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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  Excellent Car! - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By gwalters - February 6 - 2:00 am

  This car is fast, smooth, quiet, and excellent. I have the 5 speed, which is great for the control. Bigger back seat than a camry or accord. Excellent for the 85 mph commute in Massachusettes, and front drive is fine in snow. Excellent in the twisties! It never breaks, and at 98000 miles, I might consider new struts in another 40,000!

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  Awesome Car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Sweet02AltimaSE - February 6 - 2:00 am

  Its about time they made the Altima available in a V6...and what a V6 it is. The engine is smooth, responsive, quiet, and fast. The exterior design is great. Thats probably what attracted me to the car initially. Then, I found out that it had 240 horsepower hiding under its hood...I had to have it. The interior lacks a bit; however, consider the car. The Altimas price range extends from as low as $16K-$30K. For a $16K car, the interior is fine. For a $30K car, which is what mine almost was, the interior is lacking a bit, mostly in the cheap-looking door panels. The interior has some rattles, but Ive learned to deal with it - turn the radio up.

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  Value, Value, Value... - 2009 Nissan Titan
  By Englander - February 6 - 1:56 am

  Well after spending $21000 on a new 2009 King Cab SE I could not be happier. A lot of people seem to be upset with poor MPG. Its 5.6 V8 with 300+ hp what do expect if you floor it. I have been driving steady and I do a lot of highway miles and 20 mpg is easy. I had a 4 cylinder Frontier and that got about 24 mpg. Its big comfortable and well equipped for the price of a new Altima. I like most looked at other trucks but you cannot beat the value.

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  Cure For The common Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By 2005T-Rex2.5S - February 5 - 8:23 pm

  The 2005 Nissan Altima is different from the other mid-sized cars. It feels like a sports car. It has a great sound system, and great sounding 2.5 l I-4. The example that I own is a 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5S with a 4 speed Automatic transmission. It has an base MSRP of 19,500. My example has an MSRP of 23,000. The transmission shifts at just the right moments, however the shifts are very noticable. The interior is all new, and Nissan did a wonderful job with the interior. The plastics are high quality, and the design does not look cheap. The engine has 175 hp, and can make it to 60 mph in an average 7.5 seconds from a standstill. As the sticker on the car says "Cure For the Common Car".

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  Go for it! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Ron - February 5 - 4:30 pm

  Bought 6 Mo. ago, Love the car, no problems, I use regular gas, Avg. about 20 M.P.G., highest on the Hyw, was 24.7, From other reviews here, I noticed some people do not read the owners book, before they complain about things, like "the seat gets caught on the seat belts when folding them down!" (There are clips to hold the belts out of the way!!}, Reading the book solves a lot of knit picking. If you like the car GO FOR IT. I never looked back!!!! I added the wood interior, people really like the class look of it.

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  Great Truck, Except for the Brakes - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By BT - February 5 - 8:56 am

  Bought this last year for a work truck, wife liked it so much she started driving it and didnt give it up. It rides great, very comfortable and has plenty of power. The Rockford Fosgate sounds good, volume adjusts with speed, (dont know if the 30000 mile review guy knows this) The only problem has been the brakes. I have had it in once, at 6000 miles, but they are starting to go again. If Nissan cant figure it out I will switch to Brembos. The gas mileage could be better, I have a 65 mile round trip commute and 16 mpg doesnt cut it. (this is why I am driving the wifes car)A friend of mine has one as well, he switched to syn. oil and diff. exhaust and got 20 mpg, but it should be better

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  I like it - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Drex - February 5 - 8:20 am

  I have been content with my Sentra SE. It gets good gas mileage (30s) and has been relatively problem free. The ride on this car is a bit rough at times, but Ive become accustomed to it. Some issues Ive had to repair are the A/C needed to be recharged, O2 sensor replaced, and the drivers side window motor was replaced (automatic windows).

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  Great for the family or having fun. - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By packersfan34 - February 5 - 4:13 am

  Me and my wife did a lot of research on the Altima before our purchase. The one drawback I could see was that people wished they had bought the V-6 instead of the I-4. The first time I test drove my Altima SL I knew it was DEFINITELY the car for me. The leather interior is soft and VERY comfortable. The six disc changer is great and the 8 speaker Bose system really rocks. I have not owned this vehicle very long but with the amount of test drives Ive taken and the many vehicles Ive looked at this the Altima is for sure the best mid-size family sedan for the money.

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  exceeds expectations - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By new to nissan - February 4 - 7:26 pm

  This is my first time owning a Nissan and I had a great experience from the start with the dealership, they had great financing options and discounts that made it possible for me to purchase the Altima. Overall the car is very comfortable, the first weekend I had it, we took it on a 5 hour trip with no problem and the gas milage was great considering the size of the car. It is sporty and roomy, which is what I was looking for. The interior controls seem modern, but not complicated. Overall I feel like I am driving a car that is in a luxury-class

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  Exceeds Expectations - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Justin-Ryan - February 4 - 6:06 pm

  I recently purchased a 2010 Black Maxima. This car has plenty of technology and entertainment. The CVT transmission is something you have to get used to, but in daily driving, it truly is perfection. Everyone enjoys the bucket seats in the rear and large panoramic sunroof. The fuel economy is excellent for a vehicle with so much horsepower. The Xenon headlight and LED tailights bring in a lot of compliments. The rear spolier completes the look of a real sports car. I test drove a Malibu LTZ & Camry SE V6, and purchased the Maxima with no regrets. If your looking for a reliable, fast, fun car, this is your ride.