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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  Fantastic SUV! - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By geeman99 - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Wow! Got the superblack color and its like a limo! Powerful, quiet, smooth ride and handles great! I recently moved - now have a 45 minute commute but look forward to the drive every morning and and every evening! Best vehicle Ive every owned. Highly recommend!

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  I love my Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Liliwhite - June 17 - 10:00 am

  I love to drive my Maxima..it is fun and fast. Whenever I feel like whinning about my carpayment, I just jump in my "baby", crank up the stereo and drive around town and all my payment shock goes out the window!!! It is all worthwhile. My friends are tired about hearing how much I love it. :-)

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  Best Vehicle Yet - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By viewfinder - June 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the best vehicle, yet, including being the 4th Nissan in our home over the years. With each day, I love The CVT feature more and more , as well as how the Murano senses and grabs whatever kind of surface its on, the right way....Also the best brakes ever- great gas mileage..smooth ride yet secure feeling...All kinds of classy features and spoilers...Lighting is unbelievable and the styling is just pretty...Leather feels great..Bose system sounds really good...Adjustable pedals, heated seats,,Exit set back,etc.

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  Impressive Machine!! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Road Dog - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Weve had this vehicle for three weeks and are still pinching ourselves. Ride comfort, mechanical quality and exterior body styling are unsurpassed even by Lexus and Acura. Drove both....Bought a Murano!!

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  My obsession - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By MIchelle - June 17 - 10:00 am

  I am a college student and I firsat laid eyes on this car in 2002 when my friend convinced his mother to buy it as her new car. Ever since, I have been in love!!!! Juat watching him make a U turn in that car made me say DAMN!! Now this year I got my license and the first thing I did was rent the car for a week. That week turned into a month!!! The only reason I gave it back is because like I said I am a college student and plus I was mainly driving it to keep up my driving since I had to drive in Miami for vacation. Anyway the car is ridiculously sexy for one. It is definetely a head turner and just plain sexy.

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  Definite a good investment - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Melissa Castro - June 17 - 6:16 am

  While shopping for a reliable, fun, comfortable, I found the Nissan 350Z the best built car. The power is unbelievable; the easiness of convertible access and its look when down is excellent. I feel very comfortable and not feeling like tuna in a can. I truly feel it will hold its value and will be well taken care of. Its the car Ive worked hard for and feel I definitely got my monies worth.

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  After considerable research - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By davidsonhh - June 17 - 1:46 am

  After driving a Lexus GS 300 for 268k miles with very few problems, it was difficult not to be loyal to Toyota. However, the new 2013 Altima is special. The dealership gave me the 2.5 to drive for a day and a half. Unfortunately it had neither the quickness or engine smoothness I had been living with ijn the Lexus V6 for so long. At stop lights it rumbles, and at highway speed is noisy. The CVT is smooth, but felt like it was working hard. The 3.5 is very different. The power engine 270HP, is refined, and operates seamlessly with the CVT. Watch out Camry, Accord, Passat, Outback, Fusion, and Lexus ES350. This Altima has game.

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  Nissan Sentra S shines as a daily driver - 2017 Nissan Sentra
  By Rich Rausser - June 16 - 9:51 pm

  I’ve been driving a brand new 2017 Nissan Sentra S for the past two months and 2,000 miles while my DD is in the shop for some work. I must say that I am impressed with this car as a daily driver. The car is comfortable and quiet. The seats are amazingly comfortable and they provide good lateral support for those of us who like to corner a bit harder than most. One really outstanding attribute is the fuel mileage. I can’t seem to get less than 38 MPG in my daily driving. When I really flog the car hard, my mileage drops to 34 MPG which is still very good. Oh, and on highway trips to Jersey, I’ve been able to get 49 MPG if I use a light foot on the gas. And one more thing, while the car is not super quick, it is more than adequate in normal day-to-day driving and the CVT transmission also works well with the power output of this engine. All-in-all, this is a very good car, and this comes from a guy who drives a BMW M2 on a regular basis.

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  wouldnt buy another - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By patr1 - June 16 - 8:47 pm

  Leased a 2008 that will be returned in Sept, 2001. Car has 28K miles. Engine sounds like my lawnmower. Brakes sound like metal on metal. The dealer says thats normal?? Would never have another. Pushbutton start stinks, but my wife likes it. Parked the car one day turned it off, I thought. Then came out 3 hours later to find the car still running. Note: be VERY careful if you buy a car with pushbutton start and have an attched garage. People have died from carbon Monoxide poisioning because they thought the car was turned off before retiring to sleep.

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  Best in Class - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By BSM - June 16 - 2:06 pm

  I am 39 years old and when driving this car I enjoy the same feeling I had as a teenager driving my first car. Although we bought it as a family car (traded in a 2009 Toyota Sienna), it looks, feels, and drives like a fun, sporty car. Handles great, quiet ride, Acceleration is impressive, better than any of the other 4- cylinders we tested, & we are happy with it. The interior design and quality is by far the best in its class. We tested Sonata, Camry, & Accord; we liked the Altima the best because of the quality of the interior products & the standard features were more generous than the Camry or Accord. Paid $18,995 for a base 2.5 S , & Ive never felt so gratified after a new car purchase