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 real bargain - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By bodeets11 - July 26 - 2:00 am

  From the exhaust note, to the slick shifter this car has it all. (As long as you have just one kid).. Even the fuel mileage is impressive with an average of 22.3 mpg and I drive this car pretty hard.

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  love it - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By gb bubba - July 26 - 2:00 am

  love it fun to drive will keep for long time great value will be fun to watch how its rated in ten years classic????

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  My Black Max - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By rxman2002 - July 26 - 2:00 am

  I do not have extensive experience with this car yet as I just bought it a week ago, but I can tell you that so far my heart races when I look at and drive this sporty sedan. Inside and out it is loaded with great quality materials. My sister has an 03 and has been happy with it as well so that helped my decision. Im very impressed so far. I had considered a loaded Altima but for only a few thousand more I got a more upscaled vehicle with great style, not that the Altima doesnt deserve respect also. Its a beautiful vehicle as well. Im a single dad but I still like to hit the twisties every now and then. This car will do it. Grade A+

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  HONEY BEE - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Whitney Malone - July 25 - 1:15 pm

  I LOVE MY CAR!

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  2006 Nissan Titan - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Happy Owner - July 25 - 2:00 am

  Coming straight from an 01 F150 supercrew with the 5.4L Titan, there is no comparison! Hands down this truck is the pinnacle of power, acceleration and comfort. I quickly found that people who only get 12~16 mpg are heavy on the throttle! Its got power, but jumping into that power from a stand still is costly. Its fun to drive because of the power.. but if you use that power (all the time), youll pay for it at the pump. With normal driving, I can average 17~19.5 mpg. Hey..its a truck. If I wanted 30 mpg, I would have purchased a car. This truck is a solid performer and I love it.

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  VERY PLEASED with my Rogue! - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By js34111 - July 24 - 10:53 pm

  I decided to leave a review because I really rely on what others say when making purchases. So far, weve put around 400 miles on our Rogue SL AWD. Cant be happier with this purchase. I was originally considering either an Acura RDX or CRV and in fact I almost bought a new CRV until I read about the vibration issues people were experiencing on Edmunds consumer reviews. In short, we fell in love with the styling and modern technology built in this model. The safety features are great and the price felt very reasonable for the value of the car. The car may feel underpowered, but you get great MPG ratings in return. After driving it for a few weeks, Im content with the car.

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  Muuuurannoo - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Morgan - July 24 - 12:53 pm

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  Xterra to the max! - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Nestle - July 24 - 12:06 pm

  i have had the xterra for almost a week, this friday, and i have had no problems at all! the xterra is a solid suv. there is a substancial feeling to the controls, layout, quality and safety and standard features that the 4runner (2 seater sr-5) envies about. the engine is responsive and its 4.0L V6 power throughout the powerband and it has a nice exhaust note that you think it was a minature V8. it is comfortable and easy to manuever around town and it gets decent gas mileage for its size (filled it up only $31.00 that is amazing!). and the X rides well for its size, not bouncy or jarring, like the 2wd sr-5 4runner 2 seater, and it is a sporty and fun suv to drive. great job nissan!

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  My ratings - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By goo - July 24 - 10:00 am

  fun car to drive i love it

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  Smooth, quiet ride - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By reedy06 - July 24 - 4:24 am

  Searched for a roomy family sedan with power, good fuel economy, comfort, latest technology all while having a smooth and quiet ride. After online research, we test drove the Volvo S60 T5, Hyundai Sonata LTD, Buick Regal CXL, Acura TSX w/NAV, and the Toyota Camry XLE. Given our strict criteria, the Altima SR V6 beat the competition. The CVT engine is something that you need to drive to experience. This car is by far the quietest ride in the backseat than any of the others we drove. After 1,000 miles, we are getting 25 mpg in combined highway and local driving. The bluetooth handsfree system and iPod connectivity was the best we found amongst the cars we tested.