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:

• 

  Love It - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By cstrother - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Got 2004 Murano SL AWL loaded on Memorial Day. Love it. My choice came down to Murano and Acura TL. TL interior seemed slightly more refined and is quick. No regrets. Murano drives like it is on rails esp in rain. Good power. CVT--very smooth, no lag to me. Mileage seems decent. I never expected to get an SUV, but why get a car as small as the RX8 or even Inf G35, when Murano has better gas mileage. Ride is great to me--firm and satisfying. No need to go to SE. Interior noise seems low. I have had no trouble with visibility or power steering.

• 

  Good car - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Boater Buddy - July 3 - 10:00 am

  This Murano is one of 3 cars I have now- - a Solara convertible, a Lexus ES 300 and the Murano. It is the favorite of both my wife and me. I traded a Chrysler Town and Country for it and have no interest in going back. The mini van, with less than 30000 miles on it, spent too much time in the shop. It is a really feel good vehicle

• 

  Frontier XE (4 Cyn/ 2.5) 5 Speed - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By The Jesser - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Excellent ride for a truck. The Stabizer bar makes it handle better. ABS feature is excellent, it has helped me avoid a couple of accidents! Hansome both in and out! Its the same reliable engine I expect from Nissan. Also, the XE has a reasonable price and has all the BASIC features one needs. Its great for hauling all kinds of heavier or bulky items, yet great for daily commutes. Although the 4 cylinder could use more power/torque, most of the time I do not need 6 cylinder power/fuel consumption on a daily basis--especially with gas prices increasing every moment! Overall: Thumbs Up!

• 

  Great SUV - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By DEBORAH - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. It is very comfortable on my back to drive. Lots of room inside for my kids. Lots of ground clearence. The back seats are also very nice to sit in, you have plenty of head room.

• 

  Marians thoughts - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Paityn - July 3 - 10:00 am

  This is the 3rd Maxima I have owned and the 6th Nissan I have bought. I do enjoy Nissan and I sincerely believe, for the money, a consumer cannot do much better. I love driving my new Maxima. With each one I own, I have more fun. I love the digital dash and being informed of tire rotations and oil changes, which only enhance the life of the car. Great job Nissan!

• 

  as fun as it looks - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By maximized - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Greatest car I have ever owned.Fun,Fast,and handles like a dream.Once you drive one you will be sold.Bravo to Nissan!!!!!

• 

  I bought TWO!! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By pulgar - July 3 - 9:53 am

  I drive all over the South Western U.S. and bought an 04 last August. I liked it so much I bought another and gave the first to my son who was moving to NorCal. New smart key and rearview camera for backing are nice additions on 05.

• 

  I would buy this over and over - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Polo - July 3 - 3:50 am

  I looked at large suvs for over a year. Not for one second have I regretted purchasing my Armada. Its huge inside, the engine roars get out of my way, and the thing moves. If you know how to responsibly drive a large suv, youll love this truck. My friends are amazed at how this thing handles. And Im never short to offer rides. Lets face it, all large suvs have paltry gas mileage. But, you gotta pay to play. I absolutely love this truck.

• 

  Amazed - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By ambulatsolum - July 2 - 2:26 pm

  Set out to purchase a Tacoma, have owned them in the past. The Pro4x, though, blew me away. The interior of this vehicle is incredibly high quality and supremely comfortable. The paint is terrific, body panel gaps consistent. The ride on broken Northern pavement is great - no see-sawing - handles bad roads with aplomb. It is a blast to drive, handles well, easier to manage in tight confines that a full-size. Live in a rural area; has handled flooded roads and off-road conditions well. Burns regular grade fuel. Great truck!

• 

  So far so good - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By New Nissan Owner - July 2 - 3:10 am

  Well, I traded in my previous vehicle of 6 years, a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. Do I really need to say more here? Ive only owned the car less than a week but this car is terrific. Its exactly what I was looking for. I was between this and the Honda Fit. The view from the Fits drivers seat felt like you were too far back-it just felt uncomfortable. Anyway, going from a vehicle with a mpg rating of 15/11 to 33/27 is certainly going to have an impact on my trips to the gas pump (or lack there of), not to mention how much less it will cost me per fill up. Im very pleased with its roominess, and the 1.8L CVT engine has more pep than most people will think. Spend the extra $$ for the SL if you can!