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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  Excellent Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Mary B - August 26 - 8:26 pm

  We have had this truck almost 3 years. We have had chevy, ford and the original nissan smaller pick-ups. We bought it due to our experience with Nissan reliability and to replace a mini van. We bought the crew cab due to have 4 man-sized teenage boys. All 6 of us fix VERY comfortably. The back seating are is large with a lot of leg room. We have over 75k miles and not a single problem thus far! Of course, gas mileage is always an issue with vehicles like this

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  my Xterra Rawks - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Doug Bolst - August 26 - 9:20 am

  Its Awesome, i love it

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  Great SUV - 2017 Nissan Pathfinder
  By J. Venegas - August 26 - 7:40 am

  I use to wotk for Nissan and after years of goung back and forth with the wife about her van...now I own what I consider a well built car. Ive owned mine for about a month, its got great acceleration. That and being teamed up with the CV trans which just builds torque with no shifting is unbelievable. I bought the SL trim package which has extra USB ports, towing, and front and second row heated seats plus more. The pathfinder had some redesigning done which actually makes it more appealing. The ride I consider very smooth but getting use to the location of some of the creature/comfort features will take some time. The audio is great, 13 speaker Boss system, Nissan always seemed to put good stereos in their vehicals. So far this SUV is great! I would highly recommeND the Nissan Pathfinder to anyone looking for a well built vehicle for a great price.

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  Love it! - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By JCG - August 25 - 7:16 pm

  I miss the fuel economy of my old 1993 Mazda B2200 but the smooth, quiet ride and great acceleration on the highway are so much better than the Mazda ever was and I got a great deal. This truck is also fun to drive with very little road noise. It takes a little while to get used to the quick response when turning the steering wheel. I may change my tune if gasoline hits $4.00 per gallon again but right now im extremely pleased with my purchase.

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  RWD ... iSlide - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By ak805x - August 25 - 1:36 pm

  This is a very great car to drive. My car is the base model 350z coupe. Has less "features" than the other models. Doesnt have the stereo unit controls on the steering wheel. Steering wheel seems a bit less sporty than what you get out of most other sports cars. The power is great, and sounds great especially with dual intakes! Definitely a head turner and Im always getting props. Base Model comes without Traction Control System and the Limited Slip Differential. Meaning, you have to be VERY careful when taking turns and gassing it. You can easily lose control. Which is a reason why professional drifters prefer this model because you can slide everywhere. Donuts are easy. Very fun car.

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  Xterra - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By BL - August 25 - 11:53 am

  Nissan has built an outstanding vehicle! Smooth ride, quiet, powerful, roomy, and easy to drive. My only complaint is the stock radio - its, well, cheap.

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  What I expected and more! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Joe DeStefano - August 25 - 3:00 am

  I have used my Frontier for long trips of 100 miles or more on at least 10 occassions since buying it as well as excursions on the beach and off-road. It has been comfortable all the way. I have traveled with three adults on trips of more than 200 miles with no complaints from the back seat passengers. I even used it to remove the remnants of a tree that I was unable to dig out. It is high enough to see over traffic but not uncomfortable when entering numbers on a keypad to a parking lot. The utili-track system is versatile and easy to use. The only aspect I have not used is the towing but in soft sand it was flawless in 4WD- L. The air conditioner control unit had to be replaced initially.

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  Its a great car,Id buy another one. - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Wayne Johnson - August 25 - 2:33 am

  I just bought my 1998 Altima a week ago and I love the car, it is in excellent condition. It is very comfortable, spacious, tight, handles well, and runs very strong. To keep within the speed limit I have to use Cruise Control and that is with the 4 cylinder! My only complaint is that there is a moderate amount of road noise,especially from the agressive 60 series tires. That aside, Id buy a new one after I own this one a little while and Ive heard from many people that if you change oil regularly and keep up with an Altima, you should be able to get 225,000 to 250,000 miles out of them easily. The many car Ads I saw proved this out. Enough said.

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  expensive and troublesome - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Jon Belenger - August 25 - 12:03 am

  Bought this car in June 09 been back to the dealer 3 times for a service engine light code. They say that the code is the evap sys. but cannot find any leaks. Had an 04 Nissan sedan prior to this and never had a problem. The 09 Nissan Coupe is very stylish on the outside but the interior is cheesy and the stereo speakers already buzz, and the road noise is terrible. Very disappointed with the overall build quality. As usual you pay more ,and get less. This is my wifes car and she says it is fun to drive. I drive an 04 Chevy colorado pu and it is quieter than the Nissan. Do yourself a favor buy American!

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  Ridiculously Cool - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Ken Cook - August 24 - 6:03 am

  The acceleration and handling are aggressive yet smooth. Styling is ridiculously cool, both inside and out. This is a great car and a great buy.