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:

• 

  Great car! - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By lissical - March 11 - 2:09 am

  I just recently purchased the 2012 Nissan Sentra SR Special Edition and I love it! It is so quiet and the gas mileage is incredible. Plus, for a small car it is actually pretty roomy. I was very impressed with the price, especially since this package comes with bluetooth phone, GPS navigation, moonroof and XM radio (only for 3 months...then you can either subscribe or cancel). I must admit that I had to get used to the CVT since my previous cars did not have that. But all in all, this is a great car!

• 

  A 60k car for 40k - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Matty M - March 10 - 6:29 am

  Im a 29 y/o male roughly 63" and 275 pounds. I was driving a Infiniti 35 before this car. I was looking for something a little bit more roomy, sporty looking and capable of holding my friends of similar stature. I saw the Murano and immediately loved the look of it. I know its a bold design but its flawless in my eyes. Its sporty, the interior is great (I have the arctic blue exterior with black leather interior) and I LOVE IT! I would caution anyone with kids not to get the S or SV as its cloth and dont get the cashmere because it is too light in color. I couldnt believe for the price I am paying the quality of the vehicle that Im driving. I believe that the car is comparable to a Infiniti Q70 which I was looking into but was way too expensive for me. It has a lot of the same qualities just not the big budget name. The car handles smoothly at all speeds (Ive gone 75 in it so far). Fuel efficeny has got me going 450 miles per tank. The viewing angles are great and the blind spot monitoring, 360 degree cameras, are very helpful as well. I believe that I am riding in style with this SUV with a lot of curb appeal. The cons of the SUV are few and far between but the USBS arent fast charging so that is unfortunate. The Nissan Connect doesnt allow any other apps except for Google Search so no Pandora, no I <3 Radio or others. (I hope they release an update for this). Also I dont like that I have to hit the lock button before the auto start on my remote. (I wake up at 4:30am for work and hate that it beeps and may wake the neighbors. (Again a small flaw but Im considerate). Again the car is fantastic and Im very happy with it. There are multiple tools to learn about the SUV. Overall Id give it a 4.7-4.8 rating out of 5. I hope if your serious that this review is worth your while. The pros definitly outway the cons.

• 

  New car experience - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By JMart - March 9 - 3:00 am

  White W/SL Package minus navigation... Initially worried about getting a four cylinder to commute across a small mountain everyday on the way to work. Those fears have been put to rest and the cvt helps slow the car when going downhill. Very smooth ride and currently averaging 27 mpg.

• 

  So Happy with this 2014 Nissan Rogue SV - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By jlbwhite - March 8 - 10:41 pm

  I researched which car to buy for months and when I saw the re-design of the Nissan Rogue, I knew they got it right. Went and test drove the Cr-V, the Insight, and then the Rogue. The SV had cloth seats, which I prefer, but I could get a panoramic sunroof and the back-up camera with this model. That was all I needed. The car is super sharp in black, its just a pleasure to own, its so well made. I highly recommend this car. I think that for future models, they will give the engine a bit more juice - it could be peppier. But I dont care as much about that, and its plenty responsive for me. I feel so pampered in this car -- highly recommend.

• 

  I love my 2002 Maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By MaxLover - March 8 - 3:06 pm

  I got my Maxima over a year ago... it was roughed up by some college kid who could not afford payments. Yes it has some dents, dings and rust. It also does not have the best fuel economy but it is a fun to drive car that has a huge engine (3.5) to other comparable cars in its class... It has 255 horsepower with 246 ft-lbs torque... i had w rated tires on there... and my car ran like a new car. the engine is very strong and reliable... everything in my car is running strong... and im glad i bought this car

• 

  So much fun - 2013 Nissan Juke
  By cherokeegirl71 - March 8 - 10:37 am

  I have liked the look of the Juke since I first saw it in 2011. Have had mine now for almost 2 months. I average 29.2 mpg in economy mode, which blows my jeep out the water. Sport mode is addictive. The ride is comfortable, I love all the bells and whistles. It handles well, responds to steering and foot pedals quickly. It is fun to drive, the reaction of a sports car with the safety of an SUV. There is not a lot of cargo room, but enough for a trip to the grocery store. Drop the seats down and lots of room.

• 

  Great Car - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Tallguy - March 8 - 8:00 am

  I bought this car used with about 20,000 miles on it. I replaced the hubcaps with wheels to get rid of the rattle. This car still has the original rear brakes good for about another 20,000 miles. Im 66" tall and I fit fine. I have driven this car from coast to coast including 2 trips up Pikes Peak. I love this car!!

• 

  3.5 SE nav, leather etc.... - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Edgardo Garcia - March 8 - 5:06 am

  This is my second Altima, I had a 03 before, I used to be a honda man, but when the new 02 model come out it sold me, you get a lot more for your money, with the same reliability of honda and toyota. Test drove the new 07 and I was sold again this time we went for the 3.5 engine with the SE package and cvt tranny, theres a lot of options on this altima that you find on the higher end brans like infinity, Acura, Bmw etc. It just a great car to drive and to look. This is going to be the first car that I could love to write a check for each month.

• 

  2003 Nissan 350Z - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By an1ny - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I love my Red 350Z. An affordable car that looks,feels,and drives like a sports car.

• 

  best full size suv i have drove - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By bre - March 8 - 2:00 am

  the pathfinder armada is wonderful you have a lot of space because the seats fold completly in the floor and my kids love the dvd and the power lift gate is great. also with its 305 horsepower gives it a lot of power and it has a smooth drive i just love it.