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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  Outstanding Vehicle - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By jrs1775 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Midnight Blue Murano in May. It is everything I expected and more. We recently took it on an 1100 mile trip and it performed extremely well in both rain and high winds. Very quite cabin when windows are closed. Quite the sound system, the bass come in loud and clear. Navigaton system is a trip...ha ha. We didnt bring any maps and she brought us to our destination without a hitch! I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone who loves to drive. Great pickup and passing power. Beats the Highlander by 150% which was my 2nd choice. Glad I bought the Murano.

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  Best car Ive ever owned so far anyway. - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By coppersmith - December 7 - 3:21 am

  2013 Altima SV- Smooth ride, averaging 30 mpg overall, steering better than many other sedans, no problem with wandering, maintains a straight line well, engine is smooth with no shuddering, much less noisy engine than earlier Altimas, comfortable seats, controls are easy to operate, excellence all around.

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  Puts the "fun" back into driving! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By DP - December 6 - 7:33 pm

  Excellent performer. After 25,000 KM it is as smooth and responsive as when it was first driven. Wonderful interior with a small car feel, but big car look. Great interior details which set it apart from other competitors, particulalry anything from the big 3. Not even in the same ball park as some of the other pretenders: Impala, G6, Grand AM, Fusion, etc.

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  Sweet Ride - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Squig - December 6 - 10:33 am

  So far it is a great car! My first Nissan, I had a 97 CRV which I totaled, after I drove the Rogue, I looked no further. Just hit 1400 miles, I heard 1300 is break in, so now I can run this baby and see what she has! Quick, sporty comfortable.

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  Chose A Winner - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Lou - December 6 - 7:33 am

  After shopping and comparing the same class vehicles this car won hands down! Its looks, power, handling and quiet ride together with the price is unbeatable. I bought the base 3.5 SE with the sport package and I might say there is nothing else I need in a car. Bottom line buy one and enjoy this winner.

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  Great truck - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Frank - December 6 - 6:30 am

  I have owned this vehicle for 3 years and have 64K miles. I have only done normal maintenance and the first set of brake pads. Absolutely no issues at all. Plenty of power, great off road and long distance truck.

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  amazing vehicle better than anything - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By onlyinsalem - December 6 - 2:33 am

  So far its amazing I owned a 2001 Pathfinder,I just glad my wife pushed me for the all new Pathfinder, the changes more room, power and safety.

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  Fun New Ride - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Nissan 2009 Owner - December 5 - 11:36 pm

  Owned the car for about a month now. Overall it is a good experience. Very smooth ride because of the CVT. Nice interior and exterior design. Fuel economy is good. Average mpg is about 25-27 mpg 60% city/40% highway driving. The only complaint is the engine noise when you hit the gas. But that didnt bother me too much.

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  nissan titan se 4wd cc - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By reggie thorne - December 4 - 5:16 am

  totally awesome ride and comfort.

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  perfect car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By albundyz - December 3 - 8:26 am

  Bought new in 2006, after 102K miles, I cant say enough good things about this car. Granted, my wife and I are in our late 50s and were pretty "easy" on cars, but we just wanted a reliable car. Weve had NO problems. Only maint was rear brakes and 4 new tires and 2 new batteries. The fact that my wife is willing to drive this car at 102K miles says a LOT about the reliability of this car. She has NEVER driven any car past 95K miles. Looks like well keep it for a while.