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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  Great Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Kelly - November 10 - 9:40 am

  I love my Altima and would encourage anyone to buy one too. It is sporty, comfortable and has great highway gas milage (for a non-hybrid car). I was also considering the Toyota Camry, but felt the Altima was the better choice for a person in their late twenties.

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  Stylish, economical pickup - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By usaf52 - November 9 - 10:43 pm

  Initially bought the truck because I liked the styling & it received excellent reviews from auto critics. Have not had one complaint or any trouble in 13K of driving.

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  95 Nissan Maxima GLE - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By 95 Nissan Maxima - November 9 - 9:20 pm

  Great Car...Very Reliable...Still running strong at 240,000 miles, hoping it will reach 300,000 miles. Never done any major repair accept preventive maintenance.

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  Wow, where did this come from? - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Seth - November 9 - 3:30 pm

  Honestly, I never considered this car until my wife and I actually went shopping for a small SUV. We drove the CRV and just did not like that car, and I love Honda. It wasnt comfortable, and the design (both int and ext) was unappealing to us. Hence, we went to the Nissan dealer to just see what they had, actually to look at a pathfinder. We saw the Rogue sitting there on the lot and we were both intrigued. We talked to the salesman, and decided to go for a test drive. The drive was beautiful. So smooth, quiet, and comfortable. The interior is so well designed. The Bose sound system is wonderful. This SUV walks circles around each and every SUV on the market in my opinion. Nissan is now #1

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  Wicked Awesome - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jonny D. - November 9 - 3:20 pm

  Wow. Thats all I can say. I just purchased this truck, used, from a private seller and I have been in love ever since. The interior is plush, but not gaudy; it is simple, easy on the eyes and consistent with the trucks exterior look. Leather seats are very comfortable. The exterior possesses all the characterisitcs commonly sought after by the superficial man -- it looks very cool. But the best part about the truck, and the reason why I would buy it again even if it didnt have all this other stuff, is that it is so much fun to drive. It feels like you are coasting on air; the engine is strong and quick. It accelerates quickly and brakes the same. It is a blast.

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  370Z Roadster 7 Speed Auto - 2010 Nissan 370Z
  By Pinky - November 9 - 4:36 am

  I traded my 06 350z roadster on this 10 370z roadster. I loved the 350. But this 370 is fabulous. Taking all the other reviews into account, throwing out the 6,3" guy who is not happy w/ the room, not a surprise, I agree w/ all the good words. My wife and I love the car! The only complaint is the way too quiet and innocuous exhaust note. The same was said wrt the 350. Didnt the designers read any reviews at all? Not smart. As for road noise, I dont find it all that bad even w/ the 19" wheels etc. Of course mine is the convertible, not the coupe which I can understand would be a lot noisier for sure.

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  Pathfinder on the Mountain - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dustin - November 9 - 12:33 am

  This car is great! There are very few things I dislike about it. It is not the most economical car to drive up and down a mountain everyday, but it definately has the comfort and style I was looking for and it is extremely spacious... what you get for the price you pay is great! Buy a Pathfinder, youll enjoy it just as much as I.

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  A lot for the money - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By daveh - November 9 - 12:06 am

  I love my 350Z! Its fast. It handles. Its reliable. Its an excellent value. Its great looking in and out. Its a real drivers car.

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  Very impressed-SMOOTH - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By jasonbum - November 8 - 2:44 pm

  I am very impressed. This is my first Nissan and have owned many cars including BMW, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Lexus and most recently Mini. I would most closely relate this 2013 Altima with Lexus. It is the 2.5 s but if I didnt know it was a 4 cylinder, I would sweat that it was a 6. The transmission (CVT) acts seemlessly with the engine and feels like one unit. After hearing many negative reports about Nissans first CVTs, I was a little worried. This is an improved version of the CVT . Power is available at any speed without the typical transmission that needs to hunt for the right gear. Bluetooth is standard. What I can really say about this car is that it is incredibly SMOOTH.

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  Fun to drive SUV - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By zgxl04 - November 8 - 5:40 am

  My friend was interested in the Honda CRV but I convinced him to test drive the Rogue because I have been driving the same Nissan SUV for many years. I also drove the Rogue and I was impressed with how quiet it was even at 80 mph. We test drove the CRV and the interior was noisy when driving 60 mph and the styling was not as slick as the Rogue. Although he was the one looking for a car we ended up each buying one! We bought the S model but upgraded to leather seats and they look very nice.