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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  satisfied titan owner - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By CTRankin - September 2 - 7:46 am

  The Titan out-preforms the Chevy Silverado I previously owned in every aspect. Its more comfy, has more power and gets better mpg. My Titan averages 16 mpg every tank and thats running mountains at 75 mph. Its nice to know this truck has some pick- up-and-go (more so than the murano I also own)should I ever need it. Brakes were replaced with the upgraded materials with no hassel at 12k miles. Truck feels much better when braking.

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  Been driving for 3 years and... - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By MommaOf3 - August 31 - 5:06 pm

  I bought this van brand new and loved the styling of it. For the most part, this is a great van. I love the skylights in the back, dual screens, heated side mirrors and leather seats, etc. That being said, another reviewer was right. Nissan should have equipped it with better tires. Mine have already been replaced and I dont really drive that much. Also, the drivers side power sliding door motor burned out after only 3 years of use. Since the warranty expired in Feb 08 and this happened in May, Nissan refuses to assist with the cost (which I think is poor cust service since its a major repair and so new out of warranty. Not sure Ill go with Nissan again due to cust service.

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  nissan - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By jz - August 31 - 11:00 am

  nissan trucks are so dependable and well-built i decided to buy one and try it out. it is a great investment very reliable and durable. has good performance great fuel economy

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  Rugged Sport SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ryan - August 31 - 12:43 am

  Owned Pathfinder for 1.5 years. Been 100% reliable, just regular maintenance. Gas mileage kinda stinks but you know before you purchase. Engine has loads of speed and torque. Truck has 58k on an 02 model, hopefully last and last... would recommend to a friend , in fact i have he bought a 2008 black se beautiful upgrades!!

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  31000 miles and plenty to Go! - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Veenherbluesentra - August 29 - 4:56 pm

  Ok, so Ive had my sentra for almost a year now. This car does well as far as gas mileage since I drive 50+ miles one way commuting back and forth to work. All and all its a great car with great gas mileage, only thing is the steering wheel is rather hard to steer, and limits your movement as far as hand placement. For a tall and thin sedan this car seems very grounded and handles curves alright.

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  Great Buy!!! - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Rabs13 - August 29 - 4:40 am

  Nissans are built to last as long as you take care of them. I love my Pathfinder. Gas mileage is lousy but then agian, its an SUV. But the amenities that come w/the truck are great and I will keep it until I run it into the ground.

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  fun - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By teendriver - August 28 - 8:00 pm

  i rented this car while mine was being fixed and it was REALLY fun to drive. the engine sounds great and handles pretty good. its ok on gas and accelerates really well. the interior looked cheap but was simple and served its purpose. it was a little small inside and i would pity a heavy person if they tried to drive it. the a/c was ice cold and the radio was decent. about three days into driving it the brake was making a squeaky noise but that was probley my fault.

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  High performer, needs a little TLC - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By G-Man - August 28 - 5:03 am

  This car has been a high performer. The car is 7.5 years old and has 97000 miles on it. It feels like it still has a lot left. I cant imagine why people pay twice the price for european cars. However, the exhaust (not just the muffler and pipes) system is a little too complex to be as reliable as it should be. The Dealer told me to use premium gas, but could not convey the technical reasons. So maintenance costs are higher than a Camry or Accord, but this car performs a lot better.

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  Somewhat tame SE-R - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By mossimo - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Theres no doubt about it, the SE-R is a supercool car. There is another option though. I have a medical condition (head injury) which makes it very hard to drive a standard. The same condition also makes me want a car with the latest safety features. The LE comes with AT, ABS, and side air bags standard. The SE-R was impossible to find with this combination, at least for me. However, the LE comes with the same 2.5 liter engine as the SE-R. It provides the same grin inducing forward motivation as the near legendary SE-R. The LE is great for driving around town with its abundant low end torque.

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  Aggressive sedan - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Vinny of OC - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I have traditionally only purchased sport cars, because of the typical weak performance and styling on sedans. While I typically admired the quality of Japnaese cars, I was always disappoint with their conservative designs, like Camry and Accord. The Altima is truely cutting edge design. The V6 is great, even the 4 I tested was exceptional. I wouldnt compare it to a CamaroZ28, for which I also own, as a previous author had done. Hard to compare a 0to60 of 5.5 sec to 7.3 sec. The Altima will definitely blow away another sedan on the roam. I am 6 4" and have plenty of room. Nissan did an excellent job everywhere it counts.