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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  Best Car Ive Owned - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By tdigeorge - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought it brand new. Still as tight and responsive and fun to drive as the day I drove it off the showroom floor. No rattles or noises of any kind. Its been driven 134,500 miles and never a repair or part replacement, just routine maintenance (brakes, etc.). More than lives up to its reputation for reliability and performance!

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  Maximum!!! - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By hardnecker - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought this garage kept Sterling Mist beauty in Sept 03. Most of the 24,000 miles were highway miles. The sales lady said it was fast and that sparked my interest, naturally! It was and is and I am totally in love with this car. Plenty of power and great gas mileage in spite of the weight of my right foot.The stereo sounds good and the leather interior is super comfy. This car is a dream to drive and great on the highway. Its nimbleness saved our lives one night on the Florida Turnpike. Make sure you tint the windows as this really improves the look. Mine was a "fishbowl" and I had the tint done the day after I bought it. Couldnt be happier with this rig!

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  Best Quest ever is best minivan value! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By OnaQuestforComfort - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Nissan did not skimp on anything in this vehicle; its equivalent to a 7- course dinner plus a night on the town, as compared to what one gets from the other top manufacturers. Sure the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are great vehicles in their own right, but they definitely charge you an arm and a leg and you still dont have what Nissan offers: the ultra-modern design, the panoramic sky-view, sunroof, 17- inch allow wheels, leather, 3.5L 5- speed automatic power house under the hood, the widest doors in its class, plus the longest wheelbase that make the ride feel more like a stretch limo than a van..... all at a low low price of $30300.

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  The new Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By robert deeb - November 22 - 10:00 am

  My titan has about 2000 miles on it. I get 14.5 mpg currently. It has alot of power and so far nothing has gone wrong. Clements auto in Mankato MN was a straight forward dealership that played no games. I like driving my truck and I will be putting it to good use this summer and fall. Bob Deeb

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  the best truck ever - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Nisxsz - November 22 - 10:00 am

  this truck is off the hook! the tightest truck ever!

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  COOL - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By TONY LEE NGUYEN - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE TO DRIVE THE CAR ALL AROUND THE USA

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  Fun car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By lal234 - November 22 - 10:00 am

  It has very good pickup and the body style does make it fun to drive, but you can sometimes here the wind around the doors.

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  Sweet ride - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By philamax - November 22 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Maxima and my 6th car. I am in outside sales, so I spend quite a bit ot time in my car. It is extremely comfortable, affordable, and classy enough to bring out clients. I am expecting it to survive as long as previous models....

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  Fun Mommy Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By dolphcheer - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I love my car. I have always had sports cars or off road vehicles there fore i was not ready to give up my manual transmission. So, I purchased the 6-speed manual and love it. it has so much power very easy to manuver and too much fun for a mommy car. Which is why i purchased a safe, four door. I dont feel like i have given up my sports car at all. love the vehicle!

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  Impressive Vehicle - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By ERSAN E. - November 22 - 6:50 am

  This is an impressive SUV for its value. I was planing to buy Benz or BMW but I am glad I kept my 20,000 bucks in my pocket and got more from my Murano than those vehicles offer. Excellent comfort, service and performance. It sticks to the ground on snowy and icy road conditions. Interior design is very attractive and CVT shift is the most interesting feature you can experience and only at Nissan vehicles. I am glad that I test drove this vehicle that day and bought it. Extremely recommended.