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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  2011 Murano SL vs. 2009 Murano LE - 2011 Nissan Murano
  By stradivarius - August 1 - 5:19 pm

  I purchased a 2009 Murano LE September 2008 and recently traded for 2011 SL @ 74K miles. The 09 was my first Nissan and I really liked it so I opted for another. The SL now has the power lift gate and memory seats which are important to me so I did not need LE. For the most part the vehicles are very similar. The 11 seems to ride and handle better with 18"wheels vs. 20". I also seem to be getting better gas mileage which should improve when broken in. Biggest gripe is voice recognition of bluetooth is horrible vs. 09. Also I cant believe that Nissan did away with cd changer on $39K vehicle which I did not catch before buying. As far as headlights not being xenon, I cant tell difference.

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  From "Nearly Flawless" to "Major Flakes" - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Mike234 - August 1 - 5:00 am

  My first review was published at 2 yrs, 23K miles titled "Nearly Flawless". 3 years and almost 30K miles later the drivetrain performance still is. However this vehicle has developed a Major paint problem - the paint is flaking off the top of the lift gate and starting on the roof. I lose about 4 sq inches every time I wash! Nothing environmental or damaged and I am vigilant with maintenance. Just defective paint as far as I can tell. Nissans response was basically "Sorry, its out of warranty". Unfortunate, because its an otherwise fantastic vehicle. I was a big fan and now theyve lost a customer.

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  Z Review - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By SHIFT_ - July 30 - 10:00 am

  FAST and Fun to drive, Handles like its on rails, Built pretty well, Interior is pretty comfortable for a sports car, but I wouldnt want to drive it across the country. Love the body styling.. Overall Im very happy with the car!!! Also my car is very Modded...

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  2003 2.5S Six month review - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Brian Kristel - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I am writing this at just over the six month mark for my Altima. Overall I am very pleased with the car. The 2.5S engine still surprises me with its energy on the highway and its pickup during merges. The cabin room is fantastic. This is a car that is very comfortable to ride it its back seat. The only options I went with were the splash guards, floor mates, and automatic/compass mirror. The automatic/compass mirror is a must (it saved me several times. This car is a great deal in that 18,000- 19,000 range.

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  Fun to Drive - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Dawn - July 30 - 2:13 am

  This is a fun car to drive. It gets great gas mileage. I love the 20 gallon gas tank (that was a seller for me!). You can go forever on a tank of gas. I miss the room of an SUV (which I drove for years) but I was tired of the gas prices and poor gas mileage of the larger vehicle.

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  Great car! - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By PVale - July 29 - 2:03 pm

  I purchased this car for the safety features and supposed gas mileage. This car handles great and I love to drive it. I purchased this car about 6 months ago and was in one hit and run accident Christmas Eve. The safety features worked beautifully, the repairs were done and the car drives like nothing ever happened.

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  Fun to Drive - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By xosder - July 28 - 10:40 pm

  This a very fun car to drive with good power and acceleration. The exterior design is very stylish and sporty. The ride is very quiet and smooth (although if you have the SE you will feel the bumps). This is not a luxury car by any stretch and it does have a few flaws, but all in all is a good car.

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  Very comfortable sedan that handles well. - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By manofmyths - July 28 - 10:45 am

  One of the most comfortable cars you can sit in. Good power and handles very well for its size. Interior is nice but the plastic cover of the radio easily shows too many streak the second you wipe it and it was the worst bluetooth commands ive tried. How many times must i confirm to call someone??? Superb fuel economy.

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  Smooth Ride with Powa! - 2010 Nissan Armada
  By XWARRIOR - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I always have prefer SUVs over coupes and sedans. The 2010 Nissan Armada Titanium has the space to fit my short, stocky stature and has the power to move through the NYC highways in a breeze. I recently went from NYC to Woodbury (50- 55 miles each way) and average 22-25 miles to the gallon round trip. In the city, it is a bit abysmal but all SUVs suck gas however having a 28 gallon gas tank does save a couple of trips to the station. It also has better top speed (140 mph) then most of its rivals in the class. It absorbs city potholes very well. The seats are firm in which, it is a godsend when stuck in heavy traffic. "Once you drive a truck, you can never go back".

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  Good deal - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By CAR CRAZY - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for a month and half and let me tell you I traded my 2010 Nissan maxima for this car and its all worth it! The fuel economy its amazing! Last long trip was for 350 miles round trip and I got 33 mpg! For a v6 this is very good. Pros:gas mileage, power, sport pkg, xenon lights, fun to drive, low co$t maintenance, reg grade gas and much more. Cons: noisy cheap tires, black interior and cheap stereo for the price of the car.