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:

• 

  Great Car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Andrew M - February 24 - 10:00 am

  I picked up on black on black Altima in the end of July 2003. So far I am extremely satisfied with the car. It turns heads and gets instant respect. The front seats are extremely comfortable and the leather finish is well made. The back seat and trunk are huge. There is a second dc adapter under the armrest which allows you to charge your cell phone without annoying cables exposed (even the shelf on the upper edge of the armrest has a punch out for the cell charger cable). This shows some real thought in the engineering of this car.

• 

  So far, love it - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Pat - February 23 - 2:33 pm

  Looked at GTIs, civic si, minis, Astra, the usual sporty compact crowd. Drove the Sentra Spec V and it just seemed to do everything well where all the others did some stuff better, but fell short in other ways. The Sentra fit my needs - more space, great mpg, Nissan gave me moonroof, LS diff, xm radio, fun ride but not brutal, torque means any gear pulls great. Love it!

• 

  I love my nissan - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By mother of five - February 22 - 11:56 pm

  I love this vehicle. It is comfortable on road trips, gets great gas mileage, and is the hottest minivan on the road in looks. I am sold on this van and will own another after this.

• 

  Best of the 5 full-size trucks - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By D. Robin - February 22 - 7:26 pm

  This is my 5th vehicle and first truck. First 4 were all Honda/Acura. After signing on the dotted line, the Titan has exceeded my expectations. The throaty factory exhaust audibly transfers the engines power into a beautiful sound when you hit the gas. The Titan interior felt more like what I was accustomed to with Honda cars. All the early defects from 04 have been resolved.

• 

  I cant believe its been 10 years! - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By Still going! - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my SE w/ perform pck in August 2000 new with 23 miles. It now has over 210k! (I still have the window sticker:O) Its always been fun to drive and it has all the features I could have wanted. In 10 years its never left me stranded, never not started and never stuck in the snow. And up until about 1 1/2 yr ago it rarely needed anything other than routine maint (and a couple O2 sensors!). Now it has a small oil leak, and some annoying issues: Cd player died, spare tire well fills w/water if driving while raining and heat shield cannot be fixed-it vibrates off exhaust pipe, etc. But I still love this car!

• 

  Daily commuters delight - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By daily commuter - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought my truck in 2001. my registration date was 9-11. This truck got 94,000 on original tires. 105,000 on brakes. 160,000 and counting on the clutch. I just took off the seat covers and the seats are like brand new. Im giving the truck to my son and I believe he will continue to enjoy it. I just got the front wheel alignment done for the first time last week. Mostly freeway miles but I have taken it in the mountains and to the ocean. I got 24 miles to the gallon but I had to cruise at 63 miles an hour to do it. If you put 89 octane in it you will get the 27 miles a gallon they claim. And you get to go 65 miles an hour. I will miss this vehicle.

• 

  Love this car - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By nuts4nissan09 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I turned 40 in 2009 and decided to give up riding sport bikes and buy something safer. The 370Z was the perfect choice for me. Purchased a base 6 speed w/ the sport package. I have driven it in the mountains of NC and was able to attack curves w/ the same speed as I was able to on the bike. I look forward to every drive. Yes, the 050 Bridgestones can be loud on bad pavement, but that is what Dynamat is for. Easy fix. Dont let tire noise keep you from enjoying this little gem. The best value in sports cars period.

• 

  I love my nissan! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By navypolice - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I love my Nissan. Ill just get that one out of the way. For a 2.5/175 hp its got some giddy up and go. It handles pretty well. I wish it didnt have as much roll when Im taking tight turns. I wish it had more hp. And I wish it had a nice system, but I installed that. But Im used to BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

• 

  Great comfortable car - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By tom - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I have always owned GM in the past but decided to give Nissan a try. So far I like the car. Its really great on gas even in the city. Car is very roomy on the inside. Everything is in easy reach. Seems very solidly built. My only complaint is that the wind pushes the car all over the highway. Granted it was 30 mph winds but they really pushed it around. Other than that it has been a great riding vehicle and i would recommend to anyone

• 

  This car simply rocks! - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By scandalous - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my altima on 8.20.2010 and am very pleased with my purchase. It has 640 miles on it now and I am getting 27 miles to the gallon which is just as good as my last car. This is my third new car-I traded in a 2010 versa for my altima. I am a 21 y/o college student and it fits my needs. Also looked at the accord/camry/fusion but ultimately i knew i would get the altima. I Really wanted a 2010 maxima however it is almost the same car except the maxima costs more being that it is faster and has more features. I would recommend this car in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a sexy, safe, affordable, sporty midsize sedan. Will write another review later.