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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  Mini-Murano - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By ESQMEDIC - August 2 - 4:43 am

  I bought this car for my wife. I never thought she would accept a Nissan from previous experiences, however she loves it! Nissan has come along way. We were going to buy a Murano instead we got the mini lol. She loves all the bells and whistles this model comes with including the heated leather seats. My two year old daughter loves it as well, when we picked her up with it she replied wowwww!

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  My Favorite Car So Far! - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By TechPete - August 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought my 2001 Altima GXE Ltd Ed 12/01 w/ 2122 miles. Saw it on internet, test drove it, and instantly loved it. Car has good excel from stop and in traffic. Handles well except for sharp corners. Normal braking good. Hard braking and wet weather conditions rear swings out. Fuel economy is to spec. Road noise is min with windows up, loud with windows down (>45mph). Car handles fine at speed <95mph. Noticeable aero lift >110mph. Engine loud under hard excel. At 511" no trouble using radio. People <53" may have difficulty. Visibility is good. Only problems with power windows. Recall recently issued in hot weather climates.

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  Puts the "Sport" back in SUV - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By spyderman4774 - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a Spyder GS-T in for the Pathfinder in hopes of getting something more practical. The Pathfinder definately is more practical and the performance is outstanding! I dont have OEM tires, but the ones that the Pathy came with grip pretty good in high-speed cornering. Also there isnt too much lean in turns. A great truck for those wanting more than just something to haul with.

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  Great Get around town car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Mikeyan - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I do independant consulting, and after much deliberation and delay, as well as numerous test drives of other cars, i ended up with a 2004 altima. Ive had it for a week, so i wouldnt expect to have problems yet ;). It has been very fun to drive, very smooth, pretty good power, and would recommend that everyone take a test drive. Would have ended up with a 2005, wiht the upgraded interior, but the $1500 rebate and tad lower negotiated price was too much to pass up. But do check out the 2005, i think the interior quality will surprise a lot of honda and toyota fans.

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  Great low cost vehicle! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By bp0603 - August 2 - 2:00 am

  This car I would give a 10 for the money that I paid for it, its very comfortable, very well designed and a smooth ride, and not to mention the dealership I purchased it from was excellent!!!

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  Luv My Quest!!! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By browniee - August 2 - 2:00 am

  We had looked at purchasing a new minivan for about 6 months and were not too thrilled with the cookie cutter appearance of them. We were going to replace our old Caravan with either a Honda Odyssey or another Caravan but truth be told neither one was too exciting. We saw a Quest add on TV, went to the Nissan web site, and then the dealer.WOW! So different from everything else out there and a pleasure to drive.

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  Just got it,… love it! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Amad - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I got the S 3.5 V6 and its the best!

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  Rolling Egg - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By 1979280ZX - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I drive hilly two-lane state highways, country roads, small towns, and some interstate. I attained 20.1 mpg on regular gas by managing the RPMs while driving. The handing is excellent. It is hard to believe it is a 2-ton truck. However, this suspension does bring a price on country roads. My truck picked up a rattle on the passenger side after 100 miles. However, on relatively smooth roads, you dont hear any rattle.

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  OK - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By parangaricutirimicua - August 2 - 2:00 am

  No too bad for me because no one knows when I cannot write because no one know a word in Dutch

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  Nice - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Joe Dersch - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I have enjoyed my truck from day one and dont see any change.