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 at a great price - 2011 Nissan Sentra
  By laurie16 - August 30 - 1:36 am

  We recently purchased a 2011 Nissan Sentra SR and we are very pleased with the car. It is fun to drive, has all the safety features we wanted, and our sons booster seat fits securely in the back seat. This car is by far the best weve ever owned.

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  Wow This car is amazing! - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Reggie - August 30 - 12:20 am

  I purchased this car at 80 miles last week and I already have 800 miles on it. Its such a blast to drive it. People pull up next to me while driving and ask questions about it. I have no problem with the seats(mines leather) and the bose system is awesome.The music does not distort at all even at the highest setting. Ive reached speeds up to 120+ mph easy. The manual transmission is really tight and close. It can jump off the line with no problem. The trunk can fit at least 2 mid sized suit cases. The two problems I found though is that there is a blind spot behind you and when the sun is shining directly on the fuel gauge you cant see it at all. Other than that I highly recommend it

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  Lovin My Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Rogue Lover - August 29 - 9:03 am

  I have had my Rogue since Dec 2007 - could not be happier with this sporty little SUV. I have driven everything from AWD minivans, Honda and Izuzu SUVs, and finally a Pacifica. My Rogue is by far my favorite, it could be that it is cute and or that it has exceptional interior space compared to the exterior size. It has been reliable in the mountains of West Virginia and I have had no problems with bad roads. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for the functionality of a SUV but the handling of a car. I am glad I ignored all those people who told me not to buy a vehicle the first year it was released.

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  Couldnt be happier - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By markB - August 28 - 2:10 pm

  Awesome flexibility and driving experience. Storage galore, power a plenty. Superb sound system. Very comfortable, great visibility and security with all those airbags and reversing sensors.

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  I love this more than my mustang! - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By mustangsally_y2k - August 28 - 11:20 am

  I cannot believe how I have grown to depend on this car both summer and winter. I bought it for a winter vehicle but we have used it to tow our 20 ft travel trailer and it pulls so much better than our truck! It is so comfy for my 6 foot frame that I like to drive my car everywhere instead of being the passenger in another car! I love the way it handles and I feel the safest I have ever felt when driving a vehicle.

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  Reliable and tested! - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Joe - August 27 - 1:56 am

  Nissan Titan has been tested. No major changes have been made because it was made right from the beginning and set the standards which the others are setting as goals to beat. I just got mine with navigation, entertainment, sunroof and chrome wheels. Nissan is a strong company and I am comfortable to say that it will run the same 5 years from now!

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  FANTASTIC! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Debbi - August 25 - 1:06 pm

  I purchased the 2005 Frontier Crew Nismo with some hesitation. I am glad however; my husband pushed for it. The Nismo package is great! It feels like a full size truck with fabulous gas mileage. The interior is comfortably suited for ease, access and security. The only features missings are the audio controls on the steering wheel and leather interior. I would highly recommend the truck without hesitation!

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  2005 Nissan Frontier - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By wvfrontier - August 25 - 4:56 am

  What to say? I absolutley love the look of the new Nissan Frontier. That was what first got me interested in it. After I took it for a test drive i had to have it. It has great power and acceleration. I havent gotten used to the turning radius though. After driving a little Subaru that I could whip into anywhere its takign me a while to get use to learning to swing out more to get into parking spaces, but to me its worth it. The interior is vastly improved from the old model. The Rocksford sound system is awsome. I love being able to play audio CDs, my MP3s, and listen to satellite radio all from the same system. The subs are nice but not overpowering. The seating material is very comfortable and looks like it wears well.

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  Durable so far - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Louis Desjardins - August 24 - 10:23 am

  Bought used with 36,000 miles on it. Well built, feels solid, durable. I drive 30,000 miles per year, mostly highway miles. Brakes were the only outstanding glitch"" as the rotors do not seem well built.

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  The Power Of Spec - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By bluspec - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a car for a true enthusiast. There is now other way to get close to the worlds greatest hot rod, the Skyline GT-R V Spec, for under $18,000 used. If you just want value for the money, stick to the 2.0 GXE or SE-R, but for that extra adrenalin rush on the road and at an import car show go for the bigger engine, nicer wheels, rockford fosgate in-dash with an 8" boom generator in the trunk which is part of the "audio fanatic" package. The car does 120mph as easily as 50mph thanks to a great stock body kit. This will be a classic that everyone will want once the Civic craze dies out in the near future.