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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  Car of the Future - 2011 Nissan Leaf
  By jackie_gt - September 17 - 5:56 am

  Just LOVE the new car. It exceeds my expectations in all areas. I highly recommend buying an SPX Level 2 EVSE portable charger that can auto detect voltage. This also charges the Chevy Volt. I use it to charge my Nissa Leaf. Plugs into an outlet similar to a electric dryer outlet at home and similar ones at my businesses. As of 9-22-11, price $749 + S+H.

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  Altima Review - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Matt - September 16 - 9:43 pm

  Its a great car for the money and so easy to drive! I considered purchasing either the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, but neither came close to the performance, styling and overall value of the Nissan Altima. New for 2005, Nissan did a great job on the styling of the front-end and interior! Much improved over the 2004 model. Everything seems to flow very nicely with fit and finish as opposed to the Camry and Accord, where everything is a bit more “clunky.” The 5-speed automatic transmission is great, you can either have the car shift for you, or you can elect to bang through the gears under high acceleration yourself, seeing 0-60mph under just 6.0 seconds! The gas mileage is awesome with the

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  My Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Rogue Lover - September 16 - 1:46 pm

  Just purchased my Rogue on Saturday. I got the Silver with Black interior. It looks like a luxury vehicle. Its so comfortable. Has lots of power (enough for me). Very quiet ride. Interior is very roomy. There is nothing bad I can say about my new Baby. Only time will tell. Bought the car brand new and put 200+ miles on it this weekend. Considered getting the CRV or RAV which are also beautiful, but it seems like everyone has one. The Rogue was the way to go for me. Beautifully built. Go Nissan!

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  Tons of power 5.6 v8 Hemi Killer - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By m4ck - September 16 - 9:13 am

  I have owned Dodge, Ford, and Chevy trucks and this Titan is the best truck I have owned to this day. Most powerful fun to drive vehicle I have ever had. Great for working or playing. Tows like a big dog and more interior room than my Dodge Ram Quadcab had. Very sporty truck.

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  121K and going strong! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By DL34119 - September 16 - 3:30 am

  Company fleet car that was handed down to me. It chose me, not the other way around. This car is near perfect for its mission and price point. Comfortable, fun for an econobox, great visibility, and unbelievably roomy all around! Complaints about wheel covers flying off are true. Other than that,if you want maximum interior space and comfort,small footprint and bang for buck- this is it!

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  Cant wait to get back in my car! - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By itskristine - September 15 - 6:06 am

  Ive always been a huuuuuuge fan of the Maxima. I was orginally going to get my ultimate baby, the 98 Max, but my mother told me she would rather I have a new car given the fact that I work and am in collge. I wasnt going to turn it down! Granted I just got the car, but I love it! The best decision I could have made!

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  Very nice car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By sepulveda - September 14 - 3:26 pm

  This is very nice car for the price. the gas mileage excellent, handling good, and very comfortable car. My other car is Honda Civic Si, but my sons love this car because of the comfort. The performance is not bad from a 4 banger also. If your looking for the ultimate affordable car, you should buy this one.

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  AWESOME small truck!! - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By chris3215 - September 14 - 1:57 pm

  This is my very first light weight truck and I will tell you I love the way it handles and I drive manual so the 6 speed if great, fast pick up in speed, great to take out on the trail. This truck out shines all the GMC light weight and Chevys light weight is how well made it is nothing cheap on the Frontier. Looking very forward to many years with this truck. Well worth what I paid.

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  Strong @ kind - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Francisco Wisniewski - September 14 - 1:46 pm

  I just love my x-terra, my wife is the lucky one, she drives most the time, now i have a 16 y old daughter driving, she doesnt wanna drive my old car, and i understand that.

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  Watch the color! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Allison - September 14 - 2:10 am

  I purchased a midnight blue Xterra a month ago. If you live in an area that has "love bugs" do not get a dark colored Nissan vehicle. The bug guts that have been splattered on the hood of my new car have made little dents in the paint. I had to buy a bug shield to cover it up! So be careful, go for the light colors if you have "love bugs" in the area where you live!