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 Love It! - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By Snowbunny44 - November 4 - 10:00 am

  Oh my gosh, this is the best car in the world, we also have a 2000 Chevy Impala, and I love this 98 Altima so much more.

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  The Best SUV u can get - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Phill - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased a 2002 Pathfinder SE 2wd, Bronzed Grey. The ride is spectacular. Ive test drove other suvs. I.e. Rodeo, 30 less hp. Truck like ride. 4runner, same thing, overpriced, slow 183hp engine. Highlander, Waaayyy too expensive, and only 220hp, FWD. I love everything about this car.

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  Impressive car...a must buy! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By nighguy - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car looking for a sporty, fun car that I could still drive my friends around in when we go out. The four doors are great, but the engine is unbelievable. The key with this car is the torque available to you. The powerband is huge, and the car goes when you want it to. Turning is no problem with the added struts, and launch times are low. My best on my second ever 1/8 mile run is a 10.28. Basically, this was a well designed car with great modification potential. But if thats not your bag, no mods are needed...its a stock rocket!

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  What a spectular car... performance plus - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By shussey - November 4 - 10:00 am

  For the performance enthusiast! I have cloth, minimal extras, basically just the Sunroof is the only extra I have. I drive it for the performance. Its a little different with the variable intake and variable capacity muffler. You get boost when you need it and conserve gas when you dont. The trip computer is an added bonus and the 60/40 fold down seats add more cargo flexability. This is a great car for the performance enthusiast with the family in mind. The ride is smooth with the performance suspension yet handles turns like a race car. The Nissan Maxima 2003 SE is a perfect cross between the performance race car and the four door sedan.

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  the best car EVER period - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By EddieJ58 - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I have always liked altimas since they first came out, but this altima beats them all!

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  Wife loves it - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By kilnmaint - November 4 - 8:26 am

  Pros: looks good, drives good, nice interior. Mileage OK. Cons: trip odometer stopped working, wipers cycle sometimes when the car is cranked, the gas mileage is show 5 or 6 different places and is more than I calculate.

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  First Car - Favorite Car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By kuktle - November 4 - 3:52 am

  Owned for about 30,000 miles, Car had 120,000 and when I wrecked it was at 150,000. If you by chance come accross one of these amazing cars I would most certainly recommend it. Ive raced people in them and have very often won. It is very fast and very reliable. I recently rear ended someone in it and becuase the air bag deployed it was totalled out. Im sad and devastated. This car is the kind of car that will last forever. The only thing I never liked was the braking could have been better but I drove it fast so what do you expect... Loved it Loved it Loved it!!!!!!

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  Love it!!! 100+ mi and still kicking! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Jason - November 4 - 1:33 am

  I had a Silverado with the 5.3L V8 a couple vehicles before this one. This is just as powerful, if not more, with the 4.0 V6. I live near the city so I wanted something a little more agile but still had plenty of muscle for all my excursions. This truck does perfect. 4WD makes it a billy goat. LOVE THE NISMO! You really dont have to do anything to this truck when you have that package...except maybe a bigger tire. By the way, 285 BFG ATs fit perfect with no modifications or rubbing. The interior design is perfect. Controls seem to be built for men (easy and straight forward). Opt for the Rockford sound system if possible. 6-Disc CD Changer is pretty convenient.

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  New 2012 Sv/SL Package owner - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By dshkrab - November 3 - 9:16 pm

  Just picked up my Rogue on 11/11/11 $299 a Mo 0 down (tax in price) its possible but dealer wont be happy! First impressions are very positive. Some minor Grips (no dual climate control, no rear A/C vents, Older fashioned shifter, no TripTronic, no Android support via USB and single disc vs multi). The grips are minor. The drive is excelent. Behaves well on the road, parks nice due to 360 cameras (super cool feature, absolute must for city parking -> Brooklyn NY for me). Comfortable front and back, even when seats are retracted (first and only Japanese car that my parents enjoy -owners of a Buick & Chrysler). Would be nice if more things could be customized, but a fun to drive!

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  2ND Altima - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Lil J - November 3 - 4:16 pm

  I LOVE MY 07 ALTIMA. I previously owned a 2002 Altima 3.5SE and I loved it. I was sad to let it go, but I will soon forget about it. My 07 tops the cake. I love the Look and Performance. When I took the test drive, I knew I wanted this car. I love the curves of it. I have the Technology package with the bluetooth. Love it. I also love the 270 hp that it produces. Im so happy I didnt get a Maxima. Car looks good at night. Love the Xenon headlights. My car gets about 20 mpg city and about 25 highway. I would recommend this car to anyone. Loves the way it feels on the road. Hugs a corner like a rail. LOVE MY 07.