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:

• 

  Good car for the money - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By doubleplusgood - May 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first car, and I really enjoy it. I test drove a few other cars in the class, and I was most sold by the new body style, the little extra performace, and the comfort of the car.

• 

  Towing with a Manual Clutch - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Deb Milo - May 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought a new Pathfinder SE 4WD with stick this year. Next I bought a horse. With 240hp, I knew I had plenty of power to tow a double horse trailer with two horses. Not true. Did you know that the manual transmission is rated at 3500 lbs. towing capacity while the auto is rated at 5000 lbs. ? Go figure ! What can I do ?

• 

  350z - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By Tony - May 7 - 4:53 am

  This is the ideal sports car for its price. The handling is very in touch with the road while body roll remains minimal. The unique exhaust note, long legged 6 speed transmission, and scare your girlfriend power under your right foot make this car a fun drive.

• 

  A Fun Car Not to be Missed - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Angel973 - May 6 - 10:23 pm

  I luv this car. Its compact and cute - IMHO its the most eye-catching compact cross-over SUV in the market right now. Before we bought this car, we had test driven Honda CR-V, Subaru 2009 Forrester, RAV-4 and Matrix 2009 AWD. Rogue provides the best balance for what we are looking for in its segment. Its responsive, beautifully designed inside and out. The gas mileage is reasonable. Best of all, you get the best value out of the money you spend. Highly recommended.

• 

  Altima 2.5 coupe - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Joe5speed - May 6 - 11:26 am

  The good: fun to drive, CVT great in auto and manual, more mpgs then epa states, 4 cyl plenty of power even on hill with a/c and cruise on! The bad: owners manual and dvd are vague on some operations, trip computer cumbersome to operate. Uses time to mileage rating that is grossly inaccurate unles reset each time you start moving! Psgr seat does not reset to preset back position when tipped forward, resets to an uncomfortable 90 degree position requiring manual reset. Initiate XM radio directions are non existent, user left on own to figure out. The ugly: power steering is over sensative, subject to wondering and oversteering at highway speeds but handles great otherwise. Smart key=big $

• 

  A very good car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Didier - May 5 - 10:13 pm

  I bought this car last year. After one year, I can say that Im very very satisfying. Handling is good, even on snow, comfort excellent and gas mileage good too. I just replaced the air filter 3 days ago and the fuel economy is much better. The Versa is the best car I had in my life.

• 

  2016 Nissan Sentra SR Faster than whats said - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Frank - May 5 - 3:57 pm

  I bought this car with 4 miles, I have put over 1000 miles on it and it has decent pickup, its not a mustang or a high end sports car, but I didnt buy it for racing. Car has tight suspension, great tire size 17" Wheels, low profile 50r, continentals. I drive the car in Chicago, where its a hustle and I have had no problems changing lanes or enjoying the drive. I like this car, and hearing negative reviews makes me laugh. All I did was put in a K&N air filter, thats all and put in 89 octane gasoline and the car runs like a gem.

• 

  Great for SHORT drivers! - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By rebecca - May 5 - 9:10 am

  Just got my new Sentra, but its my first new car ever, so my opinion may be biased in that its such a giant improvement over the last car I was driving. Although that was a Nissan as well & was still going strong with 186,000 miles on it. I love the new Sentra, much roomier than previous generations. The trunk is huge & the 60/40 is great for surfboards or snowboards. The ride is smooth & quiet. I just got the standard S model, but it pretty much has everything I need. Also Im very short, 49" and I love the height adjustment (see below). Overall just a great car.

• 

  Bought it for RV use - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By larryk - May 5 - 8:30 am

  I love the truck. Lots of power to pull a good size trailer in the half ton class. I have also used it with a 8 slide-in camper that is over weight. It handles it well but needs overloads and a stonger frame to reduce flex. Performance problem is surging under decleration at around 3000 rpm loaded or unloaded, Cruise or manual. Overall mpg is 13 with a max of 17. Would like better of course. Sometimes the seat & mirror memory system act peculiar but shut down and start over and it comes up OK. When I lost my lug nut key, the dealerships (3) wouldnt remove or let me remove the locks from my other wheels without a charge even tho I paid for and ordered a replacement key. Bad policy.

• 

  Was as good in 06 as it was in 02 - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By sdepaiva - May 5 - 2:33 am

  I traded my 2002 3.5 w/sunroof, leather and Bose 6CD changer when my warranty ran out. I bought it in 2004 with 12k on it. Great car, but I wanted the security of the warranty. Was so happy with the 2002, that I bought the same colors in the 2006. I was able to work a great deal. They added a sunroof and leather aftermarket- both are top notch. The only thing Im missing is the Bose. Otherwise, I liked this as well as the first one. Handling, interior appointments and sporty exterior are all there. Very responsive. Super reliable and great gas mileage (24C/29H). Would buy another one! They got rid of the polished pewter color, though. :(