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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  Gotta Have One! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Jessica - May 23 - 2:13 pm

  I loved my new Rogue the second I sat in it at the dealer. I was originally looking to buy a Murano and on the way out of the show room I walked by the brand new just released two weeks ago, Rogue. Blew my socks off. The gas mileage is unbelievable. I get 25.6 mpg in the city. I get well over 30 mpg on the highway. The paddle shifters on the steering wheel are very different and fun. The pep this car has for a 4 cylinder is just incredible. The CVT offers such a smooth ride that I forget how fast I am going sometimes because I am so used to a car shifting. I highly recommend at least test driving one for yourself.

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  No More Chevy Silverados - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jerryd - May 23 - 10:00 am

  The Nissan Titan was definitely my truck of choice. Ive driven nothing but Chevy Silverados 4x2 the last seven years and this beats Chevy hands down in overall performance. My wife normally didnt drive my Silverados but she is always eager to drive my Titan. I hope Nissan continues with reliability,improvements and maintenance for the Titan in 2005 and beyond. I own the Smoke SE 4x4 model with Power Captain Chairs, Off Road Package and Utility package.

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  Bring it on! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By TooMuchDog - May 23 - 10:00 am

  The 350Z is ans awesome vehicle in every respect and this vehicle demands respect. Nissan is shaking up the competition in this class and market-this vehicle is FEARED by the competition. I own 3 Nissans and I will not buy anything but a Nissan.

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  Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By DPiedra - May 22 - 11:16 pm

  Only had this car for a fewmonths. Got the 3.5 SE with leather package, sunroof, larger tires, Bose Stereo, plus all the other bells and wistles. This car is not only fun to drive, it is fast and very responsive. Love the interior. That is primarily where this car wins big over the boring Accord and Camry.

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  Excellent Truck, Great Price. - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Gonzo1124 - May 22 - 12:43 am

  Traded an 06 Honda Ridgeline for the Frontier SE and I am extremely happy with my decision. The Ridge was an okay vehicle, but not a true truck. The short bed was a negative, the squatting of the rear end while towing was not acceptable and the mileage was pitiful at 13 to 14 mpg. The Frontier is a great, good looking real truck with ample towing capacity (6,500 with the V-6) great looks, good ride and a very powerful, with a lot of torque V- 6 engine. My full size motorcycle fits very well in the bed and when towing a trailer, you dont even notice you are pulling something back there. This truck will burn rubber any time you want to from a dead stop.

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  Love my Nissan - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Janet Folan - May 21 - 2:46 pm

  I actually paid cash for a brand new 2002 Mercedes CLK 320. That was a very big mistake. I never liked the car and felt that I wasted all that money!! I finally got rid of the M.B. and purchashed a 2004 Maxima and absolutly love it !! I find it so comfortable and easy to handle. Ive heard people complain about the wide turning, but I dont find that any big deal. I love the look of my car reliability too! If I were to change anything, I would make the instrument panel easier to read. I find myself squinting to read the print. I think my husbands next SUV might be a Nissan too !!!

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  Fantastic - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By suezeman - May 21 - 3:06 am

  We were going to buy a infinite, but decided to get the Murano, and glad we did, we enjoy the space and the ride and comfort. Plus I have had more people ask me what kind of SUV it is and Im so pleased with it I tell them a lot.

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  How come this car is overlooked? - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Max Mike - May 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car brand new in 1995. It now has over 176K on it. I plan on running it to 300K. 1st mechanical repair was the brake pads needed to be replaced at 90K. How this car is overlooked so often and many choose to buy the more expensive and less performing Camry, Ill never understand. The Maxima is fun to drive and it can hold its own on the road.

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  the undiscovered van. - 1999 Nissan Quest
  By van man - May 19 - 2:00 am

  this van is an extremely quiet even at cruising highway speeds with a fairly decent mileage. i have also got used to the leather seats etc.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By johnmorfd - May 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought the vehicle on the first of February in 2002. I have found the SUV to be quite powerful on acceleration. The suspension is very tight with no road rattles or squeaks to be heard. Of course there is a small amount of road noise due to the 17 inch agressive tires. I found the exterior paint to be flawless. This was not true of the 2 Hondas that I own. The interior was just as nice.