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:

• 

  Best Value on the Market - Very Happy! - 2010 Nissan Armada
  By BradM - January 21 - 10:16 pm

  We looked for a while at a lot of different vehicles and this was by far the best combination of size, engine, safety, style, luxury, towing capacity and amenities. We looked at big and small, this was the best. We were able to get a fully loaded Armada new for the price of other vehicles used without all of the options. We had a great experience. Weve had a BMW, Infiniti, Acura, Honda and other vehicles, the Infiniti/Nissan is the best. We are very happy with it.

• 

  1st non-US car owned - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By maximum Maxima - January 21 - 8:30 pm

  47 yrs old and gave up on US cars. This car is really quite incredible. 3.0L V6 and it moves! Quiet and sporty, especially with my 215/55/16 tires. 98,000 miles on it but drives like 30K Exterior design may be a little dull but i just bought new front turn signal lights & rear tail lights to sport it up.

• 

  A very good car! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Marco - January 21 - 11:46 am

  Traded in my Mazda6s for a 2007 Altima with the SL package. Have not regretted at all. The car drives very nicely. Unfortunately all my trips are very short. I would love to spend more time in this car. Gas mileage is good, seats are comfortable, Bose stereo is incredible. I am so happy to be back with a Nissan. The Mazda was nice but too many little problems. I used to own before that a Nissan Altima 99. What a difference. The car has finally matured into an affordable luxury car.

• 

  So far no good! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By dancetec121 - January 21 - 3:23 am

  This car was up on a flat bed after only 34 miles! not liking this car much. the computer needed to be replaced all ready! so far i cant wait for the lease on this thing is up. steer clear! check out the new 2010 Mazda 3 loved the hatch back very fun to drive.

• 

  I like this car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By tazz62 - January 21 - 3:06 am

  I have had this car since October. This is the best car that I have ever owned. It drives great. I love the CVT except when going down hills. The transmission makes a humming noise. The dealer said this was normal and there was nothing to worry about. I like the keyless remote except I have to keep my windows and trunk locked, because they were opening. The dealer said that if the button hit something, that they could open your window and trunk. The only thing I didnt like was how Nissan packages their options. I really did not want a sun roof, but to get the leather seats, I had to get the sun roof. Also, I wished the outside mirrors would fold down.

• 

  it is just okay - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By kiowa - January 20 - 5:10 pm

  I have had this car about 9 months now. I should have bought a used luxury for the price. If you have a family larger than 4 forget about space in the hatch, there is no room. Makes a lot of noise on the express way. Not fun to drive in winds at high speeds. Handles like a gem in the snow and ice.

• 

  Unpretentious solid car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Duke_jw - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Recently purchased this 1998 GXE model. Fully equipped, solid, no nonsense car with an engine that is more than adequate for the weight of the car. Gas mileage appears to be excellent. I was drawn to the Altima because of its inherent value as a used vehicle purchase. Simplicity, yet, high quality for a modest price.

• 

  Wow what a truck - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By Konkrete - January 20 - 10:00 am

  This truck has it all. It might be a slight bit underpowed in the street raceing sence but for pulling power its nuts. im a farmer i wnated a mid sized truck to haul stuff with and be able to handle mud and snow and still have balls but not be a huge beast like the dodges or fords full sized ones. anyway this truck can do this 4500 pounds on the hitch ( gotta get one installed not on the bumper) plus 1400 on the back of the box. the rpms barly move going 110 kph on the highway. super tough not one thing to repplace on it after 120000km bout 100000 miles other then oil and air filters and greasinf it up well. it can haul alot of people to.

• 

  My Yellow Banana - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Skymaxx - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I love my Xterra! There is plenty of room for me in the front and passengers like the stadium seating in the back. The rear seats are versatile! But they rattle when you drive. My airbags didnt work in an accident. My seatbelt worked and left a red mark on my neck and chest. I have had a recurring problem with the seatbelt light coming on. I have tried to repair it several times. The roof rack would smack against the roof and was really annoying, after the rubber tabs blew off. Of course, the gas mileage is not the best with any SUV, but, since the gas prices have gone up, I feel like I spend most of my time at the pump.

• 

  Great Car! - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By JoanC - January 20 - 10:00 am

  What a great mid-size economical car! It is affordable, with fantastic performance (Nissan supplied an ideal engine/powertrain for this model), very good mileage, comfort, sporty luxury, and superb handling. What a pleasure it is to drive.