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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  Satisfied - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Jones, T - October 25 - 11:23 pm

  Having narrowed my search to the Maxima, Avalon, and Accord, I settled for the Maxima primarily because of ease of negotiating with the dealer. Now that Ive driven the Maxima for the past four weeks, I have only one real complaint. A deafening pecking noise began under the dash below the steering wheel. Talked with the service dept and if you have a similar problem, turn on the defroster and it should stop. It turned out to be coming from the heat/cooling system. A part will have to be replaced that controls the doors within the unit. Had same problem with my 2004 Chev truck (but it wasnt as loud).

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  nice - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By roofster - October 25 - 12:52 pm

  I just bought a new Platinum. I am optimistic, but have a lightbulb out after only a week. This is my fourth Pathfinder dating back to the ones with the triangle windows. My last was a 2005 and I had alot of problems with it. It was the first one I had that was made in the US...the others went 250k. The 05 only made it to 100k before the engine and tranny failed. Also electrical problems. This one is quiet and it it gets better mileage. I like the ride and toys. It doesnt feel like a truck as the others did, but will still tow more than I need. Will see what the miles bring. Only at a thousand, and like it more than the old models. Reliability? Well see and Ill update my review over time.

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  Murano Review - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By golfaholic - October 25 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is as fun to drive as it is great to look at. We are asked about it almost everyday from strangers in parking lots and even at stop lights. The handling, power, and comfort are all excellent as compared to others in the same catagory. We test drived almost all the others before deciding on the Murano, and 5 mo.s later, we are still very happy.

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  AWESOME DRIVING MACHINE - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By DAVHAS - October 25 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a sports car or a SUV. I found them both in the Murano. I is fast. The ride is great except on bumpy streets is really stiff. It is true dont open your back widows while driving by themselves the cabin presure is unbarable. I will call Nissan about this and hope they can fix it or will trade for the Infiniti FX 35.

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  2003 Nissan Murano Crossover - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Rick Scoville - October 25 - 10:00 am

  If youre looking for car-like ride, plenty of storage space, a well thought out interior, sports car handling and turn-your-head looks, the Murano is for you. Weve had more people stop and stare when we drive by than with any other car weve owned. They even walk up and ask to look inside. Its an SUV that handles like a sports car, rides like a sedan and looks like a million. Nissan has really done their homework on this one.

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  Has everything you would want - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By McDan24 - October 25 - 8:06 am

  It drives very smooth and is a nice ride, (nicer than the SE but Im sure it has to do with the stabilizer bars on the SL). I wish it had 18" wheels but that would probably have been at the expense of some of the comfort in the ride. I also looked at an 08 Accord VG w/nav and the controls in the thing made me feel like I should have gotten training in the space shuttle. There were so many buttons and knobs everywhere it would have taken forever to learn. But, the Altima has all the same features but in simple easy to use arrangement on the dash. The nav system is easy to understand and well thought out instruments great car, good drive, all I would ever want or need.

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  Great Ride! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Tony - October 25 - 6:23 am

  I opted for a fully loaded 3.5 SE including the tech pkg and VDC; I struggled deciding whether or not to just get the prem pkg (no nav), but I am VERY happy with my decision. I love the bluetooth, XM radio, nav system with XM NavTraffic updates, & all of the voice activated commands. The car has excellent handling capabilities despite the front drive setup and the 3.5 V6 is as sweet as they come! My gas mileage has been surprising great (22 city/26 hwy) and the CVTs manual mode is a real hoot. I highly recommend this car to anyone cross shopping the Accord, Camry, or Malibu (and even the G35, 325i or C300). No regrets!

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  Smooth, Quick, Efficient, and Fun - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Brandon - October 23 - 3:10 pm

  with a sleek looking exterior and solid built interior, i am proud to cruise around in this car. It has impressive acceleration and handling that always surprises me when im cruising. The interior is comfortable, solid, and very inviting. my first tank of fuel lasted 410 miles which is always a plus, and filling it back up at $2.89 a gallon only cost me around $28. all together i am extremely pleased with my Versa!

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  Great Vehicle - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By James - October 23 - 8:13 am

  My friend had one and let me drive it. Fell in love right away. Great handling, smooth, fast, and good looking inside and out. Bought mine with 128,000miles now has 135,000 only preventive maintenance has been done.

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  Great New Truck - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By jd - October 23 - 7:33 am

  My son bought an 06 Frontier, and I liked it so much that I wanted one. Traded in an 03 V8 Dakota for my new Nissan. I liked the Dodge, but I like the Nissan better. Its just the right size, and is comfortable on the road, and really quiet. Radio and speakers are pretty darn good for the stock system. AC and climate controls are good, I think the interior needs a bit of "upscaling" (too much boring plastic), and the turning radius is far too big for this size truck. My mileage has varied from 18 to 23, but better than my previous Dodge. But the pluses far outweigh the negatives, and I have no regrets purchasing the Frontier. I recommend you drive and compare. Youll like it...