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:

• 

  Sentra SR Spec V - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By da3vid - June 22 - 8:00 pm

  Very quiet interior, makes the Fosgate stereo sound terrific. Puts my VW Jetta interior and "advanced" sound system to shame. Sport suspension is nice and tight. You feel the big bumps but don"t bounce on the small and medium. No leaning in cornering, which you can do very fast due to the road hugging ability. At 400 miles, MPG is combined 28.5 with about 80% being highway. Mileage on highway was about 31.8 when I reset the computer. No initial defects found, very happy with the 6 speed manual transmission. The 200 HP let you use 2, 4 and 6th gears for normal driving. 1 & 2 get you into or across traffic fast, and 3 & 4 can make you feel like you are on a good roller coaster if you want.

• 

  Nissan is the best old or new - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By don - June 22 - 7:43 am

  I have a 2000 loaded Se 4x4 frontier, which will be up for sale in June 2010, low miles, under 50,000 miles, I have been thrilled with my truck for the last 10 years, and I can hardly wait to get the new 2010, I will get a 2010 LE CC Long Bed, Loaded with everything except the Moon Roof, that is the only thing I have not enjoyed on my 2000.

• 

  Great and fun to drive - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Marie - June 22 - 5:40 am

  I really love this SUV, it is great in the snow and looks stylish as well. I have never had one problem since I bought it, the only thing we had to do was replace the tires and get the usual maintenance.

• 

  My Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Anne - June 21 - 7:46 pm

  I have owned my car since February, 2005. I decided to purchase a Nissan after having it as a rental after a car accident. I tried other vehicles, and despite some - what I consider minor - issues, like noise, the quality of the car including size and overall performance and presentation was the best I found.

• 

  Amazing SUV - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Xowner - June 21 - 9:03 am

  I have had my X for awhile and I love it. It is very comfortable, fast, smooth, and quiet. It drives well at 85mph on the freeway, and can handle some rough stuff as well. The Rockford Fosgate stereo is as good as they get. The seats are very comfy, and the rear seat is high, so my 3 year old can look around very easily. Overall, I am impressed by the features and quality for the price.

• 

  Loaded 2.5 SL w/navigation and bluetooth - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By AltimaOwner - June 21 - 7:33 am

  Great ride, smooth acceleration, the CVT is awesome. Very comfortable drivers seat, power lumbar support is a nice feature. Ive owned a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord - both are great cars - but this Altima is a great combination of both a sporty drive and great gas mileage, and a slightly better price than Toyota or Honda. I hope it holds up as well as my Toyotas and Hondas.

• 

  Wonderful to own, great to drive - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Ellis G. Sr. - June 20 - 7:40 pm

  I really cant say anything negative about this vehicle. It is truly a sport coupe. Dont buy this car if you are not interested in a sport car but just like the looks. It has a very sporty ride (sport tuned suspension) and rides like its on rails, superb handling. Acceleration is excellent and the CVT (continuously variable transmission) shifts seamlessly when in drive mode. You can manually shift it as well. My wife and I call it a baby Z. It is a really fun car to drive and I would highly recommend it as an affordable sport car that can hold its own.

• 

  Frontier - 4th of July fireworks.. - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By JS - June 20 - 6:00 pm

  Just bought it this last week and love it. It has a lot of get up and go. Very roomy for a King cab and feels very tough. It has all the features I wanted and it didnt break the bank. I compared the Toy and GMC and was not impressed with the option packs or the add on pricing for both of them.

• 

  LOVE the Maxima - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By sdemsully - June 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is even better than the advertised "4 door body, 2 door soul" that Nissan previously advertised it as. So much fun to drive, it almost sucks to arrive at your destination. Great juice off the line, and even stronger passing power on the highway (and believe me, Ive tested that numerous times!). Bottom line: this car will not disappoint.

• 

  New Found Nissan Enthusiast - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Ramonsjc - June 20 - 10:00 am

  I remember the days when my uncle would drive his Datsun truck and rave about its reliablity and low maintenace! Years have passed and Datsun/Nissan is only Nissan now, and it is I who is raving about the reliability ride and comfort. This is not the best vehicle out ever but I have mistreated it,im in my 20s i do burnouts every corner. only minor tuneups from the dealer. It still runs like a champ !