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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  no FX35 but pretty nice anyway - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By higby - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Love this car...traded Audi A6 quattro wagon for it....the interior quality is not close to audi quality but Ill bet it turns out to be more reliable than the audi.....obsessed over FX35 for a long time which exceeds Murano in interior quality as well but it was 4 to 5 grand more....anyway Murano is fast,quiet,smooth,handles beautifully,and looks pretty good.Also has more room than audi which we needed.Wouldnt hesitate to recommend this car to anyone!!

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  Great SUV - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By RLF06 - September 20 - 9:46 am

  I bought this SUV to be able to get up the hills around here (VA) in the snow. Now have 91,000 miles on it, it has been great both off road, and in reqular use. Get 18.5 mpg in mostly highway driving. This truck is fun to drive with the 5-speed manual, and it does everything I expected. I have had no problems and would get another one in a heartbeat.

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  Special Edition Nissan Sentra - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By jack mcgrail - September 19 - 12:53 pm

  This is a neat small car, with lots of extras for little extra money, e.g. Rockford Fosgate 9 speaker stereo, upgraded interior, fog lights, etc. It handles crisply with the new tires and wheels, and has decent acceleration. So far fuel econony has been great. My son has a Dakota Magnum and a Harley, yet still loves to drive the Sentra. Dealer support has also been excellent.

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  Great Utilitarian Vehicle - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By blharris77 - September 19 - 10:13 am

  If you’re looking for a SUV that you can actually take off road then this is your vehicle. Mine has 45,000 miles and has had no major problems. The ride is a little stiff but makes up for it in off road capability. The interior leaves a little to be desired. Engine seems a little sluggish when trying to pass at highway speeds but more than capable for around town driving. Towing capability is pretty impressive for this class vehicle.

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  Atima is a mix of the 350Z and a Sedan - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Carl S. - September 18 - 10:06 pm

  I love my 2006 Altima I only wish they offered it with a CVT (Constant Velocity Transmission), turbo/Supercharger,all wheel drive as options and a gauge system like the SE-R on all the Altima models. But Hey its close to a 10 now and I love my 2006 Altima SE 3.5 V6.

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  No place for admissions test - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By nonie - September 18 - 5:46 pm

  The first problem I had was with the switch under the brake pedal to start my cube burnt out so they had to replace that. today 06-21-2100 after sitting in 98 degree heat to get my admission test my cube failed, just because the Nissan manufacturers in "japan" failed to do a better "quality control" before this cube left the final line. this was poor quality control. your people left the plug in to do this test off my car. I just retired from Nissan of North America Smyrna, Tennessee, this was my retirement car. I paid 15,000.00 dollars of my retirement lump sum for this car, it hurt me so bad to know that japan is building a car like this and leaving parts off it.

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  Kids love it, so of course parents do - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By TREDN - September 18 - 3:33 pm

  Had for 6 weeks now and have over 2400 miles. Live in Canada and is great for winters. Kids love it as we got the top of the line with DVD player and they love to watch movies. Keeps them quiet on long trips. We love the Navigation system as it helps us from having to use a map and it tells you exactly where to go and how to get there. Used it several times already and it is dead-on. Just be careful, little towns or out of the way places do not have the streets listed, only main throughfares. As well, newer streets and points of interest are not included until upgrade.

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  2003 Nissa Altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Richard - September 18 - 4:10 am

  Excellent car through 75K. I have done all the required maintenance through the dealership. Rather pricey. Good fuel economy, very comfortable interior. Cheap plastic on the inside, armrest and drink holder cover broken in first six months. Very squeaky passenger seat. All in all very nice car for the price.

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  Had to have this car and Im glad I do! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Rebeccahoo.com - September 17 - 11:43 pm

  I love this car - its not so massive as some of the larger SUVs, but its high enough to be able to have a good view of traffic and has enough inside room to transport lots of different items. The only drawback is the fuel economy. When I purchased the vehicle, I was getting about 19 or so m.p.g., however, ever since my alternator was replaced in the recall (I know, it isnt supposed to have anything to do with m.p.g.), my mileage has gone down to around 17 m.p.g. and my driving habits havent changed. I had my 15,000 mile service completed - no change!

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  2009 Murano Lease - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Steve M - September 17 - 11:16 pm

  Although Nissan recommends premium fuel, we have always used regular and still get excellent acceleration and as stated on the sticker gas mileage. The computer seems to adjust for the different fuel grade very well. I would have rated interior comfort a 10, but the seats need some fine tuning. Coming from an Altima, the seats feel awkward. The CVT transmission seems flawless. Its so nice not to have annoying shift points!