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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  2004 quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By rcmk165 - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Love my Quest. traded in my pathfinder 2002 for the Quest 2004. loads of interior room. room for everything. Great trunk space too. looks sleek for a minivan.

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  Wait a year or two - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Once Burned - February 8 - 10:00 am

  This may be redundant to the other 100 or so reviews, but Nissan really designed a lousy car this time. Parts replaced include fuel pump (wouldnt start in the cold), exhaust system (cat converter hanging when purchased), front wheel(bent rim),& many others. Doors rattle, dash rattles, seat belt adjuster broke, pop out window motor loose. 12 trips to the shop already! Dealership at a loss for how to fix everything. Theyre overwhelmed, but trying hard. Nissan USA is USELESS! Scrapped my complaint after 30 days because no activity even though it was unresolved.

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  5.6 Liter Hemi Eater - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By AdamSibille - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this truck now for a few months and have turned heads since purchasing. The vehicle is by far the best driving truck on the market. The smooth ride and low road noise make this a great buy for everyone. Eventhough it has low road noise, it still has exceptional power when you need it. Plenty of room for the whole family seating six comfortably.

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  zooming - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By attykim - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I love the body style over the other cars in its class. I would definitely recommend the Bose radio instead of the standard radio. I checked out the leather and its really not all that, so I got the fabric seats instead...so far so good with the car. I do wish that i bought the V6 instead, although the mileage is much better on the 4cyl.

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  This aint so bad... - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Larry - February 8 - 9:26 am

  After reading a few reviews, I dont understand many of the complaints--this car is not so bad. Weve had it for two months now, and it is a fun, stylish, well-performing car with lots of room. And we also have a C5 vette and a Mustang GT to compare to. Handling and acceleration are very good, and noise level is better than the BMW 735 we had. Unfortunately the in-town gas mileage is about as bad as the GT, ~17 mpg--the vette gets 19-20! And the GT suspension is much less comfortable than the Altima. In comparison buying, it was impossible to get a Honda in the colors and options we wanted, Toyota doesnt have a V6+MT, and the others were too $$. Plus we got $2500 off MSRP.

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  2004 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE MiniVan - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By otsmd - February 8 - 6:26 am

  This was the dealers car.Had 26,000 miles when I got it. Aside from new tires, brakes it has been a charm.Regular maint and oil changes.Great gas mileage on long highway trips. We take driving vacations and it has never let us down. At 130,000 miles needed transmission, rebuilt and running just like before. This was the first major expense since I bought the car.

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  awful - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By julie glazer - February 8 - 4:25 am

  worst car I have ever owned. Garbage! Extremely loud cabin and cvt. Handles poorly in the rain and is very uncomfortable to get in and out of especially for older people. Overall, garbage. The moonroof leaked the first time I drove thru the car wash and their solution was to hand wash. Never but Nissan, total garbage!

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  love IT! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By kem - February 8 - 12:50 am

  I have owned my 2005 Nissan for 2 years now. I absolutely love it. The gas mileage is great. I have not had any problems with the vehicle. I have not need anything done to the car maintenance wise. The car is comfortable and roomy. I get about 20 mpg in the city with frequent stop and go and about 27 mpg on the highway. My husband is able to sit in the back seat comfortable with room to spare he is 64". Overall it is a very roomy car, a great value, very reliable, very comfortable, and great deal for the money.

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  Love my new LEAF - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By TJ - February 6 - 5:42 pm

  Im now in my first days with a red 2013 Nissan LEAF and really happy with it. What are most important to me in a car are practicality and comfort, including drive comfort. The Nissan LEAF excels for me in part because of the spacious design of the interior. Second, the handling and acceleration are snappy and efficient. The only sacrifice I have to make is to budget charging every day or two. On the other hand, my days of planning trips to the gas station are over!

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  Drive a versa now - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By SS - February 6 - 8:00 am

  4 weeks ago , I didnt even know what a versa was. I drove a honda fit and about had a fit. It felt like a clown car. I drove a toyota yaris and it was the noisest car Ive ever driven. I accidently sat in a sold versa, closed the door, turned on the stereo, and almost fell asleep in a comfortable seat. The customer couldnt get financed and after I went on a 25 mile demo ride , I bought the car. The cvt tranny is a joy. Quiet, roomy interior,no blind spots,great gas milage ,cold cold air conditioning,blue tooth tech, keyless ignition and a great look. I have never bought a car without researching it for a week and driving it 3 demo times, but this car is different. It says BUY ME NOW !!!