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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  Happy driver - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Ole Reliable - November 3 - 2:46 am

  Bought this car with 140,000 mile on it. I have put over 20,000 on it in the last 3 months. It runs great and performs without any problems. Gets 35 mpg on the highway and even with the tall miles it uses no oil and has no leaks. Everything works! This has been a great second car for work. Wish I had bought one new in 96.

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  Great Truck! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Norm - November 2 - 10:43 pm

  Being a truck owner for years I found the Titan to be better than the big three. I test drove the F150 and it drove like what Id expect from a truck....a bumpy ride. The Titan is a smooth driver. Interior storage far exceeds the F150. Plus, Titan comes with a lot of stuff thats extra on the F150. I purchased the Titan even though Ford had their employee price plan opened for all buyers. The acceleration on the Titan is a bit noisy at first, but its quiet when you hit cruising speed. Even then, the noise is something Ive already blanked out. As far as gas mileage goes.....its a truck! What would you expect? No recalls in the past 3 years its been out. Not bad for a new truck.

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  Great All Around Truck - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By CB from AZ - November 2 - 4:03 am

  I have had my Pathfinder for 2 months, and put 2k miles on it. So far it has been great. Amazing power for a vehicle of this size. Comfort levels that rival the crossover SUVs. It is the perfect size for my family (3+2 large dogs). Very versatile interior- had seven people in it for a short trip w/no complaints. Mine has a slight vibration related rattle from the drivers window (noticeable only on relatively smooth roads). Other than that, build quality is very good. I am getting 16 mpg in the city, and 20 mpg on the highway.

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  My Maxima - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Sheliteful - November 1 - 11:33 pm

  I bought this car for 9,000 in Jan 2006, it had 80,000 miles and was in exceptional shape, clean engine, clean interior with a couple of superficial tiny scratches. It now has over 104,00 miles on it and this year marked the first time i had to have any work done ....New Alternator, belts & battery, pretty good considering the battery and belts were the originals along with the alternator. Its a great car, rides smooth, can hardly hear the engine, everything still works...a/c, steering wheel audio control and cruise control. The headlamps do tend to cloud & I feel they are a not as bright as they should be.The front passenger window moves up and down extremely slow (Has since i bought it)

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  Great Toy - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By M. Swan - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I read the reviews. I did my research. I found one on the internet. Without even a test drive, I bought it and the dealership drove it down to me (4hrs one way). If you want a small truck that has the OMMPH, here ya go. If you expect to get 20+MPG.. dont buy this truck. It is a PERFORMACE vehicle. Fun to drive and no major issues so far.

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  Truly Top of the Line - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Nissan Buyer 20500 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Compared Altima to Ford, Dodge, Chrysler, Toyota and Camry. This beauty outclassed them all value-wise. This car is fully loaded for less than an equivalent Accord base (pre-option) price. A 4-cyl with enough power to pull you back in your seat. Some Edmnds reviews say it steers badly--thats torque steering. The engine pulls so well that accelerating while turning will "assist" the driver with a pull on the wheel. After a week, you know how to handle it.

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  Best Value out there - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By the real Brett - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I looked at all the 4 door compact trucks and found when comparing what you get for your money this truck was an all out winner. The closest competitor was the Toyota, but to comparibly equip the Toyota to what I got in the Nissan, I would have had to pay THOUSANDS more. On top of that, the Nissan has a nicer interior, standard equipment and options that arent even available on the Toyota, a better and MUCH quiter ride, and a longer, more usable bed.

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  FUN! FUN! FUN! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By woodlander - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I did not think driving could be so much fun. When I drive the Z, my heart starts pounding and my adrenaline gets pumping at stop lights in anticipation of the quick and smooth acceleration. I get that same rush on winding roads. I would recommend this car to anyone who appreciates style and performance at a reasonable price.

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  A true sports car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By szyp - November 1 - 2:00 am

  This is a true sports car in the classic sense of the word(s). Fast, fun, and handles like a dream. The most impressive feature, of many, for me was the shifter location-darn near perfect, and I have driven and owned many manual shift cars in my days.

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  A car that will shorten your trips - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By MOHSpearhead - November 1 - 2:00 am

  After 3 months ownership I am more impressed with the car now than when I purchased it. Excellent ride and performance. Very comfortable, two hour drives seem short. Great fuel mileage of 22 mpg around town and 25 mpg on the road. Chose this car over 2004 Infiniti G35. Maxima is larger and more roomy. Maximas retain better resale value after 4 years than Infiniti (wife has 2000 Infiniti I30 and 2000 maximas bluebook for more.