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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  Super car! - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By silver-cinema - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Great car with a lot of guts! Beautifully designed interior and a very stylish exterior. I made the perfect choice!

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  Altima 04 by RW - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By realtyw - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Experienced water leak soaked rear carpet on passenger side rear floor. In for repair 4 times before problem corrected.

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  its nice for a 4 door.. - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Kristin Nelson - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my first 4 door car, and so far i have no complaints, its fast and peppy, lots of room. great gas milage.

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  Better than average but not great - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Motorguy - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I used to drive a more powerful midsize Honda Accord sedan, so comparing that with the Nissan Sentra 1.8s may be "comparing apples to oranges." But I like the Sentras classy exterior design and comfy seats. And the interior storage spaces like the roof-mounted sunglasses holder and built-in dashboard storage are great touches. Its a good value for the money...but if you can afford a better trim, something larger, or a car with more "oomph" underneath the hood, you maybe should look elsewhere....

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  Average Small Car, but reliable - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By mags - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car new, so far im pleased. Havent had any problems with it unlike my previous 2 cars. Powerful lil car for a V4. The 180watt sound system is amazing. For a small car though, it really eats up gas. For an automatic u can really tell when it is switching gears cause u feel it big time. Itll shake or jerk itself which is a real annoyance. Overall though, its a reliable little car. Needs some improvements though.

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  Just my opinion - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By sewnqlt - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This is our 4th Quest and it is the best weve had. I thought I was stepping into a space ship with all the awesome controls right at my fingertips. We have two children and the captains seats are wonderful to keep them separated! We did invest in the leather seat package and have no regrets. The Bose sound system is also quite amazing and makes driving long distances a joy.

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  2004 Nissan,quickest Mini Van - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Kathleen Mcintyre - June 2 - 2:00 am

  A fun and fast Mini van that handle like a sports car...Had a Toyota Sienna before, this Van is much more fun to drive....

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  Highly recommend buying a Quest!! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Quest Owner - June 2 - 2:00 am

  We owned a 1994 Quest and absolutely loved it. Never had any problems with it,never needed any major repairs.Now we also love our 2004 Quest. They totally changed the look of it which makes it very stylish and fun to drive.There is also alot of room inside and we love the center console!!

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  Awsome - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By pevo2 - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a great van. Looked at T&C and Honda. They could not compair. There is so much more room in the Quest. The power of this van is awsome. Puts the others to shame. Its got the get up and go that you need. If you are looking for a van or larger SUV give the Quest a look. With its interior room, neat gauges and cool style I think you wont be disappointed if you gave it a test drive.

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  Our Mini-Van - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Hargett Family - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Had an adjustment issue with rear window and problem with drivers side sliding door. Other than that Ive enjoy driving this van. Hardly miss my SUV, especially at car-pool.