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 for the price - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By willhopeland - December 7 - 10:00 am

  This sentra 1.8S AT is great for the price. The front view is good but the rear needs some improvement. Anyway, I am happy with it so far. This is the best car you can buy with this amount of money. (even cheaper than Hyundai Elantra) Dont understand why so many people are so overcritical to it. What you expect with this price? A BWM?

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  DAMN...WHAT A TRUCK! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By rvelaz - December 7 - 10:00 am

  WOW! This truck is awesome. I never thought a full size truck can handle so good and have such a boom at the launch... I love it!

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  04 titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Edwards - December 7 - 10:00 am

  excellent driving and towing vehicle

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  Awesome car! - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By dfjcu1979 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Very solid and dependable car. Engine is very smooth, ride is solid and performance is great.

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  2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 SL - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By debs - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Went to the dealer for a test drive and bought it on the spot. It looks great, it drives great and I cant recommend a more dependable car. Ive owned 3 cars in the last 25 years (this is my 3rd)- all Nissans. Its a luxury car experience at a sedan price.

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  Great Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Mr H - December 7 - 10:00 am

  When i first purchased this car the first trip me and my wife took was from MD to Miami FL. The car drove great all the way and i can truly say the car is great on gas. I love the power of this car. Getting through traffic is fun. I must warn that torque steer is something to look out for when getting on the gas hard. For those looking for a great car with plenty of room and power to take on cars that cost more this car is it.

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  Another excellent Nissan product - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By 07Max - December 7 - 9:40 am

  I have had no complaints about the vehicle so far. The car does have a large turning radius, but you know its there so you just plan accordingly. It was obvious on my test drive, and I bought it anyways, so I cant complain about it. Love the navigation, Bluetooth, comfortable leather seats (which hold up very well, the family dog gets the back seat and they still look new after a year and a half), heated seats, heated mirrors, and cant forget the heated steering wheel which is a must to combat cold Minnesota winters. Excellent ride quality, good passing power, and I find it to be one of the more attractive sport sedans on the market.

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  Enjoy the Ride!!!! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By cds - December 6 - 8:33 pm

  The Maxima is a blast to drive. I have put over 118K miles on mine and I enjoyed everyone of them. When you step on the gas, you go. And it corners like a dream.

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  Nissan got it right - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Maxima - December 6 - 7:33 pm

  Just acquired my 09 Maxima fully loaded with the panoramic sun roof. This car blows the mind. I sometimes have to keep my eye on the speedometer due to the CVT shift. It is very easy to go over speed limit when you dont feel the shift points. Voice control provides another way to manage some of the onboard functions such as navigation, phone and climate control. Bluetooth integration allows me to continue a conversation from my headset over my cars system with very no effort. If you should acquire one you may find yourself spending a few hours playing with all the technology. You will also drive this car just for the sake of driving it.

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  Big 3 are in Big trouble... - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Omar - December 6 - 4:46 pm

  Ive been thinking about this truck since it came out about a year ago. I just got a 2006 Nismo Crew Cab 4x4, and the words that come to mind are: It rocks!!! I live in Puerto Rico, and the roads here are HORRIBLE. I used to have a 2004 Altima 3.5, and as much as I loved that car, it could not handle the daily punishment of driving in PR. The Frontier is a different story. This truck was built for places like this. I never thought that bad roads, hills and potholes could be so much fun!! It drives almost like a car, but can go places I would never have dared to take my Altima. The Rockford Fosgate system is excellent. I am looking forward to thousands of miles of joy in this baby.