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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  Best of both worlds - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Tim Collins - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Half Sports Car Half suv, best of both worlds. Love the aggressive body style and the 18 inch wheels. Utility.

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  A Farr Out Van! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By farroutt3fan - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought the S model with upgrade package and DVD. We absolutely love! We feel safer and more fashionable than we ever thought possible in a minivan. It is fun to drive, and the kids have never been so excited. It comes with more standard features than most entry level vans. Not many manufacturers are offering a DVD in the entry model, not to mention the multitude of other features the others only offer in high end models, or for more money. If you really want a great minivan that stands head and shoulders above the rest of the class, the Quest is the answer. Thanks Nissan!

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By MikeandAmanda - February 1 - 2:00 am

  We just purchased this "truck" for my wife and have absolutely no complaints. The Murano replaces a VW Jetta, so we love all of the space, but the Murano does not feel huge. It is larger than the small utes like the CRV that we looked into, but not as much as the Pilot or 4Runner. It fits us perfectly. The interior is awesome and the exterior gets looks from almost every passer-by. So far, we couldnt be happier.

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  I Love my Murano - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By jds - February 1 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Murano about 6 months. I love everything about it. It drives like a dream and has the creature comforts that I have become accustomed to. The acceleration and handling are wonderful and I can pile a ton of items in the trunk area. I really like the instrumenation layout and find it futuristic in design. It is somewhat novel looking but I enjoy being a little different. I really havent found anything I havent liked about it. I was originally looking at the Pathfinder, Highlander and Envoy and I test drove them all. After driving the Murano, I was sold.

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  best Z ever - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By jeffcjeffw - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Incredibly fun to drive. Power to spare. Complaints about poor rear view visibility are overstated... no worse that any other convertible. Smoothest shifting that Ive ever experienced and throaty, powerful acceleration.

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  THE ULTIMATE CAR - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By CAJJUN5 - February 1 - 2:00 am

  NOTHING BUT JOY AND MAXIMUME POWER. YOU GOT GET THIS CAR. THE BEST SPORTS AND LUXURAY COMBINED.

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  Good Car - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Happy Owner - February 1 - 1:36 am

  I bought this car when gas hit $4.00 a gallon. I only use it going to and from work, and its all highway. I average between 32-36 mpg. Depending if I hit traffic. My best was 40 mpg, I never got over 63 mph, and there was a tailwind. Now that gas is down it takes me $16.00 to fill up. The one flaw I can find is the cup holders, they are in horrible spots.

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  great for the $ - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Aaron - January 31 - 1:36 pm

  Bought this car for gas mileage, but was also impressed with performance from the little 1.8. Very reliable, only problem so far is the heater control lite. car is pretty comfortable for the size, the back seat is tight, but who cares I sit in the front.

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  PRO-4X is awesome - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By outdoorzman - January 31 - 9:44 am

  I picked the PRO-4X model and its awesome. Its rugged and capable without sacrificing practibility. The V6 is very strong and the ride is very smooth. It has lots of little cubby holes and nets for storage. I like the fabric of the interior as well as the material in the rear cargo area. It should be very easy to clean. The top rack is very nice and its also got a little storage area up there as well. The mileage isnt great and the back seats could be easier to get in and out of but its an off-road SUV and I really didnt expect it to be any different. I picked this vehicle over the FJ because it was more practical for my needs. Take a look and I promise you will like it.

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  Buyer Beware - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By 02 Nissan Altima - January 31 - 4:56 am

  Ever since i bought the car the clutch would stick down in the bottom but it never happened frequently enough for the problem to get resolved and they always claimed that there was nothing wrong with. At 114000 miles my engine started to knock and i later found out coolant was leaking into my engine through a bad head gasket. $3000 later a used engine was installed and now Im looking to repair a head gasket issue on this newly installed engine at 160000 miles. Never again will i purchase and Altima!!