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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  Love It! - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Versitile SUV - February 13 - 11:13 am

  After owning several Pathfinders I decided to go with the Xterra, and Im loving it! It handles more like a car than a truck and feels very sturdy on the road. Decided on the automatic instead of the 6 speed, with the 265 HP there is plenty of power. Ive taken it off-road twice and it handled amazing well.

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  see you later - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By jerry singh - February 12 - 7:16 pm

  i had a lot of compliment on this vehicle. fun to drive but too much interior noise and poor stability. nissan need to improve in these 2 areas. running a 250h.p. vehicle need some stability on the road. this is my 3rd new nissan i am very pleased with them.

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  do-it-all SUV and a great value - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By RP - February 12 - 9:43 am

  superb drive train with 6 speed, ample power for running at 2000 RPMs max through the gears (for acceptable MPG) or moving quick if necessary. Only turns 2000 RPMs at 70 MPH. Nice build quality, solid and quiet. Great for family, recreation, hauling, or off-road. The best price / value available in the market.

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  BEST MAX EVER - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By TheMax - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive had a lot of Maximas in my life time. Ive had a 1989 Maxima GXE, 1992 Maxima GXE, 1995 GXE, 1996 SE, And Finally a 1998 SE. These cars have been the best cars Ive ever owned. Ive owned Hondas, Acuras, Toyota ect. And the Nissans have been my favorite. Im 19 years old and i still have more cars to go, but the maximas are by far my favorite. The performance is excellent, handling and suspension is out of this world the car is just all in all great. Easy to work on and very fun to drive.

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  just bought - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By ric t - February 12 - 2:00 am

  only had it a couple of days but its a bast to drive, looking foward to many miles of enjoyment, dealer made it easy to purchase and was friendly

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  Titan rocks !!! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By #1 Titan owner - February 12 - 2:00 am

  I used to own a 2001 Frontier and I decided to switch to a true full size truck. Engine is awesome !!! No need to add extras to get the big sound. This baby is music to my ears...Got the SE crew cab 2WD in silver with the bench option. For all you who are looking to haul people, I highly recommend it. Its better than the central console and you got plenty of space for arm to stretch it. Got the popular option with bench, power pedals, universal link transmitter, 6 CD changer. The other day I was in the line at the light with a new F150 with the 5.4 engine. I "smoked" him! The Endurance engine gets a necksnapping start...great job Nissan!!!

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  Nissan Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By pjs1234 - February 12 - 2:00 am

  I had a deposit on 2004 F 150 which is a great truck A friend suggested that I take the Titan out for a test ride before I get the 150 when I started the engine I was hooked great sound! when we took it for a test ride it felt like it had a hundred more horse power than the Ford 5.4 liter and the five speed trans is always in the right gear and the handling is fantastic

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  Awesome ride - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By top_pro - February 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome to drive. Power, performance from shift to wheels makes this vehicle the car to own. Interior room is enough for two large men. Appointments are well done and the steering is the best Ive felt on the test drives of 4 others. Power is more than enough to make any sports car buff fall in love with this rocket. Great car-great price-great style

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  Couldnt be happier... - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Cheets - February 12 - 2:00 am

  We leased the SL with the Journey package. The navi is awesome and the screen is much easier to read than the orange one. My wife and I test drove several other cars (G35, Acura TL amongst others). This car has the most room front and back. Seats very comfortable for long periods of time. Extremely fun to drive.

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  Love the vehicle - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By j doc - February 11 - 7:33 pm

  I have loved this SUV. I have owned the Quest van previously and also had good experiences with these cars. My vehicle has 80000 miles and has recently had the transmission replaced. Also had the gas cap issue.