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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  GREAT CAR - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Canadian owner - May 27 - 12:10 am

  This vehicle has done well even in the extreme temperatures that we have here in Canada. Im in sales and as a result spend alot of time in my vehicle. My hats off to the company for making such a great car. Im picking up my new one on Saturday!

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  04 Murano Loaded - SL - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Bill W - May 26 - 1:16 pm

  Love the vehicle, flashy, quiet, rides great. Nice features, good layout. Overall, the best car I have owned. Road noise is almost non existent, stereo is awesome (Bose), back lighting in the dash is JUST OK. Really handy is the automatic control setups for two drivers, press 1 and its the wifes configuration, and 2 for mine. All sets automatically, excluding steering wheel. Love that feature. Seperate air controls for both drivers, very nice! Added 3rd party device to get MP3 player to work with stereo, but its great to press Sat and use whatever I want to plug in to it (includes XM radio) without using FM. Very happy with vehicle. Gas mileage and having to use SUPER unleaded stinks.

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  Fantastic Car - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Chris - May 26 - 7:26 am

  My Nissan Maxima is a fantastic vehicle. Its very powerful at all speeds, extremely comfortable, very quiet, looks great, very fuel efficient, gets 27 mpg city, 46 mpg highway, has great seating and trunk space. Great dealer service. I cant imagine a finer vehicle for even double the dollars. I highly recommend the Nissan Maxima.

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  My Titan - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Darby - May 26 - 3:03 am

  My experience has been really great with the truck. It pulls nicely and has everything I would ever need in a pickup. It turns a lot of heads. I have the No Fear package on mine which includes a 6 inch lift.

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  Large Truck Finally - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Joe E. - May 25 - 6:43 am

  This Titan truck is a head turner. It is fast, large roomy interior, XM radio, sound system is the finest, and the navigation system is really nice. The ride is smooth and a really quiet ride for a truck. I owned a GMC, Ford, and a Toyota over the years. The Titan compares evenly. Im looking for dependability. This Nissan will provide it. It will pull a toy trailer with ease!

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  Great Value - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By Ricochet - May 25 - 2:00 am

  A very good value. I bought the truck with 20000 miles on it and it is now above 90000. I have yet to have a single problem with it. Being a teenager, it is almost impossible to describe the abuse Ive put the truck through and it takes it all without complaint. Very sturdy truck.

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  Maximum Machine - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Fat_Mo - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The 02/03 Maxima is easlily the best value for the money when it comes to performance, comfort and styling. The only cars that compare to the Maxima SE 6-speed in performance and price are much smaller (ie. Subaru WRX) and not very practical. Those who say that the Maxima has lost its 4DSC (Four Door Sports Car) label are quite mistaken. This car handles extremely well and blows the doors off just about everything out there for under $30K.

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  Love my Pathfinder LE - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Brooxsy - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this Pathfinder with 46k miles and love it, it is as tight as when it was new; has the Navigation system, but really didnt need want it, but nice to have. It is fun to drive and I cant get it off my wife. Hopefully this summer she will want here Acura TL S- Type back, so I can drive it. My Pathfinder has the entertainment system also and my kids love it.

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  The Zen of Trucks 2 - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Fontier Zen - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Its been almost 2 years and Im still loving this truck. Its by far the best vehicle Ive ever had. The style and preformance cannot be match by any of the other small trucks on the market. I would still recommend this truck to anyone. Just be sure to get the long bed. Dont waste your time on the short bed.

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  Near Perfect - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By linzybel - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The Murano is a near perfect car for us. With a wife and two children, we want great performance and handling, interior space and comfort, and looks that will last. The seats and the ride make us feel rich, and the engine rocks. When you need to pass, you just PASS. As for amenities, the reclining rear seats are slick and the stereo system is better than anything well ever have in our living room. Finally,the looks. The line and the proportions wont be improved upon in any crossover SUV for a long time to come. In short, the Murano makes perfect sense for parents who want to feel like theyre not just hauling kids but DRIVING.