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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  Faster than a speeding bullet... - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By generalelectric1 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  A truly great car at an affordable price with options only available at a much higher price! Style,character,power,and amenities galore! What more could you want? Comfort, convenience,BOSE,moonroof,leather, and power everything...add heated seats..a couple clouds..and heaven couldnt be finer! Seriously, I have 2 other Nissans..one 1990 Sentra..which is still whisper quiet..and a 2001 Altima. All are great!

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  Horrible in snow - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Frenzy - June 8 - 9:10 am

  Bought my Altima about a year ago. LOVED this car all summer. Its quick, very light handling, and has very responsive breaks. But then it snowed. I live in rural central New York so we get some serious snow storms, I spent most of the winter in my apartment because the car was so bad. I have driven front wheel vehicles all my life and have never had a problem, even in storms when people with trucks didnt want to go out. On ice, however, this car is GREAT!!! Just not if there is more than a dusting of snow on the road. So if you live in a southern state or never leave a city up north youll be fine.

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  Good Car!! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By M.J. - June 7 - 12:36 pm

  I have the 2.5 SL. I bought it brand new with 4 miles on it. I get about 24.5 mpg in the city. It has a good size trunk and lots of leg room in the back seat. Knock on wood, I have had no problems with this car. I have about 65,000 miles on it. I just had my third set of tires put on. For a four banger engine it is pretty peppy. Leather interior has held up great!!

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  3 year old Nissan Leafs are a bargain - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By Vermont Electric - June 7 - 9:40 am

  For about 30% of the cost when new I obtained a 3 year old Nissan Leaf SV. The big fear driving down the price is the lifetime of the batteries. But the 2013 and newer have improved batteries and I cant see any degradation. When 100% charged it tells me it can go 85 miles. The 6.6 kw embedded charger allows me to charge it from 10% to 80% (long life charging) in under two hours

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  Love my Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Buz - June 7 - 7:56 am

  I love my Titan. Plenty of power and a very smooth transmission. Great riding truck and I would purchase another. In fact I plan to buy another one soon. Gas mileage could be better.

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  Loving The Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By BSTANKY - June 6 - 5:23 pm

  My wife and I finally traded in our beloved 2000 Maxima for this 2008 Altima 3.5 SE, with the sport package, (sliding moonroof, fog lamps, and rear spoiler). We are loving this car. The ride is smooth as silk, And the 3.5 V6 has plenty of pep. There was no drop down there from the Maxima. The CVT is terrific. It blows away others in its category for both looks and performance. We considered a Ford Fusion. But when we drove the Altima, we knew this was the car for us. Knowing that it is a Nissan and will last forever is extremely comforting. Heck, our Maxima had 160K miles on it and was still going strong. Do consider this car, or the 2009, if you are in the market.

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  Head Turner - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By JanJanRuth - June 6 - 4:20 am

  I absolutely Love my car. Everywhere I go, I get heads turned, and questions asked. There is not any better feeling than driving with the top down and the wind in your hair. This car is so much fun to drive, but it definitely isnt made for rain, ice or snow. But it is definitely worth the purchase.

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  This vehicle is a "10" - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Craig - June 6 - 3:03 am

  Take into consideration fuel economy on most sedans and SUVs - this is a 10 with 24 mpg highway. Loaded with features, stylish, smooth as silk, and the safety features are second to none. This is definitely a "10". I drive 30,000 per year and thats why I went with the Murano. Comfort, toys galore, spacious, and a looker.

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  LEMON - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Matt Smith - June 5 - 8:36 pm

  Within 400 miles my Armada was back at the dealers. First to have the oil pump changed (be aware that Nissans arrogant business model means that they dont have spares available yet and you will have a long wait), and there it remained when they discovered that they needed to replace the whole engine. Its now been in the garage for 30 days. I will never drive this car again. It is a LEMON.

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  05 Nismo is Super - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By 81 Trekker - June 5 - 5:20 pm

  So far, quite pleased with the NISMO 4x4 Crew Cab. It has plenty of power on the highway both for passing and entrance ramps. It has a comfortable ride and handles well. Ive taken it off-road a few times in the GW National Forest where it performs well. Took it up a steep hill with lots of lose rocks and gravel but it didnt hesitate. Have tried the hill descent but havent needed the locking differential yet. It did bottom out a couple times - perhaps I was going too fast for the humps. After driving 4 Runners for 20+ years,I decided on the NISMO because I wanted a pickup this time and the Tacoma needs premium gas.