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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  I love my Car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By sage51406 - November 28 - 5:40 pm

  Exceptional car!! Drives nice, good gas mileage, and roomy for dogs both big and small.

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  Rugged and Reliable - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By rod71 - November 28 - 5:12 am

  I had this truck for about 7 mths now. Bought new. It is a rugged little truck. I say little even though its consider as a mid size truck. On the out side it gives the illusion that its has a roomer interior. Nissan could have made it a few in wider and added a few in of leg room for back seat passengers. 1 week after having the truck I exp. a loud clanking noise during start ups, and while driving until the engine warmed up. The dealer tried to tell me it was normal but turn out to be a loose cooling fan. Now my drivers side window makes scraping noise when the window is let up or down. Looks like I need a new regulator. Other than that its a great truck, but with bad gas mileage.

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  Great car - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By leroy patterson - November 28 - 3:00 am

  We like our car a lot. Like others say small trunk space. Was surprised at how much room in rear seat. Plenty of power. We get 29-33 mpg others say they get more, we drive 75 mph, and my wife has heavy foot.

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  2005 Maxima - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By I Tough Max - November 27 - 11:33 pm

  This is by far the beast automobile I have ever owned. The car is well designed, and the powertrain will not quit. With the Bose stereo playing hot east coast beach music, its almost like being in Heaven!

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  Altima 2016i - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By Paul Boyd - November 27 - 7:42 pm

  I love this car. Only have one gripe. The headlights suck. One needs to keep the high beams on at night in order to drive safely.

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  Murano - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By MIke - November 27 - 2:50 pm

  Test drove Highlander and Pilot as well as the Murano. Totally different driving experience in the Murano! Comfortable ride, great handling, excellent looks...no brainer on the purchase. I cant express how happy I am with the purchase of this vehicle.

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  INTERIOR NOISE - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Carlos meza - November 27 - 10:28 am

  great car for the price , but upon driving this vehicle on the highway at approxamently 70 mph there is a wind noise ,,that is very load and annoying ,, had the dealer take a look at it ,,they said it was the seal around window and fixed ,, so they said !! two days later same thing happened , noise so load I could not hear my wife talk .. again dealer said they fixed it ..WELL GUESS WHAT ??? TAKING IT BACK FOR THE THIRD TIME ...if the dealer cant fix it this time I guess Ill be looking for a lawyer.

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  ROOMY, LOTS OF PICKUP... - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By capergal - November 27 - 8:21 am

  Really good mileage - lots of pep on the highway. A little concerned with the braking - mine tends to go an extra foot or so before completely stopping even after brake is fully applied. Dealer says theres no problem. Also, the CVT, although supposedly good for mileage, takes some getting used to. Im still on the fence about that. On inclines, it does help to slow you down without braking, but this feature isnt always helpful on level ground. As soon as you take your foot off the gas pedal, theres little "coasting" - it stops much quicker than any other car Ive driven. Not so sure I like this feature.

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  Nissan Awful - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By MrsLewis06 - November 27 - 5:00 am

  I bought this car in December of 2008 with 81,000 miles on it. I knew it was a lot but i just loved the car so much i didnt care.The check engine light was on and they said they would fix it but never did. Since then i have had to replace 2 coils, the crank sensor, the catalytic converter and now it needs a whole new engine. I will never buy another Nissan and i wouldnt advise anyone else to either.

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  Unbelievable - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Robert Walker - November 26 - 11:40 pm

  I have had this car going on two weeks. It is one beautiful car. Handles crisply, esp around corners. For a 4 banger, it really goes! I test drove and researched many cars for about 6 months. For the bread, this is by far, the best deal. I feel good in this car, and enjoy many of the stares it gets. I have the slate color, with the convenience pkg. The seats are firm, but comfortable, even at 63, 230 pounds. My son is 65, he loves my car, and hijacks it from me every time he comes home, lol. I would highly recommend this car to anyone. Makes me feel young again.