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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  great car! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By niles - June 27 - 11:30 am

  this car has been awesome. i have not had any problems with it in 2 years. i still love it as much as i did when i drove it off the lot.

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  Almost perfect SUV - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By David - June 26 - 11:05 pm

  I have the 2017 Rogue SL package. Great car in every aspect except the "premium" sound system. I had the 2015 SV version with the regular sound system and it was actually a little better. I have one malfunctioning speaker in the rear left door that needs replacement. Super comfortable to drive and so far, it handles rally well on snowy/icy pavement with my Goodyear WeatheReady tires.

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  Great van but consider the cargo space. - 2014 Nissan Quest
  By flyingdutch1 - June 26 - 5:55 pm

  Coming from a Chrysler T&C (terrible quality!) I also looked at the similar priced models of Honda, Toyota and Kia. I picked a Nissan Quest SV because of the interior styling and best drive. The Quest drives very smoothly with a very peppy engine when you need it. Just came back from an Ohio-Florida-Ohio trip with 3 adults and 3 children on board and the van was perfect. The only "gotcha" is the cargo space. Most other vans have a system where the back seat folds into the trunk but the Quests seats all folds forward creating a somewhat flat loading floor but you lose significant space in height. The Quest has a deep compartment but not very wide so packing was a challenge.

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  NISSAN FRONTIER NISMO - BY ALS - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Nissan Frontier - June 26 - 4:56 pm

  Based upon independent research and test driving all the trucks that are in the price and mid-size range, I feel that Nissan stands slightly above the Toyota Tocoma in performance and off road abilities. Nissan needs to continue their efforts to improve their weight to horsepower performance ratio. Toyota is a fierce competitor with an enormous funding base. If Nissan develops an engine for their Frontier that puts out 300 horsepower (stock) I Would buy it tomorrow.

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  Very Good Truck - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Brandon - June 26 - 10:23 am

  This has been the best truck I have ever owned (out of 2 Chevy, 1 Ford, 1 Dodge).

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  Outstanding - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Driver987 - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Best car for the cash. Ive had no problems, and after 3 years still enjoy driving it. Id buy another in a heartbeat.

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  Lots ofun - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By poogman - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Got my Spec V 10 days ago and am very happy with it so far. Still in break- in period so I havent been on the gas too much, but even still its strong up to the 4k rpm break-in limit. The best part is the shortage of them on the roads. Theres millions of Civics out there, and its a nice car, but not many SE-Rs. From what I hear, the Matrix/Vibe needs to hit 6k rpm before the alternate valve timing kicks in. Glad thats not the case on the SE-R. A Sentra is a compact car, so dont expect to comfortably fit a family of four in it, but for a daily single/double occupant driving, its hard to top.

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  Sports Car and SUV in one sweet package - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Ohem - June 26 - 10:00 am

  I "buy and hold" cars for years. Thus I usually buy something that appeals to me visibly and I expect to be reliable. As for looks - there is nothing else out there like the Murano, including the RX 330 I test drove. The RX 330 was more "plush" on the inside, but the Murano is very nice on the inside too (love the leather seats). What it came down to is two things - (1) style appeal and (2) value. As for the value, the Murano offers practically everything the RX 330 offers, but at $1000s less. Ive heard Lexus does not "deal" very much below MSRP. I have enjoyed driving the Murano for the last 3 weeks.

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  Sporty hauler - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By tonygeno - June 26 - 10:00 am

  The choice was between the Highlander, the 4Runner (I know, a very different beast), and the Murano. I liked the styling of the Murano, the interior space, but most of all the way it drives. The CVT transmission is very smooth, and gets this beast going very quickly. I have found the interior to be rattle free (and I got the SE with the tight suspension). I love the way you can flick the transmission into S from D and enjoy some engine braking while moving quickly down a windy road. FUN!

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  Nissan Altima 2003 - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By namooney - June 26 - 10:00 am

  I have gone 6,000 miles and love it as much as the day I got it. It drives smooth, good acceleration, and good braking. Had no problems in the winter and no problems in the rain. I cant imagine having any other car right now. The interior is not as bad as people say. Yea it looks a little cheap, but so did every other car I test drove before I bought the Altima.