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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  Solid car but the A/C is a bit meh - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By anders7 - February 4 - 9:42 pm

  I bought this car new and was very impressed with the handling - very car like. Fit and finish of the interior is way above the competition (RAV4, CRV etc). The engine is powerful enough and I grew to love the CVT that some people hate. The front seats are very comfy and the few times I get to sit in the back I am comfortable there too. This was the last car on my shortlist and I didnt want to like it but I really did. 12 months later and I still like the car a lot. It is what it is - its a compact SUV crossover with AWD (btw the AWD really does work well in light snow and ice). The visibility out of the back is poor (styling) and the A/C is NOT great for Texas summer. Still like the car.

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  Black Betty Is The Best - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Tom E - February 4 - 6:13 pm

  I have loved Nissans for years but have never owned one until now. This car is awesome. The power is great. I went for the 3.5SE with the CVT and it is the best ride I have ever had. It looks so sleek with the black on black that I chose. Nissan blew the competition away with this redesign of the Altima. I have only had the car a little over a week but I know this is a car that will last me for many years to come.

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  love my ali (altima) - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By brandi garcia - February 4 - 1:20 pm

  this car has been nothing but motivating it handles well responds well has lots of power. The engine is quiet the ride is smooth great standard features windows doors locks seats cruise control just and awesome car to own

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  THE modern era supercar! - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By Manraj S Dhillon - February 4 - 8:13 am

  I researched this car for over a year against BMW M3, Mercedes C63 AMG, Audi RS4, Corvette Z06 and I was coming from a WRX STi and I kid you not, this car does it all. I had heard that it had a hard ride and was noisy but it is not the case. It handles beautifully and turns immediately when you want it to.The power is indescribable and the sound of the car, in my opinion, is just right (V8s are overrated). The interior is quality crafted and it has all the modern tech you could need or want. Do not buy if you need usable rear seats. It does better MPG than my STi did and the sound system is great. You had also better get used to the attention you will receive because they are so rare. The BEST

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  09 Murano SL - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Mac - February 4 - 1:36 am

  We traded in a Lexus RX a year ago for a Honda CRV, and have missed the comfort. Went shopping and found the SL more comfortable and quiet than the new RX for $10K less. Looked at the Edge as well but it just wasnt refined enough - the power lift gate support looked like it was just added - oh wait, it was, whereas the Murano had the lift designed into the upper support - nice touch. MPG could/should be better, only getting around 19-20 combined. Only have 2k miles so cant attest to reliability. My last Frontier was excellent. Love the dual panel moonroof but it is a little noisier than expected

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  Dollar by Dollar the best SUV - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Tico - February 3 - 7:26 pm

  Great suspension and power excellent sound system easy to get in third row also third row could seat adults up to 6 tall comfortably something that others suv can not do.The rear view is very helpful.

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  Sweet ride - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By boarder315 - February 3 - 12:16 am

  recomend to anyone who wants nice ooking saden that can blow the doors off of a mustang gt

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  bought a used one - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By lowpost50 - February 2 - 2:25 pm

  I bought a used rogue with 30,000 miles I already own an SUV. I bought it to replace my failed ford explorer with 162,000 miles. I needed a vehicle to go back and forth to work ( I drive 60 miles a day) needless to say I wanted something with good fuel economy, and a good warranty. I had my Rogue 3 months and i love it/ its comfortable nimble in traffic. I still have 70,000 miles left on a 100,000 mile warranty.its very stylish,and it must be a great CUV because I see sooo many on the road. go into a decent sized parking lot you will see at least 2 Rogues there.

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  Titan power - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Randy - February 1 - 10:36 pm

  Great truck to drive. Tons of power, even towing an airtstream coach. Great turning radius. Very comfortable on road trips. The attention to interior details are better than my dodge dakota.

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  Kick Butt Nissan - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Jeckyll - February 1 - 10:00 am

  This truck is great. You get the best parts of an SUV, but you still have the convenience of a truck bed. Great towing capacity and the long bed makes it very stable. Back seat is a little cramped, but fine for younger kids, dogs or just storage. I only average about 19 MPG which I think could be a little higher. Funny thing is that it never seems to differ between hwy and city, or even towing my boat.The 3.3 liter is tough and strong, but not quite the pick I was looking for. I wish Nissan offered the 3.5 liter V-6 in the Frontier. I think that would be the icing on top and make this truck absolutely perfect.