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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  More Smash for your Cash! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By holeshot - May 19 - 2:00 am

  This is my first six speed, it took a minute to get used to it...but now i dont ever want to go back to a five speed..i love banging all those gears! My first test drive of this vehicle convinced me to buy one...I raced a 2000 civic Si on the freeway and blew its doors off!

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  2002 Nissan Frontier - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By umco20 - May 19 - 2:00 am

  Good truck, nice interior, comfortable. Poor power, not really fun to drive.

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  wish i got 4 wheel drive - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By cool SUV - May 19 - 2:00 am

  cool, except hasnt stopped snowing since i bought it.

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  Near Perfection - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By rbindy - May 19 - 2:00 am

  Nissan has really outdone them selves with this one! Excellent build quality and attention to details. The outside design is just a work of art - really draws attention where ever you go. All the options one could ever want in a luxury SUV. The 3.5L 245hp engine teamed with the CVT transmission has got to be one of the smoothest out there - just seamless power! The 18" wheels, xenon headlights, navigation system, Bose stereo system, adjustable pedals, heated seats, etc, etc, just add to the pleasure of driving this beautiful vehicle. I think the Murano deserves to be in a class by its self!

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  Spacious and Comfortable Car with Power - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Paula - May 18 - 2:33 am

  Ive owned my 2005 Altima less than a week, though I had a 2005 rental before this, and that is what inspired me to buy one. I call it a poor mans luxury car - it is very roomy and comfortable to ride in. Everything is laid out clearly and well; all the controls are intuitive. The leg room is ample for a driver of any height. The trunk is cavernous and the rear seats fold forward for extra hauling room. The brakes, acceleration, everything is smooth, responsive and quick. My only complaint - it is not available in very exciting colors, except the expensive sport model red. I have the pearlescent coral sand - which looks different in varying light. I am having a spoiler added.

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  Titan Family, truck replaces minivan - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Sunne - May 18 - 2:16 am

  Fun to drive, plenty of power and manueverabilty. Good backseat room, split front power bench makes 6 passengers possible. Rattle in front wheel plastic panels next to engine. Big power window in rear allows for passthrough easily. The rear warning system is a big help with backing up and hooking up trailers. This feature has prevented many potential collisions.

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  Long-time Datsun/Nissan owner - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By Bill in PA - May 18 - 1:53 am

  I bought this Sentra new in 1998 and now have 75,000 miles on it. In the seven years I have had it, it has been extremely reliable. It is good basic transportation, and gets excellent mileage. It has cost very little to maintain. I chose it over the Toyota Corolla because it was $2000 cheaper due to a rebate that Nissan had at the time. Over the years, I have had six Datsun/Nissan cars; a 1972 510 wagon, a 1979 210, a 1981 510 wagon, a 1986 Sentra, and a 1991 King Cab pickup. All went to over 100,000 miles. The older ones ran forever, but rusted beyond repair after around 100,000 miles. Japanese manufacturers seem to have solved this problem; I see very few rustmobiles" anymore.

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  First new car - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By chip - May 17 - 8:03 pm

  The car corners pretty smooth. Among the same sized cars (civic, corolla), I think this is the best buy. The intelligent key system is so smart. Interior and trunk is roomy. CVT feels great, no more jerks during acceleration. Right now it is showing 700 miles, averaging only 21.6 mpg in my little town (lots of stop and go downtown area.) and 34 mpg on the highway. Not too bad.

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  Very Dissapointed - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Corey - May 17 - 5:06 pm

  I never thought I would write a bad review for a Maxima. I bought this car as a certified used car with 60k and 2 years old. As soon as the warranty ran out the lights on the Bose stereo as well as the component lights went out. The passenger window will not roll up. The leather is tearing in the front seats. The steering makes a turkey noise. The front and rear brakes and shocks went out at the same time but probably was due for service. Great engine I have had no problems with it. The power is great as long as you dont have 4 people in there. This is my 3rd maxima and the others lasted to 200k miles, this one will not.

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  Gotta Love That Nissan - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By lovemynissan - May 17 - 2:40 pm

  I bought my Maxima after months of research. This would be my 3rd Nissan, 2nd Maxima and I havent been disappointed yet. Kudos to the design team for producing yet another eye- catching slick machine. The CVT is smooth and pretty responsive although a manual tranny option would be nice. The ergonomics are great as is the feel of the car on the road. Ive read many reviews about the cabin noise, and the factory tires are the culprit. I replaced the Continentals with a set of Sumitomos and cabin noise/road noise is greatly reduced. The funky orange temp/radio display whites out in direct sunlight. I purchased the car new and 56k mi later, no major mechanical issues.