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 truck - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By mark383 - August 25 - 4:45 pm

  I bought a new 2006 Toyota Tacoma V6 Prerunner and never really liked it. It was way too sensitive to any wind. It took a tight grip on the steering wheel to keep it on the road on a windy day. If it had been windy the day I test drove it, I would never had bought it. The Frontier drives great on windy days and very little wind noise compared to the Tacoma. It rides better, gets better fuel mileage, better transmission and has more power. The only gripe is the interior scratches easily and the turning radius is not as tight as the Tacoma. I went from a truck I hated to a truck I love to drive. That says it all.

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  Just needed a car at the time! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By bcrichman - August 25 - 10:37 am

  My last 2 cars were BMWs and the last 2 years were rough for me financially. I had spent over 7k i car repairs on my BMW Z3. Overheating problems caused me to blow 2 headgaskets within a 6 month span. I was no longer making 6 figures and needed a recent model car with reliability for around 10k. The 2008 Versa was my best option. More room than Sentra even though its a subcompact. Very comfortable, 1.8 engine has alot of pep and the car does not feel cheap. it feels well built. I bought it with 55k miles and it rides and handles like a new car. Very reliable, had it for over a year and it drives very well. Tons of cargo room in the trunk. The back seats have room like a full size car!

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  Great Family Sedan - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By jravelo - August 25 - 1:26 am

  This car is not very fun to drive, as it is a 4 cylinder with a CVT transmission. Having said that, the manual shifter, steering feel and comfort, make it a very appealing choice. If you dont care about the fun, and want a comfy, reliable, good looking, long lasting family sedan, look no further. The accord dont measure up, the camry of the malibu neither. This car drives great, is very quiet inside, the Bose sound I got on this trim is absolute marvelous, the bluetooth works great, is good on gas (22.5 city, 34 hwy), and overall, you cant go wrong with it at all. Is a veeeeery smooth drive, very smooth.

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  My Nissan Murano - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By William Berry - August 24 - 11:43 pm

  Great Car, fun to drive, a wonderful vehicle for a 50+ year old. So comfortable and easy to get into and out of!!!

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  Recommend Quest 2000 - 2000 Nissan Quest
  By Amy Michele - August 24 - 9:20 pm

  This is a very reliabe and practical minivan. Very comfortable seats, and comfortable to drive. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

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  redneckpapa`s new toy - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By dale c. - August 24 - 6:13 pm

  most awesome truck i have ever been in, and i have been in a lot of domestics that can not come close to this beast! NISSAN hit a grandslam.

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  The sentra base xe model - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By SENTRAROB - August 24 - 3:56 pm

  Its a great car. Fun to drive low maintenance and a great preformer. I love it and for a base model, it sure has a lot of pick up and power.

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  First Pickup - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By DEH - August 24 - 1:30 pm

  This is my first pickup and I must say that I am exceptionally pleased with all aspects of this truck. As a previous Nissan owner I have been familiar with the product but again, this was an outstanding value and product.

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  First Nissan Good Car - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By Mike - August 24 - 10:16 am

  I think this car is great to have, I bought like a week ago for 1300, w/ 111000 miles on it. It runs great, good on gas, and reliable. I gotta go against everyone on this though I love where the cupholders beats the civics, after all I have had Hondas. I like the performance for a 1.6 and the interior such as the seats very comfortable. I have back problems and the seats are better than integra seats. I am mad though because I keep getting check engine due to (EGR) Electronic Gas Recirculation reading on ecu.

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  260000 - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By themazemaker - August 24 - 2:35 am

  My wife bought her xterra brand new in 2000. have had some minor issues with it till it hit 250000 and had to have the tranny rebuilt. Must say that is awsume. having an overheating issue now and trying to track it down. usually when the Air is on it overheats but have not had any other issues to speak of. Love this Vehicle. Will buy another someday when this one goes to the car graveyard lol. it didnt give me an option for saying its an Automatic just manual.