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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  I Like Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By JoeD - October 11 - 7:59 am

  Learn about CVT transmissions and treat them nice and you will love them!

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  Coolest Ride under 20,000 - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Davism37 - October 10 - 3:16 pm

  My wife and I are looking for a second car because were having our first baby. We saw the cube at the Nissan dealership and fell in love instantly. There is not a car out there with a cooler combination of interior and exterior styling and its really fun to drive.

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  A Good Choice - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By LesMan - October 10 - 1:40 pm

  Ive owned the Rogue for over a month and and am very happy so far. My choice was down to the Rogue vs. the new Honda CRV. While its hard to find anything wrong with the CRV, I was able to get the fully-loaded AWD Rogue for several thousand cheaper than a similar CRV. Also with Honda you have to add things like fog lights, compass mirror and roof rack after purchase, which is a hassle. This SUV is fun to drive, has good power and lots of cool features that come with the SL AWD. It takes a while to get used to the CVT and the engine is a bit noisy accelerating up hills, but otherwise smooth. The Bose sound system is a must - one of the cleanest sounds Ive heard in a car.

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  Great SUV; bad radiator design - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PathMan - October 10 - 1:10 pm

  Ive loved my PathFinder since I got it. However, Im very upset that just as my warranty has expired I am discovering the issue of the radiator putting coolant into the transmission. This should be a recall in my opinion. If you own one, take the car to the dealer while its still under warranty and have a transmission flush and check if it needs a new radiator.

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  The Shoe - Living Legend 194000 - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By The Shoe - A Legend - October 10 - 4:33 am

  I love this car. It has been a part of my life for 10 years, a I have loved every part of it. Reliable as anything I have ever owned. We call it the shoe, because well, it looks like a black shoe. Has 194000 miles and 58 oil changes. Runs like a champ and still gets 20 mpg.

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  Loving this car - 2011 Nissan Cube
  By pianotunertech - October 9 - 9:51 pm

  I had a 2008 Nissan crewcab Titan which was sideswiped by a high school student, I drove a rental Honda Civic for three weeks while the truck was in the bodyshop. Though I love trucks, and always have to have one around (Im buying my son a smaller truck, hes 17) I absolutely loved the freedom of the better gas mileage of the Honda--$20 a week vs. $80 just minimal around town. But it felt cramped and uncomfortable to me, the ride wasnt great, etc. So I checked out and bought an 11 Cube steel grey Krom loaded with bluetooth, Nav, Xm, the works. It is a very comfortable car--it is a BLAST to drive, it has a very nice ride, and the CVT wrings quite a bit of performance out of the engine.

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  Great vehicle - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Gary Eddy - October 9 - 1:05 pm

  All aspects of ownership have been excellent.

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  Transmission - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By kevin - October 9 - 11:04 am

  i should of looked this car up before i brought it cause everybody is talking about a bad transmission got mt car with 85k miles on it dealer said he just put a new transmission in it but doesnt seem like it car jerks forward alot when shifting gears i think nissan should have to recall this car if everybody is having the same problem.

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  Wish I bought a Honda - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Shea - October 9 - 6:33 am

  This is the first car I have ever bought by myself and needless to say I am not impressed. I did buy it used, but the dealership insisted it was in great condition. There is a rattle in the door that after 3 trys from the dealership isnt fixed. Within 2 weeks of owning it my battery exploded. I have spent 1200 on the front and they then told me my engine mount was broke, the belts are all cracking, the radiator house is leaking etc. The finishing on the woodgrain has peeled. When my brake pads got low there was no warning went straight to grinding which resulted in more damage. Now Im without a car again because the fuel pump. Im a college student without money & now a unreliable vehicle.

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  CVT is HORRIBLE!! - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By Fred - October 8 - 10:23 am

  This is my 6th Nissan (third Maxima) and my last. There is a constant rumbling vibration felt through the gas pedal and steering wheel between 20-45 mph. Dealer tried couldnt fix it, so rep came and said "this is normal for this transmission". NORMAL!? For a $30,000 car! They tout this new transmission as seamless, which apparently its not. So, Im now stuck with it! Its a design flaw Nissan wont admit to.