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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  Cute and Reliable - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By SingleMom - January 30 - 5:53 pm

  I bought this car new because I loved the sporty look and the horsepower on the 4 cyl. I still have it and it still runs awesome. At first I took it back the dealer because of a couple of recalls but since then have only had to do routine maintenance. Its the perfect car for a single mom with lots of room, options like auto head lights, temp and trip computer and is really comfortable. Car seats fits snug and securely in the back with plenty of room for a passenger. The trunk is huge and fits two strollers plus over night bags.

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  Great Little Car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By jeff - January 30 - 9:13 am

  I only looked at 2 cars, the Honda Fit and the Versa. However, my local dealership wanted nearly $2K above MSRP for the Fit. I walked out. The Versa is an excellent alternative to the Fit. The exterior is better looking. The engine gets "buzzy" at high revs, which is expected for a car in this class. Being nearly a foot longer, it had much better back seating than the Fit. The car leans more than the Fit when cornering, due to higher center of gravity and more compliant ride. Gas mileage is good but not great. Im averaging 25 mpg in the city. Maybe it will improve as the engine breaks in.

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  Good looker but dull - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By nicole_b - January 29 - 12:03 pm

  I got a 2.5S for my daughter. We test drove a few other cars and the Altima was the most expensive of the ones we tested. The interior is nice but not exciting. The 2.5S is not a luxury car and it doesnt feel like one. Everything about the car is pretty much just "good" and driving it is not particularly fun or exciting. However, the exterior is very attractive and makes the difference. The exterior turns a dull family car into something worth buying.

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  Not What You Drive, But How You Drive It - 2016 Nissan Versa
  By DudeBaker - January 28 - 4:41 pm

  If you are considering purchasing a bottom of the barrel Versa S, then you probably care about precisely three things: Economy, practicality, and reliability. Thats great, because the Versa has those bases covered. But you should also know that this clumsy little gas-miser can also be an incredibly fun and engaging drive. I own and daily drive a 2015 Versa S with a five-speed manual, and it has quickly become one of the most fun cars I have ever owned - and Ive owned a lot of cars. I absolutely love tossing this car through the corners, driving directly over every bump in the road, and taking all five gears up to an raucous 5000 RPM. The claimed 109 horses take a very heavy foot to reel in. The interior panels rattle and creak in protest of every bump. The front suspension compresses far too much during hard cornering. Understeer is standard. The back-end seemingly drags on the ground behind you. Yes, I drive this car hard. Very hard. It roars, it rattles, it thumps and clunks, and I love every second of it. While Im having fun, Im also enjoying fantastic economy and mostly worry-free ownership. Mixed driving brings me 37 mpg average and just one visit to the pump per week. Oil and air filters are so cheap that I replace both every 3000 miles. There are no fancy electronic parts to fail, no expensive interior surfaces to worry over, no fancy paint job to polish and protect, no shiny alloys to dodge potholes for. My Versa is so cheap, in fact, that it came with rust pre-embedded in paint. Yes, my brand new car is already rusty. BUT - I just dont care. I bought this car to get from A to B, not to worry about. Even with the rust and cheap build quality, I like the way the Versa sedan looks. When its cleaned up, it looks kind of sophisticated, grown up, mature. Contrary to what the price may tell you, the Versa is not for everyone. If youre looking for a smooth, quiet ride, dont buy a Versa. If youre looking for state of the art electronics, dont buy a Versa. If you want high tech engine management, disc brakes at all four corners, fully independent suspension... Dont buy a Versa. If you own a track car, the Versa is a perfect daily beater for you. If the best car youve ever owned as and E30, the Versa is a perfect daily beater for you. If you dont want to worry about locking your doors ever again, the Versa is a perfect daily beater for you. If youre anything like me, then buying a Versa for you commute will make you very happy.

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  nice ride - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By mayur - January 27 - 1:13 pm

  For my first car, I was looking for something reliable, powerful, safe, reasonably priced, and fun to drive. I decided to go with the Nissan Maxima and I have been very pleased with the car over the last couple of months. The car is built very well and is nicely appointed for a 12-17,000 used vehicle. Another thing I like about this car is the body style that sticks to the shape that is very attractive to the eye. Inside the controls are well laid out, and the BOSE system performs quite well. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a well-priced, reliable, and sporty choice for a long term vehicle. I have read many reviews and the car holds up to its rating.

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  This is a fun vehicle - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By John Levdez - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle with 70,000 miles on it and I have taken it all over the great outdoors and it is more fun than any other vehicle I have ever owned.

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  GOOD LOOKING AUTO - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Robert Langer - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE 2000 Miles on the car and the only disappointment is the front end . Going over uneven roads about 20-30 miles an hour the front end is very noisy and does not take the bumps very well. Everything else is fine, but the gear shifting is not easy.I still havent gotten the feel of it and sometimes I have to look up to the dash board to see which gear I am in.

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  A big surprise! - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By John E. Abbey - January 27 - 7:29 am

  After renting an Altima (S with a few options) in NY, we became interested in possibly getting one for ourselves. Seems the timing was right with rebates etc and the Nissan dealer here in Killeen paid off the remaining 7 months of lease from Toyota (2012 Camry base XLE) and got us into the SL with everything on it for less than $40 a month increase in our lease payment - and $ 0.00 due at signing! A great deal if the shine remains after weve had it a while. I can say that after about 600 miles (just a week or so since getting it) the highway mileage is excellent -- just below or just above 40mpg! City driving has been around 23 so far. Hoping it will rise a bit. The appearance both externally and inside is A-1 First Class! I cant get over how exceptional it feels just getting in. The Bose stereo system works best if you run the bass and treble just above the middle. That way you can turn the volume up higher and get a more rounded sound (plenty of bass to a certain sub-bass frequency, then it drops off, but overall good to excellent. Everything about the drive is substantial. It feels much heavier than it is with a nicely weighted steering wheel. Some people dont like that, but I found it a pleasure once used to it. All the safety features great. The motor: VERY smooth at idle for a 4 cyl motor. Nearly 0 vibration at idle at a stop. The motor remains quite muted under normal acceleration, but does howl a bit when pushed. TRANS:: CVT means no noticeable gear shifts. A little odd feel at first, but doesnt take long to appreciate how smooth it all works together. A/C -- the best Ive ever had (as good as the Toyota, which I felt is top notch). Information display - once I figured it out is also such a neat feature. I love all of the little things that make it a cut above so many other cars. Issues: Havent had it long enough to generate negatives other than the leather seat is a little too hard -- I am finding it necessary to use an additional pillow/seat comforter type of thingy to keep from squirming after only 30 min or so on the road. The dealership says the leather will break in and should not be an issue for very long. The one we rented in NY was cloth and I had no comfort problems with the cloth version. Verdict: I will come up with a seating plan because I just love EVERYTHING ELSE! Hope this is helpful!!

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  Happy Owner - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Tony C - January 27 - 5:46 am

  Great Family Vehicle, everyone fits + more. Meets all of my needs, MPG is about 16-17mpg. But, its a full size SUV

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  Titan = Bang for the Buck - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By DoubleD - January 26 - 7:20 am

  Seems like Nissan is good at offering "bang for the buck" vehicles. I was looking at all the other trucks and hadnt considered the Titan. I stumbled across it . And Im happy I did! I hated 1st gen styling, but like the current model. I test drove it and really liked it, especially for the price! Its not 100% perfect . No vehicle ever is. But, this one comes pretty darned close. Room, functionality, utility, options . All of them are very good! My friends are all jealous of the truck! Id definitely recommend this vehicle to someone looking for a full-sized truck.