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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  no title - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By ponderosa - July 4 - 2:00 am

  great vehicle. fun to drive, handles great, terrible on fuel. need to pull a gas station behind you when you go on trip.

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  NICE BUT UNDERPOWERED - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By S BLUM - July 4 - 12:13 am

  Its a nice little car, but feels underpowered. I have the special edition w/ alloy rims, rockford fuzgate stereo, and a little rear spoiler. Overall im happy with the car but that underpowered feeling doesnt go away. Also the gas miliage im getting is lower then the epa estimates. It is 29 mpg overall, but i do atleast a third of my driving on the highway. The 1 other drawback, and its minor is the cup holder. Its by far the worst ever designed. wont hold anything bigger then a 12oz can and theres no room virtically so the larger cups w/ slim bases dont fit either. Had i realized this, I probably would have passed on the car, eventhough it was very good value.

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  A fun little truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By willy - July 3 - 11:43 pm

  A neat small truck with great mileage and pretty good performance even with the small engine. It has been trouble free and is really fun to drive.

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  Nice car for the money! - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By chivazo - July 3 - 10:16 pm

  For the money you get a hell of an SUV. I wish they made it stick shift. Still dont like the CVT tranni.

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  Reliable, roomy, & fun 4dr sedan - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By jona57 - July 3 - 8:07 pm

  After much research, I bought 10 Altima loaded with SL package. Well-balanced near-luxury sedan with these options. Smooth, quiet ride but also sharp handling (for family sedan) and fun to drive. After 4+ trouble-free years, my worst complaint (as for most midsize cars) is that front passenger seat is not height adjustable.

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  LUV IT - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By speedy - July 3 - 9:00 am

  I was waiting for a new design over the 1999-2004. I got it and I cant complain. The V-6 is lovely and the power is a great thing to have both on and off-road. I traded in my 2001 T/A and I truly havent missed it. The crew cab is large enough to carry the kids and still truck enough to be functional. I just wish the 4x4 came with a sunroof. Otherwise, it handlse like a car and hauls like a truck. And the bed extender is...well if you want a compact pick-up or man van without turning in your manhood, buy it. I couldnt be happier, unless gas was cheaper.

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  Sentra a big small car - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Ron - July 3 - 9:00 am

  Interior room up front is very comfortable and has lots of room. Instruments are nicely laid out and easy to reach. Easy to drive and the CVT is very smooth. Plenty of trunk space. Nicely laid out automobile.

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  nothing make - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By mikgyver - July 3 - 1:30 am

  Ive owned 5 Jeeps. I like the outdoors. But Ive also owned a Mustang GT covertible, Camaro and Celica GT convertible. I like sporty intentions. But most recently, I owned a Vibe for its thrifty gas mileage and unimaginable practicality. Some how, in a mash up of odds and angles and curves, all those vehicles were combined into one ... and it works! Slide behind the wheel, and it feels sporty. Suddenly, you start noticing the cues all over. Put it in motion, and it feels the perfect height. Rally cross comes to mind. Like you can carve up a twisty mountain road until the pavement ends, and not even slow down as you dig into a good two-track. And I dont have to feel gas-guilty.

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  Difficult to keep - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By carolina z lady - July 2 - 5:56 pm

  Bought it on Edmunds rec and loved to drive it until the tire issues came into play. I had so many tire issues. The pressure calibration needed fixing every 65 miles after 20000. Chewed up tires- horrible road noise. Terrible in bad weather- traded it for a vw passat stationwagon in 2004. Relatively pleased with the passat.

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  Superb car - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By bkups - July 2 - 12:18 pm

  I own 2013 Altima SL model. I purchased it a month ago, and I have 1200 miles in it. Loved every mile driven on it. Ride is so comfortable and handling is very easy. I feel steering wheel steady even at freeway speeds. I never had Altima in my mind when I was looking to purchase a car. I was going back and forth between Camry for roominess and Civic for gas mileage. I happen to notice Altima since the Nissan dealer was right next door to Toyota. I noticed the rich exterior/interior look that was lacking in Camry. I also noticed that Altima had a nice MPG ratings and is comparable to Civic on this. These factors tipped me in favor of Altima. I average around 32.5 MPG so far.