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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  Fast, comfortable, great handling! - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Al - June 29 - 10:50 pm

  My Murano replaced a 1999 Chevy Blazer and is a superior vehicle in design and amenities. Space is used more efficiently, there is more storage, seats are more comfortable with more rear seat room and the rear seats recline. Quietest car Ive ever owned! Im a sports car driver and like manual trannies, but the CVT is a hit with me. It engine-brakes at in-town speeds, reducing braking. The CVT applies the V6s ample power beautifully - I can be at 80 by the time I hit the end of freeway entrance ramps. Handling is tight and responsive and vastly superior to most crossovers. Although the turning circle is no smaller than the Blazers, its much more fun to drive. Great vehicle!

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  The best kept secret in minivans..... - 2014 Nissan Quest
  By dking1995 - June 28 - 11:13 pm

  I bought a 2014 Quest SV two days ago. I replaced my 2009 Honda Odyssey. As I shopped for vans - the usual suspects were first - Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. I like a mid-level van with lots of features, but no leather (too hot where I live) - so as decked out with cloth as I can get. The SV fit the bill. The Toyota Sienna frankly felt cheap inside - no soft touch surfaces and the plastics on the dash were flimsy. The 2014 Honda Odyssey was well put together, but felt basic unless you got the EX-L or Touring. The Nissan stood out hands down - with lots of soft touch surfaces, wood grain dash, and leather wrapped steering wheel standard on the SV.

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  Great Car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Andy - June 28 - 11:03 pm

  Ive had my Altima for a month now. To date Im very pleased with everything about it. Most important for me was comfort. Im 5-9, 200, Leg, hip and shoulder room are excellent. On a recent long trip I never felt uncomfortable or fatigued. The driving position is great, especially thanks to the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Gas mileage so far has been 29.5 combined,with the AC running.

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  Really Impressed! - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By jojo26 - June 28 - 5:39 pm

  I purchased a 2015 Altima last week. I have been a SUV mom for several years and was concerned, coming from a V6, I worried about the power loss. Well, we are 650 miles into it and I am thoroughly impressed! I can tell that ther is a difference in power, though the 4 cylinder gives it one heck of a try. Not enough to make me regret not getting the 3.5, but enough to notice. There is a bit of a whine at my typical launch. But the gas mileage is absolutely amazing! Exterior styling still has me checking her out when I walk to her in the parking lot. Very smooth and stylish and so classy. The ride is so smooth, feels like I am floating. Loving this car!

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  I love my Versa more every day! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Jessica - June 28 - 3:33 pm

  I bought mine preowned with 9500 miles, and have put 10K more miles on it. I looked at the Yaris, Matrix, Fit, Corolla, xD and Mazda 3, and the Versa hit the sweet spot for features and price. The Fit had a cheap-looking interior, the Yaris had that dashboard in the center (yuck!) and the others cost more or got poorer mileage. As others have said, the comfort, leg room, options, gas mileage and overall solidity of the car is awesome. If youre thinking of a Versa, get the SL. The Intellikey, CVT, additional storage and upgrades are absolutely worth it. The ride is so quiet and smooth that Ive thought I was going 60 when I was really going 80! Lead feet beware.

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  The Jury Is Out - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By C K - June 28 - 11:56 am

  This is our first minivan and we are very happy early on.We felt the best value was in the S. The option packages in the S & SL are NOT worth it. A big selling point was the aesthetics inside and out. The engine is strong and you can set the cruise at 80 and it will go effortlessly. Fuel economy is disappointing. 22 MPG on the highway is about all, but it is over 4000 pounds - minivans arent "mini" any more. Inside the fit and finish are not in the class of the new Odyssey or Sienna. The cabin is quiet and the ride smooth. The fold down seats are great. We noted some bad reviews on the internet but were bolstered by the 5 year/60K warranty.

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  Xterra "two thumbs up" - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Xterra - June 28 - 11:40 am

  Ive only owned this vehicle for about a month, but it didnt take long to realize this is a great vehicle. Test drove jeep grands, and 4 runners. Ive have always driven Toyotas in the past, but theyre too expensive. My advice is save your money and get the xterra, "everything you need and nothing you dont" pretty much sums it up, theyre not fancy but they get the job done.

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  More for your $$ thanToyota - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Dana - June 27 - 10:36 pm

  I had every intention of purchasing a Tacoma double cab 4x4 but came home with a Frontier 4x4 Nismo crew. Definitely a lot more bang for the buck, interior feels more spacious with incredible power to spare. I was impressed with the build quality & ride. I have owned both a SE-V6 King cab pickup & SE-V6 Pathfinder years ago & decided to come back to Nissan after a long Toyota run. Yes, Toyota makes a very nice product but was totally impressed with the new Frontiers. Interior perhaps a bit too much use of plastic but otherwise very functional. Great looks, nice overall packaging.

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  So nice, I bought this model twice - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By Lori Clark - June 27 - 8:33 pm

  Great rugged SUV. Very reliable, excellent powertrain, roomy, and tough.

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  Outdated interior style and door handles - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By cngchen - June 27 - 1:43 pm

  Nissan has the potential to build a quality vehicle with updated styling, but always seems uncreative in doing so. However, Honda has been successful in producing two best in class vehicles, notably the Acura TL and MDX, coming out on top in their category in last years comparison test, outscoring the BMW 330i sedan and the X5 3.0i SUV respectively.