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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  WOW!!! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By hmberanek - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought it yesterday, an SE with 6-speed manual trans and NO OPTIONS. You really dont need to option these up, because they have so much standard equipment. The dealer was anxious to get rid of it because it was a manual with no options, so I got it for $1,700 under list. The car itself is so awesome I cant even put it into words.

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  Great styling, surprising power...WOW! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Roy Wasson - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I am very pleased with my 2004 Nissan Maxima. I got the buckets seats in the back option and the GPS. Great power, smooth handling...just a superbly made vehicle. Step up to a MAXIMA!!

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  LOVING my first SUV - 2012 Nissan Murano
  By jshankman - June 2 - 1:28 am

  As my kids got bigger I knew my 8 year-old 2-door Solara convertible needed to be replaced. I was looking at the Toyota Venza and Nissan Murano and felt on the major specs, they were very similar. The Muranos luxurious interior was what sealed the deal for me. I got the LE with the Platinum package and while its not as fun to drive as a 2-door sports car, it does just fine on highways and locally in terms of acceleration, cruising, and stopping. It feels SOLID with no shake as trucks whoosh by me. The kids LOVE all the room and the well placed rear vents. Husband loves the toys!

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  26K Miles, Not 1 Problem - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By lionnation - June 1 - 8:15 pm

  Purchased a silver/black 2009 NAH loaded w/every option Dec 09; sticker was just under $35K. After dealer, manufacturer, and tax breaks, paid about $26.5K! The car is solid, comfortable, supportive for a 62", 200-lb frame driver. I still cant believe the great acceleration. And the gas mileage is getting better. Just got back from a trip which is optimal for maximizing gas mileage, averaging 55 MPH, got 44.5 MPG on 108 mile trip! The NAV is good, but not great. The BOSE sound system is very good. I had an 06 Civic Hybrid, which I liked but it was too hard on my back (old lumbar injury), so upgraded to this heavier hybrid, and sometimes I feel like its a Cadillac in terms of ride quality.

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  Pleased as can be - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Pleased as can be. - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I got this car right before I left for college, brand new. It has been absolutely wonderful. I have had to take it in a couple times for minor, car particular problems (ie cruise control cover came off, drivers side window started acting crazy). I think its a nice looking car and heads above the competition. We looked at Corollas as well and they arent near the car the Sentra is. I love the interior; I think it doesnt look like the inside of a base, economical compact car.

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  01 Nissan Frontier - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By tdd - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Loved this truck from the day I first saw it! I drove a Toyota to compare, but there really was no comparison. The Nissan handled and rode considerably better and feels better made. The Toyota had a more performance-oriented engine, but the Nissan is more of a workhorse. My truck has almost every feature available for the XE (including V6), and it was thousands cheaper than a comparable Tacoma.

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  Yummie + more.... - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By FriarTuck - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Nice power machine for a price. Recommended to any one whos looking for fun drive for under 20K. Needs restyling of the rear lights. A bit ugly. Overall very fun car to drive. Needs bigger gas tank thou.

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  Excellent - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By niss - June 1 - 10:00 am

  its excellent. The best hassle free vehicle you can find on road.

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  Nice car for the money - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By 88vette - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Have only had the car about a month at this point but am very pleased with our purchase. We were ready to buy a Passat but found this car actually had more room and was several thousands less than the VW.

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  Frustrated with our new Pathfinder Platinum - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By happygma - June 1 - 7:27 am

  We were so excited to finally purchase our new Pathfinder. Three days later it started sputtering. We took it in to the dealer and they said it was the tourque converter, it took 2 weeks to get the part in. When we got it back it was still doing the same thing. We took it back in and they said it was the transmission. They replaced the transmission with a "re-manufactured" part. The dealership has been fantastic, but trying to get through to the executive Nissan office has been a nightmare. We are really afraid of what is to come.