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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  I felt comfortable the first time I drove it.... - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By jcnninin - February 22 - 9:05 pm

  I bought a used 2011 Rogue with 28,000 miles on it, a "program car" in excellent shape. I test drove the Honda CR-V, RAV4, Altima, and brand new Rogues, but for some reason when I drove this one, it felt like "my car." It just fit. The ride is nice and smooth even with the 4-cylinder (Im used to driving full-sized V-8s). It has quick response in the 25-45 MPH range that makes moving around in traffic very easy. I guess you could call it "nimble." Gas mileage is very good, but not great. After driving 900 miles (mostly city driving), Im getting about 24.2 MPG. I have XM satellite radio, which rocks. More roomy inside than it looks. All in all, I love it.

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  I wouldnt buy another one - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By brittkaye - February 22 - 10:00 am

  My Nissan SE-R has not been a good car at all. I baught it in April 2002 as a graduation present. I now have a 7 1/2 page list from the dealership of things that have had to be done to it. New Starter, new censors, new computer....you name it, its been replaced. I wouldnt recommend this car to anyone!!

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  RED TOURIST - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Lori Bug - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Like it but Nissan is slow for things like replacement of missing Owners/maintenance/security/stereo manuals

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  Watch out for soft paint but great car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By mike - February 22 - 2:46 am

  my maxima is great i got the blue with black leather and navigation. The car drives good has little pull (torque steer) when you step on it. Watch out for the paint on these cars they scatch without touch. Turning with this car lets you know its not a small car.

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  Tow vehicle - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mtngto - February 21 - 5:13 am

  I purchased this V8 vehicle to tow a covered trailer, ~3500 lbs thru mountains. Initial trip saw 14 MPG overall, with excellent power (acceleration and cruising), braking, and stability. Very comfortable (front seats). Very manueverable (vs Armada). Negatives: cramped rear seating, noisy cooling fan, rear squat (no air suspension option as on Armada). Also, folding middle center seat interferes with opening center console, also conceals rear air controls. However, overall very pleased, and exceeded my expectations.

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  Already having problems - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Altima Issues - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I loved my 2002 Altima when I first bought it in June. It was fun to drive and a lot faster than my old car even though it is just a 4-cylander. But now, only 4 months later, I am having transmission problems, the center console is really difficult (the compartments are very hard to open and the arm rest doesnÂ’t stick into place). Besides that, I find the Altima roomy and comfortable. The back doors open wider than the average car and are very easy to get out of.

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  Great Car!!! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By whampa65 - February 20 - 10:00 am

  Great Car!!! Love this car!! Ive had it a little over a month and this car is a blast to drive. Hope to own this car for a very long time.

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  Hate to see it go - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Masked Bandit - February 20 - 1:26 am

  I bought my "Fronty" last fall when I was getting back into a truck. I had it narrowed down to this or an Avalanche. I chose the Frontier based on prior Nissan ownership that was rock solid. This truck has not let me down. The only problem is that with two kids now (both in car seats) there just isnt enough room in the back. Other than not fitting the two car seats, this is probably by far the best truck Ive ever owned. TONS of power, very reasonable gas mileage if you keep your foot light and the factory Rockford Fosgate stereo is amazing. Once these rug rats are out of the car seats Ill be back to a Frontier.

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  With proper maintenance, a good car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By tjonston - February 19 - 11:12 pm

  I bought my 02 Altima from the original owner with 112k and it now has about 164k. Overall, it has been a good car with reliability that is comparable to Honda cars Ive had. Apparently, there was a problem with the catalytic converter for the first couple of years of this version of the Altima but the first owners mechanic had the foresight to swap it out and there has been no problems at all. The performance is great and so is the fuel mileage- I get close to 30 mpg on the freeway.For me, it has just been regular oil changes so I am pretty happy.

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  fun to drive, just dont watch the gas guage - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By mick3613 - February 18 - 11:29 pm

  The juke is alot fo fun to drive. Its very manuverable and has loads of power. You pay dearly for the powr it produces though. The epa ratings are extremely off. The sad truth is real life city ratings are 19-21 and if you drive very conservatively you may get 25-27 on the highway. Poor gas mileage and the high octane fuel recommendation makes this one rather expensive to drive. The rear seats are useless for adults, only very small poeple will fit back there.