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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  I Love my truck - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By ilovemytruck - March 7 - 11:10 am

  I bought my 2002 Nissan Frontier KC with 35000 miles on it and i love it it could use a lower gear in the rear end and a better clutch but over all this truck is great! this is my first truck i couldnt have picked a better one, if you are looking for a ranger,forget about it, the nissan is the best way to go. it has japinese quality and reliabilty and a higher resale value also. this is just a great truck over all.

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  Love the car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Lidar - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 98 Altima GLE this May with 61K on it. For two months, there is nothing that bothers me. Its acceleration is awesome (much better and Accord LX). Driving through traffic is easy and fun. Great fuel economy and reliability. I strongly recommend this car

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  Almost Perfect - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kiyyap - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I have owned 4 pathfinders. A 1993,1997,2001, and now a 2002 LE 4WD, purchased in February. The 2002 is by far the best car I have ever owned. It has plenty of HP and speed. The engine is enjoyable after about 5K miles. Why? I dont know. My only complaint is that the rear seats are uncomfortable as is taking things in and out of the rear seating area (car seats).

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  Dont buy this car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By jfriar52 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Seats are uncomfortable to sit in for over ten minutes, poor paint quality cause more chips than I can count, poor quality glass scratches and chips easy, interior materials scratch easily, two recalls already and only had the car 6 months, service is terrible (takes twice as long to perform service as they say, no dealer will schedule recall service on weekend because they dont want to lose money (inconvenience for those who have jobs), engine is strong but at times the engine and transmission tend to buck, terrible aerodynamics(at highway speeds any wind gusts make the car lift and make it difficult to control) Save your money and buy something else.

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  Altima 4 cylinder - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By perry_1961 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive.Very peppy for a four cylinder.Still love looking at it. Averaged 30MPG on my last trip out of town,with a.c. running and cruise set at 85. My only regret is the cheap looking interior.

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  NEW OWNER - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By TIM - March 7 - 4:03 am

  bought the car last month. happy so far gas mpg is in 34-37 range per tank. transmission shifts are a bit jumpy from elect. to gas. hwy speeds the car tends to surge slightly. would buy the car again.

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  Fast in its class - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Chris - March 6 - 11:06 pm

  I purchased my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder 1/2005 just last week I noticed a rust at the back door panel which i called the dealership and scheduled for an appointment. They should make the cabin more quiter, everytime you step on the gas pedal you can hear the roar of the engine but overall i like it got lots of power .

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  Wow - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Harleyed - March 6 - 7:30 pm

  For a 4 cylinder it has punch. Rides great and has good soundproofing. Very little road noise.

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  Best Nissan ever - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By jason doyle - March 6 - 10:33 am

  The new Maxima is the best Nissan except perhaps the skyline (not available in the US yet) ever made. This car can fly. It is quick, agile, and smooth at the sametime. I have had mine for almost a month now and absolutely love it. I do however have some recommendations to Nissan. The interior display with the orange lighting for the digital readout needs to go, it looks cheap. The other thing is maybe having a paddle shifter and more available Nismo performance parts. All items are extremely minor. I looked at numerous models of cars before I bought this one. Hands down the most bang for the buck out there.

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  Amazing Car for this price range - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By allen729 - March 6 - 9:07 am

  My parents got the 2.5 SL fully loaded and it is an amazing car. I have an Infiniti G37 and i dont have few features that this Altima has. Like heated steering wheel, blind spot monitor, and lane departure warning. None of those options are available on my car nor the nissan maxima . And for a car that cost a little more than $10,000 less than an Infiniti thats amazing! The seats are so comfortable, honestly the only seats that i have sat on that were more comfortable was a Mercedes S550 which is more than $100,000. This cars little details really show what an amzing car it really. The lights underneath the car that light up at night, the remote start that is standard on the SV and SL.