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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  Not what I thought it should be - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By Minivan Mom - July 31 - 3:26 am

  We bought our Quest for the room and outside design. The room is great and we enjoy all the bells and whistles, such as the DVD and radio, cd changer. We are not very happy with quality of the van. We have had the weather stripping replaced 2 times, the gas gauge shows empty sometimes after filling up, I actually was so embarrassed at the gas station when I went in to tell them that the pump must be broken, because there was no gas in my car, but the pump charged me. Come to find out it was the defect in the car that made it not register. It has done this several times since. We are now having problems with it spark knocking and losing power like it is running out of gas.

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  You get your Bang for the Buck - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Eric Hershberger - July 30 - 7:00 pm

  I recently traded in my 2003 Altima for a 2005 Maxima. Im very pleased with almost every feature of this fine- tuned machine. The Handling, acceleration, and suspension are all superb. Its a beautiful vehicle, thats really in its own class. The higher up Accords and Camrys cant compete with its style and performance and the BMW 3 series and Acura TLs cant compete with its price. After having this car for almost a week now, Im positive I made the right decision.

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  Best Nissan yet, or 4 for 4 - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Jim Milner - July 30 - 6:29 pm

  My 4th Nissan and 2nd Rogue. I thought my 2012 was great (SV with SL package) and it was, until I checked out the 2016. Its bigger, better equipped and more pleasant driving. It rides better than my sisters Lexus. Some reviews mention noise as a factor, but I find it to be the quietest car Ive ever owned. While a V6 might be nice, theres plenty of juice in the 4 cylinder plus decent mileage. While its still brand new, I expect great reliability like its predecessor. If not, my dealer has a great service department that has always come through for me.

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  best truck i ever had - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By nissan1 - July 30 - 1:13 pm

  reliable,sturdy and powerful. I put alot of miles on this truck during the first six months and it just keeps running smoother.

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  Burning oil after 96K - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Tina Delgado - July 30 - 12:46 pm

  After religious oil changes, my beloved Murano has begun to burn oil, 7qts per 3000 miles. Needs new engine, it seems. Very disappointed in the longevity of this car. Would not buy another.

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  Fun Little Car - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Jerry - July 30 - 12:13 pm

  This car is great. She felt sluggish at first, but after the break-in period (1200 miles) the car becomes much more spirited and fuel efficient. I bought the Special Edition package for an extra grand, and it is well worth it. As far as styling, the car looks more mature, less feminine, and sleeker with this package. Inside, you will be amazed how wonderful your CDs and MP3s play on the 300W Rockfordfosgate nine speaker stereo (there is an auxillary input jack on the head unit for your MP3 player). Even at the most extreme volumes, there is no distortion, and the subwoofer is not overpowering unless you decide to make it so. The steering wheel feels very nice to the touch at all speeds

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  My 2012 Versa Sedan - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By volusia58 - July 30 - 6:05 am

  I love this little cute car. Very roomy and fun to drive. We bought the Versa SV and it is nicely equiped, I only wish that the SV had the 60/40 split folding back seat. Very practical to own and operate.

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  awesome ride - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By felicia maroncelli - July 30 - 1:50 am

  i bought this brand new this month. I am still waiting for the car to break in- it has not yet reached the 20/25 gas mileage on the sticker. It is currently getting 17.7 mpg. Aside from that , I love this vehicle.

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  Bad Stereo - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By smoeller - July 29 - 5:54 pm

  I love my new Nissan Sentra special edition. I bought this over the Altima because of the navigation.. Bad mistake, the stereo sucks and NEVER get reception. I cant depend on the FM to receive any service if I am 10 minutes out of the City. I am now looking at replacing it and it is going to cost me 1500.00 to get a stereo with navigation. Wish I would have bought the Chrysler 200 with streaming video and a great sound system.

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  HORRiBLE - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By MAD - July 29 - 3:30 pm

  Car was purchased June 20,2009.52,000 miles. Good deal? wrong! First week: check engine light came on. They replaced my gas cap, sent me on my way. Light came back on! Charged $190.00 because evap system needed fixed. Light came back on! Replaced my gas cap again! Light stayed off.. I got screwed because they replaced something that wasnt broken. Now its August 24,2009. My cd player is dying.. Cds go in very slow and say error and come back out.. That will soon need replaced. It barely starts. Power steering fluid leaks. Car screammmms everytime I start it.