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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  Goodbye F150 - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By chek6 - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Sold my 97 F150. Loved it, great truck. Was on my way to get a 2004 and stopped in the Nissan dealer. Test drove the Titan and then the Ford. Drove home with a Titan. Oodles of torquey power. Handles like a sedan. Towing capacity, bed capacity, resale value, Its all there. Plus, it feels right. It doesnt feel as big as it is. Bottom line, functional and fun. Re: reliability, it is new so stay tuned

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  Great Ride - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By ckorejko - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Love this ride. Its fun - Its goodlooking - Large cargo space with really usable roof rack. Very functional interior layout. Great ride for camping, getting to the hiking trails, or any offroad activity. Cleans up easily inside after those offroad activities because of the material that covers the seats. Not bad for gas milage for what it is. If one is worried about the money for gas, an SUV should not even be an option considered. It gets about 20mpg but my foot gets heavy sometimes. When the cruise control is used and I keep it on 55 it does better.

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  Awsome - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By pete10stmu - May 9 - 2:00 am

  One of the best sports cars around, absolutly a thrill to drive.

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  2004 SE - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Stephen Napolitano - May 9 - 2:00 am

  My Maxima now has 6,000 miles on it and I have experienced absolutely no problems with it. It runs and handles better than the (now old) BMW 5 series. The skylight is a little different but the kids like it. The trunk swallows golf bags and the back seat is actually comfortable.

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  Love My Nissan Altima - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By blknissan - May 9 - 1:03 am

  I purchased a 2014 Nissan Altima SV and I love it! I had a 2011 Altima that was a great car so I went back to Nissan and I love the changes they have made. The vehicle rides great and has "0" gravity drivers seat which makes a long trip alot more easy on my back. The Michelin tires that came on the vehicle create a smooth ride yet the suspension lets you also feel like you are still driving. The car looks very sporty and yet still has great interior space. Numerous people have commented on how great the car looks. The gas mileage is the best feature of all. I average 39 miles to gallon on the highway!! Nissan has built a great car that is fun to drive and yet provides the best gas mileage!

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  Great Car! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By HUNTER - May 9 - 12:28 am

  Wont be disapointed

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  Happy owner! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Neil Weber - May 8 - 6:33 pm

  Previous truck was a 2004 Dodge Dakota with 4.7L/automatic. This combination turned out to be a very poor choice for towing anything! Transmission was the problem as it was constantly gear hunting! My Frontier has the very powerful 4.0L/six speed manual combination. It tows my 3600lb boat/trailer easily and when towing my motorcycles I dont even feel the weight Im towing (approximately 2200lbs.) I have owned many pickups. So far, this is the best of them all.

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  Just Right - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By JT - May 8 - 8:43 am

  We have been extremely happy with our Xterra. It is not full of "creature comforts" but makes up for it with functionality. It is easy to carry bikes, dogs or haul 8 ft pieces of lumber. Pleasant on road manners for a truck. Off road ability is impressive. If you want a true sport utility vehicle this is an excellent choice.

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  Fun to drive and looks great - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Charlie Zarzour - May 8 - 4:16 am

  I had been shopping for a small sports car, but when I saw the 2 door coupe my mind changed. The 3.5 270 hp engine is very fast. Price point on the car is tough to beat for the horsepower, features and looks. I would recommend the Premium package and also the 3.5 over the 2.5. The 2.5 is better on gas mileage, but the 3.5 will put a smile on your face when you push down on it. This is my third Nissan. Had a Stanza with 180,000 and Frontier with 145,000. You can not beat Nissan quality. I do a lot of interstate driving and the gas mileage is good. On 2 lane roads the car passes other cars with a lot of confidence.

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  Js Rogue - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By J. Roberts - May 8 - 12:12 am

  Love my Rogue-way it looks and drives!