tear in my eye as I wistfully remember how great of a car it was.

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  My best friend - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By luvmysentra - June 24 - 11:00 am

  I have had the Sentra for little over a month now, and am absolutely pleased with my purchase. I was looking for a simple, yet comfortable car with fuel efficiency as the most important feature. I purchased a 1.8s and was able to get many more features than Id ever expected on my "college student" income. All the features are automatic, I have a manual transmission with cruise control (I love this feature), and the trip odometer has about 6 different displays that I cannot find in any of my friends cars. I use the MPG and dte displays most frequently. After 1300 miles, I am averaging just under 32 mpg in mixed driving conditions. This care is dependable, comfortable, and a great buy!

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  Cool Quirky Looking Car - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Tom Spada - June 23 - 10:30 pm

  Except for its somewhat unattractive front end styling, it disappears when you get yourself behind the drivers seat. Yup, its no pocket rocket, but the CVT gets it up to speed sooner than you can tell "Bluetooth" which number you wish to dial. The ride is smooth with good road feedback. Quieter than other more expensive vehicles. Ive had my share of Porsches, Corvettes, and everything in between. Nissan has put some serious thought into the making of this vehicle, and what it has to offer. The Versa proves that an inexpensive car doesnt have to be made cheaply. With ridiculous gas prices these days, Id buy it again.

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  Pleased so far....... - 2008 Nissan Quest
  By Samuel - June 23 - 4:36 am

  We purchased the Quest about 2 months ago and to my surprise, have had no real issues. This is our first minivan and I was leaning hard to the Sienna simply because I have owned Toyotas in the past and have had no major problems. After much research, we went with the Quest because of the incentives offered at the time. We got much more van at a lower cost than the Sienna. Happy so far, but only time will tell.

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  I waited before deciding to review .... - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By woody35 - June 23 - 2:05 am

  Had heard about the shuddering challenges, decided to purchase anyway - alas, at low miles it started to shudder, talked to my dealer and was told it was nothing ..... On a road trip to Canada it got to the point I was ready to return the vehicle once we got home. Called Nissan directly who directed me to the nearest dealer, who identified, addressed and fixed the problem within hours! Only have good things to say about them. LOVE this car, it offers everything plus more! I researched the rest, then purchased the best! Ride, comfort, features OUTSTANDING.