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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  Heart Broken - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By deb - March 30 - 2:26 am

  Ive had my Rogue since Dec of 2008.So far Ive had to replace the transmission at 10,000 miles. So I am very disappointed in Nissian had high expectations for this vehicle. Sure hope Nissian can get thier act together and fix this defect. Ive had Nissians in the past and this has mad me loose confidence in them.

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  Nice Car - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By GOLF4NPA - March 29 - 6:16 am

  Overall, great car. Despite what you hear, this car has good cargo space (with the back seats down). A lot of engine braking, but great acceleration above 3k rpms. Excellent features inside, and easy controls. I love the information screen.

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  LE Platinum Is Good But Worth $40,000? - 2012 Nissan Murano
  By imthebull - March 28 - 12:31 am

  I came from a BMW 3-series so this is a complete change of vehicle for me. I do like the car. I like how it rides and handles. Love the interior design and the high-end accessories like the heated seats and steering wheel. The Nav is like any other as is the bluetooth so its fine. Rear camera is actually nice once you get used to it. It does help. In all, its a very nice SUV. I think the brakes could use an upgrade to help it stop faster. I think the gas mileage could be better. Im HOPING that its more reliable than my BMW. Thats why I bought it. Nissan vs BMW reliability. I can deal with the other stuff I suppose as long as its reliable. I was gonna spend $40K either way on a car.

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  Objective Review - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By TheRealDeal - March 27 - 3:03 pm

  I have owned a 2004 Armada since May, 2004. I drive about 12k miles a year and overall not a bad vehicle. Yes, it does have some electrical problems, but Nissan has never given me a warranty problem. The rotor problem was fixed free of charge. Any vehicle that weighs 3 tons will use fuel, brakes, and tires. The ride is good, internal components are better than other SUVs. For the money, a strong engine, transmission, and room.

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  ROGUE - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Lalitha Sankaran - March 27 - 1:43 pm

  Make sure you get the latest model 2017.5 with additional safety features. Unfortunately the dealer gave me the 2017 older version.

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  2004 Sl nightmares! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Jensie - March 27 - 3:36 am

  I purchased my 2004 SL in May of 2003 and have had problems ever since! Started with (1)swishing noise inside cabin = after 3 trips to dealer they finally replaced radiator, (2)steering wheel shaking = did many rotations, alignments, then all new brake job overhaul, (3)scrubbing noise up to 20 mph-biggest problem since Feb. 2005 = after 11 trips to 3 dif. dealers and dealing w/Nissan America (which is a joke), replaced rotors, wheel bearings, backing plate, yet the PROBLEM STILL EXISTS!, and finally (4) struts/mounts = just repaired. This was my 1st Nissan and I will never buy another. Im cleaning it up now and plan to sell it THIS WEEKEND!

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  Larger than life SUV - 2009 Nissan Armada
  By Santiago - March 26 - 9:16 pm

  After having considered and checked pretty much every single SUV available in the market, we decided to buy our Armada for its size, amazing interior and comfort(compared to other SUV models. Its worth noting that we were very hard to please considering were coming from a BMW 645Ci), larger that life engine, large cargo area (can house a bike inside the cargo), and many, many nice features like power tail gate, keyless entry, foldable electrical rear seats, rearview camera, Bose sound system, DVD, bluetooth, etc. Ok, she gives poor mileage but instead, shell give you a lot of fun with its massive engine and towing capabilities and well, personally, we love her looks. Great purchase!

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  RIDES LIKE A CAR - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By DANO631 - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I like the way that this vehicle rides. It is more like a car then a truck. The gas milege is 18MPG artound town and 23MPG on the highway. I love the AWD, it has helped me

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  My Second Pathfinder - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By HappyWithNissan - March 25 - 4:33 am

  When the El Nino storms washed away the dirt road to our home, we used our first Pathfinder to escape to safety along a steep horse trail -- since then, weve been hooked. Now on our second Pathfinder (we traded in the first one when it was 7 years old so that we could have a shiny new one for our babies), were still very happy owners. We know that if a mountain trip or weather requires it, our Pathfinder can find a way to get us where were going. And it drives well in the city as well. The ABS kicks in when needed, the steering handles curvy roads very well, and the seats are comfortable even for long drives. Although mileage could be better, we get a decent 16 city, 20 highway.

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  Pleased with my first - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By lg2010 - March 25 - 1:53 am

  Purchased back in July 2010. After driving my first 15000 miles, Im pretty pleased. The one major issue already mentioned regarding the battery post is true and I recommend owners participate in the ongoing Nissan recall. My sentra conked out unexpectedly when pulling out of the driveway. Luckily this did not happen 1 day before when I was on a 7 hour trip with a 5 and a 9 yr. old. Nissan replaced the cable and the ECM free of charge. Other than that, the car has been great on gas, is very comfortable, and maybe Im deaf, but this whole "car is too loud" thing is really coming out of left field for me. I suggest letting it warm up for 1 min. or two before taking off full speed.