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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  A little more power Please - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By 03 Altima - October 4 - 2:03 am

  I was cheap i baught the 2.3sl, but i still Love my car. It could use a little more power, I love the Bose stero, it rocks. Overall Great Car

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  Great Car - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Raf - October 4 - 12:33 am

  I finally decided on the Sentra SER because you get your moneys worth with this car. This car looks great, feels great, and is simply a joy to drive. My only problem was actually getting a SER with CVT. I had to go to 5 dealers to finally find one!

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  Great SUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Luis - October 3 - 8:23 pm

  Great looking vehicle with an engine that will make you proud! Getting roughly 19 MPG while driving in NYC. Highway mileage has peaked at roughly 22-23 MPG. Cant complain about those numbers when you get that the power you do.

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  I love this car - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By altimaguy - October 3 - 2:56 pm

  I narrowed my decision down to the 3.5 Altima vs. the 3.5 Accord. I drove both several times. While the Accord drove nice and had a little more back seat room, the Altima was a little zippier and had more fun technology for a little bit lower price.

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  Very impressed, Was strong GM person. - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Don - October 3 - 9:23 am

  Have driven this murano 102,000 miles, with (o) problems. Will be three years old in March. Changed oil and filter at 5000 miles, rotated tires every 10,000 miles plus visual checks such as cabin filters etc. Looking forward to a another 100,000 miles of care free ride. Suggestion: New Murano, smoother & quiter ride.

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  Nissan titan.. Almost a 10 - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By CHAD THEIMER - October 2 - 9:10 pm

  The truck is the best thing ever.. Gas mileage not so great. I do drive it hard so im only getting 11.5 To 15.0

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  BIG - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By mtoddc - October 2 - 6:26 am

  Picked up an 05 LE Crew 4x4 with nav, dvd, xm, sunroof, RockFos tunes, lots more. Unbelievable value, even fully loaded. Back seat roomier than my Sequoia 2nd row (trade in), best stereo around, drives like a car although definately a BIG TRUCK. Power keeps coming and coming, cant wait to tow the toys and see how it feels off road. Only minor gripe so far is although the Nav is great, it is not has intuitive or feature filled as my Acuras. Also poor gas mileage, but I knew that coming in. Test drive all the crew cabs first, and youll still drive away with the Titan. Even die hard Detroit fans will have to think twice this time around. Thank you Nissan!

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  Very happy with my purchase - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By RK2003 - September 30 - 10:00 am

  I test-drove virtually all SUVs in the Muranos price range and theur is literally nothing that comes close to its handling, performance and looks. Has many of the benefits of the SUV in a much more driveable package. And personally, I think that the styling is both radical and beautiful. Its one of the prettiest vehicles on the road today and makes every other SUV look like a big box on wheels. Only downside is the ride can be a bit harsh on bad roads. It transmits road problems much the way a sports car does. The Murano gets more than its share of complements from stragers

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  5000 Miles and very few problems - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Dot - September 30 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Murano in Jan of this year, and have really enjoyed driving it, not to mention all of the looks from others who are trying to figure out what it is... I keep discovering new things that didnt quite register with me when they went over it at sale time. The Murano has great pickup when accelerating, you dont feel the downshifts with the CVT, and for a family of four, it is quite comfortable. The appearance of the cargo area is deceiving, it is quite large but doesnt look like it until you open the rear hatch.

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  My Altima - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By dugouthud32 - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Everything I had hoped for & then some.