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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  I Call Her Z! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Tammyz - May 15 - 10:00 am

  When I first took a test drive it was in a convertible and I knew at that moment I had to have one! When I finally got her, I was a bit uneasy about the gruff noise that was coming from the front tires when braking to a stop. Everything kept coming out okay. But low and behold, I received a recall letter regarding the proper alignment and tires, so after being replaced and the alignment done correctly, she is in beautiful working order! Nissan Corp. is great about standing behind their cars. I have always owned Nissans for this reason.

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  Great but... - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Bill Mac - May 15 - 8:56 am

  Fantastic truck. I have two complaints: 1) Fosgate stereo has great sound but unless you use the satelite hookup (very expensive) you have 2 AM radio bands and only 1 FM - no sense there. The other is the weight of the tailgate. If not fully latched and falls while driving it may bend the sheet metal in the lower corners of the tailgate - has happened to me twice. Needs to be lighter or have a counterweight to keep gate from "banging" down.

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  Happy Murano Owner - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Becky - May 15 - 5:56 am

  Love my new Murano! I got the S AWD with the convenience pkg. in glacier pearl. It is everything I had hoped for. Nice to drive and looks good on the road. Looked at the Toyota Rav4 and Chevy Equinox, the Murano out shines the others by far!

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  bullet proof tank - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By KORUM1 - May 15 - 5:46 am

  our 2005 Nissan pathfinder off road is so tough yet stylish i can pack the whole fam around in style

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  Great small SUV at 3500 miles!! VERY happy! - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By pjclark4 - May 14 - 7:13 pm

  The drive is terrific. Plenty of pick up. Not sure why anyone would need a V6. I mean, if you want to drive that fast, buy a sports car. The 4 cyl has more than enough to get us on the highway and for passing. At 6ft 2 and lanky as can be, I am extremely comfortable. Plenty of leg room in the front, although I cant speak for the back as Ive never sat in it. My 5ft 7in wife fits fine in the back behind me with two car seats though, so that says something. After 3500 miles, the MPG estimates appear dead on. We can get 30 going 55 in flatter areas, 23 around town (DC), and 27ish at my preferred 80mph on the high. Ill take that for an SUV filled to the brim most days.

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  My Fun Ride - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By traderguy17 - May 14 - 5:05 pm

  I tested the JUKE on Sunday 1/3/11 and loved the acceleration. I traded my 2009 Dodge Caliber which I had been trying to get more kick in acceleration. The JUKE convinced me to trade. I enjoy showing off for now and trying to slow down. It is difficult to do when you constantly see the others way in your back view mirror.

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  GREAT TRUCK - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By JW63 - May 14 - 5:00 pm

  After owning my desert runner s/c for almost 8 yrs I feel qualified to to write this review. The performance of this truck is always a kick. My friend at work has a hemi Dodge and he cant catch me! The interior looks great, and not out of date yet. The leather seats have held up remarkably well and are comfortable on short hauls or long trips. The back seat area was fine up until my daughter turned 7, then it got tight. I have read a few reviews saying they had problems with front end alignments and short tire life.. Mine has never been touched and I got 49,000 miles out of the original firestones. The fuel mileage is mediocre, but I would buy another in a heartbeat!

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  All Time FAvorite - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Stephen - May 14 - 1:36 am

  This has become my favorite car all time. Killer looks..a real head turner. Performance is awesome and it corners like its on a rail. The brakes stop on a dime, though they are very sensitive and demand a light foot in normal conditions. Raising/lowering the top is faster than my girlfriend takes to freshen her lipstick in the lighted mirror. And with the windscreen and low seating position she doesnt complain about the top down blowing her hair. I bought this for a fun 2nd car but its become the daily driver and my Saab 9-3 is the step child in the garage feeling no love unless I need to haul people or big stuff. Even the trunk is big enough for a medium sized rollaway bag.

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  One Mean Machine - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Altima Man - May 13 - 7:53 pm

  I do mostly in town and short highway drives with my Altima. It looks and drives just great.

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  Everything We Expected - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By obie1974 - May 13 - 6:04 pm

  We researched all crossover vehicles in our price range of $30K. Weve owned 6 Nissans in the past and own the 2010 Armada. For a small car, it performs well, has plenty of power for the size vehicle and can get up to highway speed without a problem. We read all the reviews, and most were on-target and we didnt find any surprises. We are used to the CVT transmission and the "drone" is not an issue. We do notice more road noise, but it isnt annoying. The Bose system, Nav and cameras are excellent. We added the home link mirror and a roof wind deflector which work great. We are getting 24 mpg at this time without a complete break-in. It is a fun car to drive, but most of all, comfortable.