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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  Sporty and Smooth - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Jeep11Girl - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I was in the market for a Tahoe. I noticed the Xterras popping up everywhere and they really caught my eye. I called my buddy at the dealership, kept one for a 4 day weekend and it just drew to me. I knew one was meant to be on my insurance ID card, and now it is. I still have my Jeep and this new Xterra SC. Thanks Mike at Mossy Nissan!

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  better than a volvo s80 - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By marc paul - December 13 - 10:00 am

  i used to rent a volvo 2000 s80, its 15000$ higher priced than the murano i rented next. the murano gave me a much better feel of the road, and has brakes control and stability control, which were not in the s80. plus for our canadian winter it is a 4wd. only a little less acceleration and a little more fuel conaommation. the volvo had good seats, so does the murano. all in all, for 15000$ (canadian) less it is a very good deal. thanks nissan

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  i Love my quest - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By hoopa - December 13 - 10:00 am

  this car is great. one of the best nissans ever and the best nissan quest by far. its superior design, comfort, and performance is like none other. compared to the sienna, it wins in every category except the windows in the sienna in the 2nd row go down some

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  Finally a minivan for ME! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By waydetheblade - December 13 - 10:00 am

  The fact that its a family car to go on vacations, a vehicle to drive to work and back, and to haul various kinds of gear is just too good to pass up. The dealership was willing to negotiate while Toyota wasnt and was too arrogant. It took several hours, but I was treated fairly. Thus far, the vehicle is running great. The minivan does set a bit low to the ground (hence the great, controlled steering) but it does have a tendency to scrape the ground on some driveways that have abrubt inclinations or declinations. For the EVERYTHING type if vehicle, I dont think theres a vehicle that beats it. (And you have three trims to choose from.)

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  Thank Heavens I didnt get an Odyssey - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Nole Mom - December 13 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Quest in August. It is October and we are already close to 5,000 miles. I insisted on buying an Odyssey until my husband told me to at least look at the Quest....well, I saw and then test drove both engines (SL and SE). No comparison!! Bought the SE. Only problem is if you want to add the DVD system after purchase it cant be done. Nissan is not even selling the system for alternate installation, so get it now!!

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  WOW says it all.. - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By JD and AD - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I just bought our new Altima today. As an ex auto sales rep (Infiniti), Nissan has created a car that rivals its luxury line. The power of the 4cyl. was impressive and the interior ride was smooth and above all...the road noise was inexistent.

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  AWSOME MAXIMA - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By SGTJAYBEE - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THE MAXIMA IT HAS ALOT OF SPEED AND A SMOOTH RIDE I HATE TO LEAVE IT I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT

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  Outstanding transportation - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Norman Prevatt - December 13 - 6:23 am

  This is my wifes car. We purchased it for our move to N.VA from TX, because we would be back in snowy country in winter. She loves this vehicle, and it performs best in her hands. Her last trip to GA produced 23 mpg, with the "service engine soon" light on. I expect to keep this vehicle for many years unless gas goes over $5/gal. It is highly dependable, and perfect for our travels. Many will complain about performance/comfort issues, but most of these are people who are ignorant of what this thing is. It is a TRUCK! It is supposed to be tough. Its supposed to be rugged. The commercial says it best, "Everything you need. Nothin you dont." Thank you.

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  Best Truck - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Gravestone - December 13 - 1:50 am

  I drive a lot and I do heavy towing with this truck. I just went up to Maine towing a 7X14 trailer with 5500 GVW and got 17 MPG. Thats what a good full size truck gets without towing a heavy trailer. The truck is very dependable great on and off road and very comfortable for a truck.

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  Great Car! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By SUV - December 12 - 8:36 pm

  The Murano steers with ease even with the 18" tires and glides along without any sense of shift change. The ride is smooth and comfortable. The only difficulty is with the front and rear vision because of the design of the windows front and back. Other than that I would buy this car over again.