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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  Electrical Problems - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By toolmangonnabe - December 21 - 10:53 am

  Decent acceleration, firm seats, seems like good quality materials - have held up over 4 years so far. Having MAJOR electrical problems and only have 32,000 miles on the car - dealership has known fixes that last long term but want beau coup bucks to fix is - if they knew this was a problem why not fix it at the factory level? Ive had days where it just decided not to start - this is bull and I wont buy another Nissan. My 2002 Olds Intrigue with 110K mi drives better and has been more reliable (just not as sporty).

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  Id Buy it Again - 2012 Nissan Frontier
  By bansko - December 21 - 5:23 am

  Ive put 8,000 miles on this truck so far, including hundreds on gravel and dirt through a Wyoming winter, and I have no regrets. No warranty issues of any kind. The V6 has plenty of power and the steering and handling are excellent on and off pavement. I considered the Tacoma since I like the looks slightly better, but Toyota has had some serious quality/recall issues with the Tacoma over the last 10 years. That, and the fact that toyata wants a few thousand more for an equally equipped truck leaned me toward Nissan. The Frontier is indeed a rugged, no-nonsense truck. I expect to drive it for many years. BTW, JD Powers just ranked it the top midsize pickup for 2012.

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  Sporty - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Lara - December 21 - 3:03 am

  This car is just what I was looking for. After trading in an Eclipse I was looking for something with good pickup and sporty handling and found it. The gas millage hasnt been quite what I expected at 20 mpg but that was only the 2nd fill up. The interior is very roomy and also accommodates for the shorter driver.

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  My First SUV - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Mike Arakelian - December 20 - 9:13 pm

  I just bought my first SUV, the Murano SL AWD with touring and towing packages. After 6 years of driving a BMW 325CI I was a bit nervous about my new driving experience. I drove the Pilot, Highlander, RAV4, Edge, Touareg, RDX, CX7, CX9, FX35, and RX350. The last test drive was the Murano SL. I was pleasantly surprised at the acceleration and handling of the Murano. Its loaded with features that were found in the pricier SUVs, but for $6K-$8K less, and the fit and finish are top notch. Its too early to accurately predict fuel economy, but I expect numbers in the range of 18/23, about norm for size and weight of the vehicle. The Murano offers lots of bang for the buck.

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  Traded in after numerous repairs - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By houstontxowner - December 20 - 5:30 pm

  Absolutely loved my Xterra, kept it maintained and planned to keep it a very long time. Then the problems started after I hit 60,000 miles. Fuel sensor, several batteries, belts (that had screeched since 1 year old and dealer couldnt figure out), then the tensioners, timing chain. After that $1,000+ repair, saw online all the radiator leaks into the transmission being reported and decided to cut my losses and traded it in. Received notification of an extended warranty on the radiator/tranny failure to 80,000 miles the week after I traded it. Had 70,000 on it anyway and would not have been willing to take a chance on needing that $5,000 repair. Depressing.

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  i love this car - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By ram - December 20 - 10:56 am

  This is the first nissan i have owned. I have driven other imports before, This car handles great and the interior is first class. Before i purchased it i drove two other imports but this one was just that much better in every aspect..

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  Frontier Braker$$$ - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By DANO - December 20 - 10:20 am

  Researched several brands before purchasing Frontier. Looked to be the best value for the money. Fit and finish were tight with no apparent problems. Interior entry is difficult for tall or large frame people. Seating is comfortable on short and long trips. Interior is sparten with lots of vinyl. Only one recall for crash sensor in front due to corrosion. Rear box is functional with the spray-on bed liner, lock down hooks and bed extender are a complete loss for our usage. Tires make a lot of road noise which permeates thru cabin area, but is manageable. Brakes have been a major disappointment on this vehicle, both in stopping and replacement (22000) much to premature for 25k trk

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  Fantastic car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By vroom - December 20 - 6:50 am

  Great car - consistently returns 32+ mpg/600+ miles on a tank, good pickup, and very comfortable. Its the right size, too, and quite roomy in the front seats at least. Its held up pretty well, too, although I must admit that dealer service has more expensive than it was for the Hondas, Toyotas, and Mazdas that Ive owned previously. 18 mos & 33k mi in, I still feel that its a good value and I still like it.

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  300 zx power - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By manzella womble - December 20 - 2:00 am

  best sports car ever introduced into the market!

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  Fun and powerful - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Carlos M Larios - December 20 - 2:00 am

  WEll i just bought my car yesterday...i love the power and i got a great proce on it...1740O w/ moon roof and audio package not including Tax, tags, and freight...the second i got in the car i knew it had to be mine. You can just feel the power that this small car has. i test drove it and loved it. the 6 speed manual tran is a beautiful thing...responsive and generally has a good sports car feel to it. I will update my enrty as time goes by. Honestly dont pass this one up...i was in the market for amazda 6 but when it cam,e down to it the Spec v had the power and enough options to keep me happy and at a good price.