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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  Collision result - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By rcdc - July 9 - 4:33 pm

  We hit a deer at 70MPH with our 2009 Murano. Both airbags went off. If I would not have had my foot on the dash (bad habit of mine) we would not have had any injuries. However the airbag broke my ankle in two places, leg and toe. We feel safe in our Murano - will never put feet on dash again. We love all our features, nav system, heated seats, Bose radio, etc but when it comes right down to the basics - buy this car for the safety rating. We are glad we did.

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  Great first new car to own - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Larry L. - July 9 - 11:20 am

  First time new car buyer, very comfortable interior, lots of space, cubby holes for everything (Im bound to lose something!). Its a peppy little thing, fun to drive, smooth ride, but the electronic power steering is something to get used to. Engine gets whiny at higher RPMs and highway speeds, but it is not built for power. Havent had any problems yet (knock on wood) after two months.

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  This is a great car! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By yayaltima - July 9 - 9:23 am

  I bought this car 8 years ago, used with about 50,000 miles on it. It is now at 168,000 miles and I would drive it across the U.S. tomorrow! To be honest, I have driven the heck out of it. It cranks right up everyday except one time when the battery was dead. I have had to replace the CV joints and the drivers side tie rod. The only regular maintenance I have done on it is oil changes, air filters, fuel filter, and breaks. I love this car and would but another one in a heartbeat!

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  Best truck on the market. - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By JRock - July 9 - 3:46 am

  I bought this truck about a year ago. It is very comfortable to drive in and can even park very easily thanks to its good turning radius. It is not for the average person though, it is meant for the person with an attitude of being the best. It is very easy to add accessories to it if you want to. It is very easy to tow with and it doesnt rattle at all. It has a great power spand, it always has power. Over all, I think it is the best truck on the market, especially for its price.

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  One of the best cars on the market. - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By ccleveland2012 - July 8 - 2:34 pm

  Its a nice car guys. The neighbors love it, Strangers love it,people see it and they want to take it home. People with more expensive cars love it. A 80 year man looked at me and said thats a bad mama jama. Even though this generation of Maxima is a great car it has its flaws but most of you will come to find this car is very reliable and has much better reliability then 90% of the vehicles on the market it wont leave you stranded.

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  Heinous Ride - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By chasr - July 8 - 12:13 pm

  Very distinctive styling led me to the Murano. Great gas mileage due to the CVT. Horrible ride for a vehicle in this class. Noisy and VERY harsh on even the slightest bumps.

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  God I Love My Z!!! - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By zman1996 - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in 1996 and I am in love with it. My girlfriend is jealous of it. It is dark green with leather and an automatic tranny. You are probably wondering why i would want an automatic in a sports car. I tell you what though its just as quick and a lot easier to drive. I put some 17" enkei rims on it and it looks awesome.

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  my sentra - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By JenB - July 8 - 10:00 am

  Its a good car for what it is. It was fairly inexpensive, reliable and gets good gas milage.

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  mostly a great car - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By topper30 - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this because I got a good deal on it. It has been a great car overall. I have had only a few problems that seem to be common for this car. I had the Oxygen sensor go out at 40,000 mi., tires prematurely needing replaced at 25,000 mi., and my cd player is dead. Not bad compared to most cars. I just got spoiled with my Toyota that I had previously.

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  The little truck that can - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By lazy fisherman - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought the truck for cheap transportation. I needed something with 25 mpg at 75mph for my 70 mile to work round trip, plus be able to tow my boat anywhere. Best experience was full bed load, while towing moving trailer with wife and mother in law to Georgia, no problems had to leave it in 4th gear on expressway.