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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  Fun, fast and cool - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By Mike - December 17 - 2:00 am

  I had been waiting for this a couple months, the design was what caught my eye and the turbo sold me. Once I took the test drive, it was a matter of Stick or Auto. Went with the White SL FWD Manual. But wouldnt fault those with auto. I love every aspect of this car from the ride height, sporty feels, design, and fun factor. The looks from other drivers is fun. caught a police officer rubber necking as I drove by him. People ask me with a smile what it is or if that is the Juke from Nissan.

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  Love this little thing! - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By Benita Calloway - December 17 - 2:00 am

  I am absolutely in LOVE with this car! Unlike most reviews Ive read, I particularly love the exterior styling! The interior is simply icing on the cake! This car is very sporty, has great pick up and handles extremely well on the road. I traded in a Nissan Armada for this primarily to save on gas. While it gets much better gas mileage than the Armada, I have not managed to get 32 mpg like the estimates state. I will admit I typically drive in normal mode. The black leather interior with red stitching is really nice. I also like the chrome door handles inside. The 17 inch wheels are nice too. So far, Im extremely happy with this purchase.

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  Great Vehicle, But - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By Kerry Klinefelter - December 17 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for about 3 months now and I really like it. My SL is fully loaded. I got every option available. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a sharp looking, great performing crossover.

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  A Great Ride - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By dp4c - December 16 - 11:50 pm

  Traded in a 2005 Mazda 6 Wagon and considered the Subaru Outback, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota Highlander also. The ride is quiet and comfortable and the CVT operates great. Good acceleration and power delivery whenever you need it. As far as bang for the buck, none of the other cars I considered compares. The interior is of high quality materials, especially considering the price. One thing I dont like is the sound system. It is way too bright though it doesnt seem to be an opinion shared by others. The dash speakers blare so I had to go an aftermarket route to tone down the higher frequencies. Do we really need 11 speakers all heavily equalized?

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  Former Camry Owner - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By afret - December 16 - 12:36 pm

  Owned two Toyota Camrys and due to their age, decided time was right to purchase new. Couldnt beat the Nissan price deals. Since all reviews show Nissan comparable, decided to give it a try. Initial Altima impression, nice car; nice ride; but, dislike dont like the blindspots. Im also concerned that the engine makes a slight pinging sound at idle (i.e. sounds like a diesel). Havent had the chance to have the dealer look at it yet. All in all, havent had the car long enough to decide if its as high quality as Toyota.

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  4 Door Z? - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By James - December 16 - 5:23 am

  Having bought a luxury car for the Mrs., I wanted something sporty. For me the Maxima SE was the one, since my 90 Max, with well over 200K mi., was ready to be upgraded. Found an 04 with 12K miles on it and scooped it up. I would have loved to have had the Z, but with 2 children, I went for the next best thing. Two words: Close Enough!! It has plenty of room, lots of gadgets, which I like, an extremely powerful engine, a tranny you cant even feel shift, and the BOSE system is sweet. It rides nice and smooth for a car sitting on 18s, and takes corners like nobodys business. I love the distinct body style, from the aggressive front end to the mean pipes in back. This is one nice ride!!

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  Awesome! - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Awesome! - December 16 - 2:26 am

  I love looking out the window just to get a glimpse of the parked Altima hybrid. It is a fine work of art! Rides smooth and handles very well. Decent stereo and A/C works well. Intelligent key is a very nice feature, but I still go to take the key out of the ignition when I stop sometimes! We did the convenience package in the metallic jade... sweet looking car. Gas mileage is about 34 mpg, not quite what we were hoping for, but still pretty good.

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  Great upgrade - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Marv - December 15 - 5:53 am

  I recently traded up from an explorer and absolutely love this truck. More than enough power, though im intrigued by the potential intake/exhaust upgrades. Sound is deep, but not annoying. Leather captains chairs make driving something to look forward to. Cannot complain about GAS Milage...its a full size 305HP truck...what do you expect. If you want fuel efficiency, go buy a Civic. Rockford Fosgate stereo rocks!! Even has a plug for my Dell DJ. Back seat is extra roomy. Bed rail system has already been handy. I really cannot say enough about this truck. After a month of ownership, I still love it like the first time I drove it off the lot.

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  Big Little Car - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Sarge - December 14 - 7:50 pm

  This is a fun car to drive, very spacious for a small vehicle. Dash design is very good, all necessary items easy to read and reach. We are getting 28 Mpg in town and 33 on the highway. The horn could be louder.

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  What a difference - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Jeff W - December 14 - 5:50 pm

  I recently purchased my 08 fully loaded V6 6Sp to replace my 350z, the quality of the car is a step up from the 350z which was priced higher when new. I also had a 2002 3.5 se 5 speed altima that I loved and this car is 400x better in every way. The feel, the quality of the materials, the options make this car a rich car for the money. The altima handles great and is plenty fast with bluetooth, navi, backup camera to satisfy my tech cravings. All in all I am extremely pleased with the car, although I miss the sweet purr of the 350z exhaust, but thats fixed easy.