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:

• 

  2006 Bad Front Brakes - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Latte - March 24 - 12:10 pm

  When you test drive your car, check braking in reverse. We never tested this feature and after getting the car home we heard a squeal backing up that got progressively worse. Took it to the local Nissan dealership, Browns/Fairfax,VA they machined the front rotors. The car had 1800 miles on it and was less then a month old. This helped the situation greatly but did not eradicate it so I took the car back and they said nothing was wrong, the noise was within industry stadards per Nissan. We then took the car back to the dealership where we purchased the car,Sheehy of Manassas and upon inspection they replaced the brake pads. This was done out of pocket as Nissan would not warranty.

• 

  nice looks and drive - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By jim - March 23 - 8:26 pm

  Have driven Mercedes and BMWs for years. Maxima ride not unlike either. Has a heavy feel like the MB. Fun to drive and reliable. I am at 16,000 miles and no problems yet. Front seats sit a little too high and turning radius way too wide. Would lease another

• 

  Beats a minivan - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Eckstrom - March 23 - 5:10 pm

  Our 2005 Chrysler Pacifica hit 50,000 miles and started to experience a variety of problems, so we decided to trade it in. We needed a 6+ passenger vehicle that was not a minivan. Nissan Pathfinder fits our needs perfectly. Its not much bigger than the Pacifica, but has a lot more interior space. The gas mileage has not been as awful as we expected (about 18 mpg). The 4.0 liter V6 packs a ton of power although its fairly noisy. The front seats are not very comfortable, but power adjustable pedals allow for finding a pretty good driving position. In the rear, theres plenty of space in 2nd and 3rd rows. The vehicle drives more like a truck than a passenger car.

• 

  Fun to drive - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By m1109 - March 23 - 11:16 am

  I love this car. Since it is my wifes car I donÂ’t get to drive it enough. Excellent highway mileage. I will agree that the interior has a somewhat of a cheap feel to it but if you choose the right color combination you can minimize it. The 3.5 se has way more look and drive that any other car in the price range.

• 

  Buy One! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Mike Zeinstra - March 23 - 3:46 am

  Overall a great buy. Roomy, spray in bedliner, good visibility, plenty of power, adjustable pedals, easy to clean cloth seats, disc brakes all around, and plenty of storage! Tires are good for road and rain but not for off road mud/snow, flip up middle seat/console fabric prone to pulling away from retaining clips, heavily baffled muffler is extremely hot and should be replaced with a less restrictive one. The only real complaint I have is with Nissan dealerships. The scams and pressure and tricks almost made me rethink my purchase. But getting the Titan was still a decision I do not regret.

• 

  Manual transmission issue - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By richard keyser - March 21 - 3:00 am

  I find the interior to be rather cheap for a car of that price range. The dash looks cheap and the ride is not particularly smooth. I had a 15 year old Saab prior to this Nissan and it had less road noise and drove smoother than my new Nissan. Also every time I try to shift into second gear the manual transmission gives me trouble. Almost have to force it into second gear. Very disappointed in my purchase. Dealership not very helpful in fixing the problem. First and only Nissan I will ever own.

• 

  Great...Great Car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By raider4life - March 20 - 5:23 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive. I decided on the SE-R, not the Spec V. I dont think it was worth the money, plus the dealership were much more willing to come down on the price of the SE-R then the Spec V. The seats are great. I love the confidence i get when i speed into a turn. My butt stays planted to the seat, and i dont slide around! I previously drove a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. So the acceleration was stunning to me, but the amount of fun it was to run through the gears was quite fun. I love all the standard features you get with this car, to go along with the great power and handling.

• 

  murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By DOND - March 18 - 10:00 am

  HAS PLENTY OF ROOM NICE TO DRIVE

• 

  all around great car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By william fischer - March 18 - 10:00 am

  the nissan sentra se-r is an all around well built car. yes it could use a little style flair in the interior design, but all buttons and nobs are in reach and plain view. it is quick and light on its feet and easy to handle.all this and you get a rockin sound system when you upgrade to the rockford fosgate audio system.

• 

  Very functional Nissan Quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By hnl-jack - March 18 - 10:00 am

  The flexibility of the Quest is wonderful. The automatic doors, the fold flat seats are terrific. The skylights create a fun traveling experience. Best of all we like the ZIP. Our other vehicle is a Jaguar 3.0 S type and its my impression that the Quest would be it off the line every time. The styling is very different and you either like it or dislike it. However, it creates interest wherever we go.