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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  NICE - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By BOB wilts - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Great speakers and dvd is great for the kids it is easy to handle in rain or snow or even on a sunny day fits into garage.

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  A Very Good SUV - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By matsenap - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I this one compare to my 2002 Yukon XL which I have to trade for constant problems with the engine!!!!

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  great car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By se-r driver - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my first "new" car. I shared ownership with my mother on an older sentra, and this one is way better than I expected. Great torque, speed, handling, and look.

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  Love it so far - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By austegard - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Just bought it, so the Reliability score is meaningless. Its fun to drive though, and doesnt feel like an SUV. The SEs 6 speed "manual" shift option gives you more control of performance in that you can use the shifter rather than the gas pedal to control the RPM. The gas mileage is great for an SUV, but the rated 20 city will be hard to achieve - with spirited driving youll easily fall as low as 16-17.

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  Great car and great purchase! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By prpapichuloman - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Feel like a came away a winner. Kind of feel as if I cheated somehow since I feel like I am driving a much more expensive car and I see people in their Beemers and Mercedes and feel as though they have nothing on me or Nissan! Truly a great car!

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  AWESOME CAR!!! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By papichuloman - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Test drove ALL other competitors and this one BLEW them all away!!!

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  Every Max I get is better - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Mitiwanga - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned Nissans since 1971. This one is by far the best. Lots of power, and although Im somewhat disappointed in the gas mileage (about 22.5), I expect it to get better. The Bose is great, and I like the computer in the middle of the dash. I opted for the sun roof instead of those faux pax sun screens, and I think I like the sun roof better.

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  I love my versa! makes me happy! - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By berkeleygal - May 13 - 11:13 pm

  I test drove the honda fit and the scion xd, and I chose the versa mainly because of the roomy interior and the price. Definitely worth the upgrade to the SL, the S and base versions dont have as nice interior (armrest,upholstery, ipod). This car is perfect for my commute and its fun to zip around the city in. Its comfortable to drive and isnt goofy looking like the scion or the fit. It gets good gas mileage, handles well, and drives fine on the freeway and in the city. Ive read reviews where they say its a snooze to drive, but I disagree. Its got the ipod jack and cruise control, and it feels like you are in a much larger car. My family and friends can all ride comfortably in it!

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  Great Van - 2013 Nissan Quest
  By bobsii - May 13 - 5:55 pm

  We purchased this van after getting frustrated from getting our 2-year-old in and out of our SUV (close proximity of parked cars and our doors). Like a lot of people, we didnt want to be a "mini-van" family. That was dumb. The smart key and power sliding doors and lift gate make it so easy to get my child and child-related stuff in/out of this van. I personally like that the rear row folds flat instead of into the cargo compartment (those are power too, but the pull strap is also really easy to use). We made a 400 mile round trip drive (bought the van and left), and there is plenty of cargo space; we were throwing a birthday party, and all the party goods and luggage fit very nicely.

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  01 Xterra - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By ks4oc - May 13 - 10:00 am

  With only 4000 miles on the vehicle, I drove it to Northern Quebec from Augusta Georgia, towing a 4000 pound trailer. The vehicle never had a problem. Towed the trailer, kept up with traffic. Gas mileage was only 10.0 mpg, but what do you expect when dragging a barn down the highway at 70 mph?