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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  Remember The TITAN - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By TITAN MAN - November 7 - 10:00 am

  From its soulful exhaust note right down to its FACTORY sprayed in bedliner, this is not only one of the BEST trucks that I have ever driven, but one of the BEST VEHICLES around. Great acceleration, visibility, comfort, and utility. Traded in my FX45 for this and am much happier; 0 - 60 in 6.9 secs!?! - what a beast. The Titan crushes road imperfections and never gets "tossed around"; has great road manners and never loses its composure; feels ultra safe. Constant "thumbs-up" from other drivers of all vehicles. If you are looking for the ultimate vehicle, "Remember the Titan"!

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  Touring Roadster - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By CCRNCCM - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I have been extremely pleased with this vehicle since buying it. It has a lot of the comforts & feels that I had experienced with a larger luxury car for less price. The car handles extremely well & holds to the road even in downpours of rain. The heated seats are a huge plus & for anyone that has never had them, one misses them when a vehicle does not have them. Its a shame that the trunk area is so small. But, it wasnt that big of a deal for me not to purchase this car. The pick up that the engine has is excellent.

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  350Z ROADSTER TO MUCH FUN - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By AL WARFORD - November 7 - 10:00 am

  WHAT A BLAST TO DRIVE!! PEOPLE LOVE THE WAY IT LOOKS BUT IT DRIVES BETTER!! VERY SOLID FEEL DOWN THE ROAD. TOP VERY EAST TO OPERATE. LOOKED AT A LOT OF OTHER CONVERTABLES AND THIS CAR FOR THE MONEY IS THE HANDS DOWN WINNER IN MY BOOK.

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  My beloved Maximus - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Ben - November 6 - 4:23 am

  My 99 Saturn SL recently decided to blow a head gasket. I decided it was a good time to get a new car. I did a lot of searching and just fell in love with the Maxima. It had everything I wanted plus more. I wanted to get a car that I could drive 150000+ miles. THis is the one! It has every option! I just love it! It doesnt get the best gas mileage, but hey, I am also a lead foot!

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  2011 Frontier 4x4 with 50,000 miles - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By deerguy - November 5 - 8:39 pm

  I bought my 2011 Frontier in June of 2011 and traded my F150 in on it. The truck is driven for work on the highway a lot but also in the field from time to time. I just went over 50,000 miles on this truck and have had only 1 minor fault with it this past winter. Once I did the recommended service on the transmission (Auto) that cleared up as well. I find my truck very comfortable and easy to drive on the highway. I also use the 4x4 from time to time in the woods or afield. I have had no issues at all with that. The only complaints that I would have is the reduced bed size & the gas mileage could be a little better. I could have purchased the longer bed though.

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  Retro-Modern - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By JR - November 5 - 6:23 am

  Eye catching, smooth riding, comfortable, amazing headroom and visibility, consistently over 31 mpg. Loads of cargo space, comfortably seats 5 adults. many features available as much higher priced cars.

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  Fast, Fun, and Inexpensive - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Paul Huang - November 5 - 2:00 am

  The car has been reliable: small problems include battery replacement under warranty and a front-end squeak that dealers have not been able to fix. The rear suspension lands with a harsh thud when going over speed bumps with both rear wheels. If only 1 wheel goes over the bump its fine. The engine is great!!! The clutch is getting close to replacement after 76000 hard (not auto-journalist level of hard though) miles. I love my car and have problems finding a potential replacement. I have money to buy a more expensive car, but even then I cant find a car that is as fast, fun, and reliable as my $18K Maxima.

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  My 2003 Altima 2.5S - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Lil Person - November 5 - 2:00 am

  actually this car was purchased 10/31/31 of 2003. It is everything that I wanted in a car. My husband sold a 1986 Nissan truck with 489,000 miles on it and I was quickly sold on the Nissan name and dependability. My first choice was a Honad Accord, but after looking at the price of the Accord and the standard equipment in it I found that I got more bang for the buck. Also one thing that strayed me away from the Accord is the accord is the number one STOLEN vehicle in America, not to mention that nearly everyone has one.

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  Love my Maxi - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By mreck - November 4 - 12:06 pm

  I love my Maxima. Great to drive, eats up the road. Seats are mildly uncomfortable and the wheels tend to need rebalancing oftem. Tires are expensive ($350 each) to replace.

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  I LOVED MY SENTRA - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By vwispos - November 4 - 7:34 am

  I loved my sentra, so fun to drive and it never left me stranded. Ive seen some bad reviews but mine was absolutely flawless. Inexpensive and great on gas. I flipped it 3 times and it still cranked right up. (of course it was totaled though)