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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  Impressed - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Impressed - July 16 - 12:50 am

  I bought my 06 Titan from the original owner who put 88,000 miles on it in 28 months. At first, I was hesitant to buy a high mileage 2 year old truck but after having it throughly inspected, I was more than confident in its condition. Since day one of ownership, I have felt like a teenager with his first car. This truck is built with looks, reliability and POWER. I love the power rear window, dash, room and abundant storage. I recently added a 3 inch lift and dual exhaust. Grown men gather around my truck to gawk at it and listen to the roar of the engine. I plan on owning this truck forever. The engine is a little thirsty but with a V8, what do you expect? Buy this truck, it is worth it!

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  This Model Lives Up - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By Nat - July 15 - 6:36 pm

  I purchased my 1999 Nissan GXE new right off the lot. It handled great and fit my budget plus the warranty was decent. I added a rear spoiler and a nose mask to give it a somewhat sportier look. Other than basic maintenance (oil changes, new tires, etc.) I have yet to be let down by this car. And it has traveled quit a bit from state-to-state! Only issues: I had water leaking onto the front passenger driving mats when it rained heavily and the driver side power window died around 50000 miles. Neither was a major problem to fix. Most recently the key started sticking in the trunk (65000 miles) and the driver side visor broke (80000) but those are not major or costly issues to deal with.

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  One of the best Foreign economy cars - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By faruk - July 15 - 12:16 pm

  bought this car on finance, never had any problem, i drove honda civic 2004 also in comparision Nissan Sentra is better. nissan sentra & toyota corola both are better than civic. very strong body. my wife loves it. steering wheel is a little stiffer than corola. but its a little road rocket. as i have manual transmission on this car & actually giving me around 32 to 36 miles a gallon on highways which is great. i would never sell my car for a domestic. my friend had ford focus always broke down on him. he went and bought a sentra. american cars tends to start breaking down after 50k mostly because they focus on quantity, japanese cars are more focused on quality. believe me go test drive it.

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  Best Truck Ive Owned. - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By titan - July 14 - 4:36 pm

  I have owned Ford and Chevy fullsized trucks and Isuzu, Toyota and Nissan compact $wd Trucks. Without question The TITAN is the truck steals the show. No other truck compares as far as comfort, ride, interior room, and make no mistake about it the Nissan Titan can deliver off road, hauling or pulling. Put it on the pavement and this truck will Haul A_ _!!

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  2004 maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By cotton - July 14 - 2:00 am

  great looks,handles well,and the price is good for a family sized car with plenty of power and good fuel mileage. It has classy looks and performs well.

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  Best value in an SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By suits - July 14 - 12:26 am

  this superior handling suv outperforms any in its class. and for the price!!, its unbeatable, you cant go wrong!! Andrew

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  bought 1st week released - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By kcaples - July 13 - 10:04 pm

  We just bought the new 2013 Nissan Altima, bot off the presses so to speak. The first week they hit the lots! It is very comfortable to drive. It is surprisingly not a sluggish car. The thing I am loving the most is that I have put 150 miles on it and have not even burned through 1/4 of a tank of gas!

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  nissian armada - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By nick - July 13 - 12:50 pm

  Good truck for the ladies to go to the store. Safe for even a lady to drive with your kids in it. yet good for a man to go to work in and make the cash

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  I love the car; however... - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By katydid - July 13 - 3:33 am

  The car drives wonderfully with great pickup. Around town driving got 20 mpg on the first two tanks and 21.8 on the third. Lots of well-designed storage space. The basic radio/cd player sounds great and picks up far-away stations. I love the fold-down back seats. Heres the however: My cars taillights leaked when I got the car. The sensor on the passenger side airbag turns the bag off sporadically when a 160-190 lb adult sits on that side. The dealer cant find the problem. There is no manual override to force the airbag to function, so my passengers are sometimes in danger. The "youve left your key in the car" alarm sounds when my key is in my pocket outside the car.

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  Go West Old Man - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Ray A - July 12 - 5:53 pm

  In March, I traded my 05 Altima & 05 Pathfinder on my Murano. In June, we drove from Louisiana to Utah on vacation.Total trip was 4,500 miles. Averaged 24.5 mpg.Handled the mountain roads like a sports car. The overdrive switch worked well coming down the mountains.The CVT was smooth, even in the mountains. Passed through a terrible storm in Texas. Handled the wind and water puddles well. Have made similar trips out west in a Tahoe, Yukon, Cherokee and my Pathfinder. Gave up a little storage space , but this car out performed them all. Drove 12 to 14 hours some days. Very comfortable. Love this car.