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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  Big Mo Great for Tall Drivers - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By Kevin - December 5 - 2:13 am

  Own the 2010 SL AWD Murano for 2 wks now and loving it. Merlot with Black, leather, prem, moonroof. Looks great. Gets lots of compliments around NJ/NY. Some of these auto mag review geeks just dont know beauty when its staring them in the face ; ). The drive is very sporty, and being 65"/235, it was one of the few cars that I felt totally comfortable in as a driver or passenger. The leather seats are like lazy-boys and the rest of the interior is luxurious. I leased a new Lexus RX350 for 4 yrs in the past, and the interiors are on par. I actually liked the Cadi SRX exterior the most, but overall, it just doesnt match up to the Murano. Researched for months - Best Ute for the $$.

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  I LOVE this car - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By Nissy Missy - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car after seeing a friends. I have never regretted the purchase! This is a zippy little car that continues to look great after six years. It rides very smoothly, the five speed manual transmission is smooth, and I really hate giving it up. My only reason for thinking of giving it up is because Id like a car with automatic transmission that isnt so low to the ground (arthritis is cramping my style). I have really enjoyed this car; its a lot of fun to drive!

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  WOW!! - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By mrmc1 - December 5 - 2:00 am

  This carÂ’s whole personality revolves around its incredible engine. Acceleration, economy, and reliability are all well above average. ItÂ’s smooth and delivers abundant power through a broad rev range. In contrast to other power plants which seem to complain when pushed, the Maxima always sounds eager to run hard. This engine is always a joy!

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  Fun car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Ron_22 - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Well, this car if paid price is invoice or less(minus $1000 rebate) is a great value. Great powertrain. Very comfortable ride. Acceleration is awesome.

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  Broken Window - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By skyman0820 - December 4 - 4:16 pm

  Let me start by saying I do really like this car. It handles well and is very quiet. Ingress and egress is phenomenal. Gas mileage is really good for a 1.8 liter engine. My only real complaint is that the rear door window shattered without warning today. I cant say for sure that nothing hit it to make it happen but it was quite explosive (glass flew to the other side of the car). Im fortunate that no one was sitting in the back seat at the time as they surely would have been hurt. First question, what stops the window from rolling up when it finishes closing? If its the glass itself then there could be too much stress on it. Might be worth a look from the design engineers.

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  Go with the NISMO!! - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Andrew Brill - December 3 - 4:30 pm

  Bought an 06 Frontier NISMO, and love it!! 42000km and no problems except for gas tank hinge and window tracks. Lots of power on and off the pavement. Overall, great truck!!

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  Just an overall awesome set of wheels - 2017 Nissan Titan
  By Brian Terk - December 2 - 11:48 pm

  For starters keep in mind that Im 44 years old and have owned multiple trucks from multiple manufacturers, Im not a "must buy this or that brand guy." The truck is too new to measure reliability yet, but Nissan gives you piece of mind with its standard bumper to bumper 5 year 100k warranty. What I love most about this truck is that nothing stands out, what do I mean by that? SV with convenience package has everything I need. The seats are ridiculously comfortable, the power is more than expected, the curb appeal is 2nd to none, the standard features do what theyre supposed to with no awkward controls. Everything just blends, operates and does what I expect it to and this truck is second none. Props to Nissan for a job well done!

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  My Altima 3.5 SE - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By findodell - December 2 - 11:26 am

  Have had my Altima 3.5 SE for 2 weeks. Pros: Performance, Exterior(Ive had at least 8 total strangers compliment my car..3 of whom thought it was a Lexus), Interior (huge, luxurious & nice in black). Cons: Large turning radius, slightly noiser & roughier ride than Camry/Accord, Some cheap plastic Overall...great, livable car for the commute/family with awesome power & fun to drive aspects....Now I just have to worry about tickets...

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  Great car only 1 compaint - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Lauren H - December 2 - 11:10 am

  I love everything about this car except for the fact that the visors are really unethical. They dont cover my face from the sun unless Im riding on top of the steering wheel. My suggestion to Nissan is to make the a little longer, for taller people. Or add some visor extensions.

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  Small Car Great Fuel - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Joe - December 2 - 7:26 am

  We have 3,000 miles on our Versa, my wife and I both drive it. I drive back and forth to work and she drives it when she does her weekly shopping. We have a new 2008 gas hog truck that stays parked most of the time. Versa is great to drive and fun with great gas mileage (35 to work for me, and about 31 for wife shopping and yard sales). We are in our late 50s, but this car is still great for us.