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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  Love - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Musician - November 17 - 6:33 pm

  Ive had this car just a few days and a few hundred miles but its awesome and I have no regrets in purchasing it. Package pyramid - you have to pay for certain packages you may not want in order to get the features you do want. When driving at night there is a weird streak/glare on the windshield that comes from the street lights I am passing. I guess its the angle of the windshield? Love the push- button start. Love the looks the most, much like the Infiniti Coupe but way less expensive. Hate the panic button. Ive accidentally set it off at least once each day. Be sure to adjust your side mirrors correctly. Coupes are not known for good visibility. Love this car!

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  Not so reliable. - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By esteband67 - November 17 - 5:53 pm

  I got this vehicle three and half years ago and take very good care of it but it doesnt seem to appreciate it. In the short time Ive owned it Ive had a computer chip problem $500 at the dealer and engine coils had to be replaced $1100 at the dealer. Car has only 53000 miles so none of this should go wrong. Ive replaced brake pads twice. Also gets out of alignment a lot. Needs bearings but I cant afford it right now after spending $1100 yesterday. I made a bad decision with a Nissan. Never again.

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  Just Purchased -- Great So Far - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By traffic_doc - November 17 - 5:36 pm

  Just purchased this vehicle a week ago using the clunker incentive. I purchased the Altima 2.5S with all the options except for the Navi. So far I have driven it ~900 miles. Ride, handling, acceleration, etc are all excellent. I couldnt be happier.

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  Stu Nissan Xterra 05 - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Stuart - November 17 - 2:56 pm

  My first SUV. Test drove a Jeep Liberty but wanted a little more size for min. cost. Cant beat the quality, reliability, design and cost of the 2005 Xterra. For the younger crowd, you cant beat this SUV!

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  the best car i have owned so far - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By will - November 17 - 10:09 am

  Ok this car has its in and outs. I notice the starting problems its not the fuel pump or starter its the fuel regulator that is cheap needs to be replaced with a aftermarket one by its best to turn the key to the on position for 5 seconds so the pump can prime up but the head gasket did blow once,not sure why had to replace the alternator once and some hoses ,the steering wheel is kinda hard to turn a little and power steering leaks are normal so had the engine replace but I didnt have any problems with that engine but on these cars the its very good on gas maintenance its not to bad for the size of the car,of course its not a luxury vehicle but it is very durable

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  Smooth as Glass - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Trump - November 17 - 3:46 am

  I went to three dealerships and drove the Acura TL, The BMW 525I, and the Dodge Charger, The Altima has them beat hands down for options and pricing. The Car rides great and has All the bells and whistles, not to mention a great ride and comfort for four large adults.

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  Noisy Fun - 2015 Nissan Frontier
  By Joseph A. Tony Miranda - November 17 - 3:16 am

  The truck is fun to drive, has excellent acceleration, decent gas mileage but is very noisy. Not wind noise but road noise. Can barely hear radio unless its above 15 on the volume scale and higher than that if the AC is on high. It is like they forgot to install the insulation.

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  Armada is awesome - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Burton - November 16 - 10:16 pm

  We purchased 11 months ago, and have loved the vehicle. The interior design works well for my family of six. We pull a 6500 lb. camping trailer with ease. The GPS is great, showing surprisingly rural roads. The DVD player works well also, especially since I can listen to music while driving and others can listen to movies on headphones. The vehicle is quiet, solidly built, and comfortable. The automatic liftgate and backup camera and sensor is really nice as well. We replaced a Ford Expedition which we also liked, but this has more features, and is more powerful. Our gas mileage is about the same as the Expedition. Id recommend this car to anyone.

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  Bullfights and Steeplechase Ads for Real - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By AccordEX2Pathfinder - November 16 - 3:43 pm

  Only 4 weeks out of an Accord EX, had to make a full-throttle accident avoidance when a red light runner skidded out of control on a curve. The Pathfinder literally LEPT out of the intersection and twisted around the oncoming vehicle. It remained level and solid thoughout and scared the beJesus out of me, as well as several bystanders. Awesome response and solid handling.

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  Silver Bullet - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Kim Grant - November 16 - 10:06 am

  Its very sporty and family friendly at the same time.