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:

• 

  Maximas still a great car!!! - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Leon - November 5 - 5:56 am

  Overall the Maxima is a great car. I owned one 15y ago and Im still impressed with the 05s. Nissan did a great job. I must say its a top rated car. So far I am very pleased. I purchased the SL model. I test drove the SL & SE. You could tell the difference in the ride. If you like a sports ride get the SE. I love luxury so SL was my choice. The dealership was great too.

• 

  05 Armada.... The Best !!! - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Ben - November 4 - 4:00 pm

  We just got our Armada and I will tell you its been the best truck Ive owned thus far. Very comfortable and has plenty of room and power. I used to own a Montero and I got frustrated all the time driving it. Nissan did a good job on this one!!

• 

  Awesome car - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By moon12 - November 4 - 12:33 pm

  Hey looking for a great car this is the one! I bought my Altima in 2006 with 114k miles on it, and at 172k its still running strong. Besides the minor work its very dependable great on gas and roomy. Nissan did a great job with this one, if I could have anything else I would keep this one.

• 

  Suprised - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By curious - November 4 - 11:40 am

  First I got this for $26,800 w/o license and fees. Its a 2wd SL with only standard options. It is an easy vehicle to drive. Lots of standard features youd expect to pay for like back up camera and dual zone heating etc. It came with a 7" LCD screen too! I am very suprised about all the technical stuff you get standard. It is a very smooth ride compared to like a 4Runner which was my previous car. As you accelerate, the powerful V6 gets you going and then smoothly settles into a lower RPM I cant wait until this CVT gets into other models. Its quite phenominal. I am also getting over 20 mpg in this SUV. The rear seats fold down much easier than a 4Runner and way easier than my Benz ML320

• 

  Want to buy a slightly used Quest? - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By fedupwithnissan - November 4 - 3:20 am

  Lets see, where do I begin...oh yea, every week for the first two months after I bought it, I spent at the dealership fixing problems. Heres a list of the issues: sunroof stopped working (twice), side molding came off (on both sides), roof molding came off (finally glued it myself with crazy glue after taking it to the dealership twice and them not fixing it), side doors dont close when its cold out (no one contacted me about any recalls), engine noise, running board lights stopped working (after two months), poor customer service. Every time Ive taken a car in to get worked on, my wife had to wait all day for it. The van is poor quality and the customer service is worse.

• 

  I love my Nissan - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By womenscountry - November 4 - 2:20 am

  I used the internet to compare cars along with Comsumer Report. I bought my Sentra after 3 months of research led me to believe it was the car for me. I drive in town and on the highway and it does great in both modes. I am not a speedster so a small 4 cylindar car with high MPG is what I was looking for. The price was great too. So far it has performed as I thought it would. I have driven both Toyotas and Mazdas in the past but they are both getting a bit pricey for what I need a car to do. I would buy it again, no doubt.

• 

  So glad I waited for the 2016 - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By James Craven - November 2 - 5:46 pm

  Over the years, I have purchased Maximas in 2007 and 2011. I had been waiting for the 2016 Maxima for a while and when the car began appearing on local Nissan lots, I was immediately contacted by the dealerships since I had been bothering them wanting to know when the 2016s would arrive. When I first test drove the one Maxima they had on the lot, I was not impressed. It might have had something to do with the fact that they would not let me take it out on the road. Anyway, I left to return when they had more of a selection to choose from. I was able to test drive an SL and was blown away by the acceleration, handling and style. I was able to take it on mountain roads as well as the interstate. I could not have been happier. I was all set to purchase the SL but saw the Platinum version and that was all I needed. Took the Platinum home 2 hours later. I have had this car since July 4, 2015 and couldnt be more satisfied. This is a great car. I have actually had people stop me in parking lots wanting to see the interior and talk about the car. Do yourself a huge favor and get this car. It is really fun to drive and it will definitely turn heads.

• 

  Best Van Ever - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By mapapa79 - November 2 - 11:46 am

  Ok i have a short attention span so this will be quick I swear! Thant being said this is our third minivan in the last 5 years and we have had a few SUVs in the process as well and I must say we made the right choice here. We had a 2008 Quest Se and the overall quality was not there so we traded out and bought a 2010 Odyssey Touring and loved it, all but those heavy middle seats, the worthless "magic" seat, and blah interior. But from the original test drive in the new Quest made it clear what my wife and three liittle girls needed to be in. A giant RES system and did I mention how great the advanced climate control system and the double sunroof really os. Awesome drive, amazing value!

• 

  Take the leap, you will love it! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Brady - November 1 - 10:26 pm

  I was looking for a car that would be economical, yet something that had personality...boy did I find it! Some will laugh, some will stare, and others will beg you for a peek inside. I love every square inch of this cube.

• 

  An amazing, reliable, and fun car - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By collmurphy - November 1 - 9:59 pm

  All around, the best car Ive ever owned. I got this car my senior year of high school, with 135,000 miles on it. As you would think, I was scared to death that with all the miles, the car would always be in the shop. I was wrong. This car never had ONE problem with it. Took it back and forth to college for a year as well (140 miles one way). Car is so fun to drive, accelerates fast, and isnt a bad car to drive on long trips. Only downside is the lack of room, but if youre buying a convertible, you would expect that. Had to take the time to write a review on this car, because it never let me down, and was the best car ever. You WILL NOT regret buying this car. Loved my z!