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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  Excellent Car - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Westies96 - December 3 - 4:46 pm

  I have had many Honda Accords and a few Camrys. I traded my 2007 Accord EXL with navigation for my 2007 Altima 2.5SL and dont regret it. I never had a Nissan before, but was persuaded by a friend of mine who has had 3 Maximas with no problems. I have had the car for about a month now and have about 3200 miles on it. My gas mileage is great with a combination city/highway of 26.8 miles per gallon. My only issue was that the car drifts on the highway. I had the dealer look at it and they said that everything was okay. I asked if it could be the tires (Continental tires were installed at the factory). I replaced them with Michelin tires. I havent had an issue since then.

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  Buy One, You Will Love It! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By E. Hughes - December 3 - 4:00 am

  I have had my 05 Altima for a couple of months now, and I love it. It handles great, rides comfortably, gets excellent gas mileage, and has a great new body style. If you are trying to decide between similar cars, choose an Altima, I promise you will love it.

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  Super Max - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Bob Testa - December 3 - 3:43 am

  Great car much better than my 300M, fun to drive great to look at. Recommend it highly

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  Forget the others, buy the Armada! - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By Spence - December 2 - 3:36 pm

  After going back and forth between the Armada and the new Tahoe we finally decided on the Armada. No regrets at all. Tons of power to tow a 6500 lb boat. Im 65" tall; the Armada was way more roomy for me and for the rest of the family. My wife and I really liked the standard features (too many to list) over the competition. Best bang for the buck. Way to go Nissan!

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  Classy and Elegant, Great Gas Car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Mary D - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I had a Nissan Xterra and loved it. However the gas mileage was not what I expected. Having to fill up every week for gas. So I traded it for a new 2005 Altima. What a classy, elegant car that is like driving a cloud. Smooth ride, great interior. Roomy with lots of head and leg room for all. A tank of gas now lasts me 2 weeks instead of one. I have gotten so many compliments on this car. (Mystic Emerald color) Have been a Ford driver, but am now a SOLD Nissan fan.

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  Nissan Sentra - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By rleight422 - December 2 - 10:00 am

  An excellent car that drives smoothly. The exterior design could use a little work, especially in the front grill.

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  Great Car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Taylor Walker - December 2 - 10:00 am

  It is an overall great car. Its fun to drive also.

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  The car for me. Big Bang for the Buck - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Richie_1956 - December 2 - 10:00 am

  Good Morning to All, My wife and I was looking for a car we both could have fun with. She was looking for style and ease of driving, and I was looking for performance. With this car, we found both. Im 62" and 240 pounds and I fit well, and she is 52" 105 pounds and she can adjust the everything to fit her needs. This car is a true winner. After driving the SLK series (the worst), the Audi TT Roadster (ho-hum), and a Corvette Roadster (not bad for a second choice but got pricy with options), and the 350ZR (the winner)!!! This was what we were looking for. Good fit and finish, handling, eye appeal and fit our budget.

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  I love this car........................ - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By the best...by david - December 2 - 8:46 am

  I had Dodge Caravan for past 3 years and i had the worst experience. Anyway, we decided to trade in for a Japanese car. After going through the list, we decided to buy Nissan Murano. I had a car for a week and i could only say how much i love the car. First of all i give a lot of credit to the Nissan because I think they really done their homework well. From exterior to interior i could only be amazed by what they have done... Best of all i only bought Murano S AWD which is the base model and this was enough to turn my and others head. I could only imagine what its like to have the upper model......

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  Sweet Ride - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By WB - December 2 - 6:00 am

  Just bought the 3.5 last week. Love it! Fast and great handling. Turns heads and is a blast to drive. Forget the 4 cylinder, even though the power is adequate. 250 HP is no joke- test drive and see. Great leases also being offered at this time. Hard to pass on.