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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  For A First Car, This Thing Is A Gem. - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By mycarsnameisal - June 22 - 2:38 pm

  I am sixteen. This is my first car. I LOVE this car. The only thing I wish was different about it are: *fog lights should come standard on the 2.5SL model. *The passenger side should have power seats. *Shouldve put more thought into buying a 3.5L V6 *Car jumps a little when first accelerating after the engine being off.

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  awsome ride - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By bob - June 21 - 10:36 pm

  This car is the best. it is a nice sporty car for teen agers and for the teenagers at heart.

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  Fantastic, beautiful car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By tdomf - June 21 - 9:10 pm

  This car is a beautiful piece of machinery, has great pep and the price cant be beat

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  The best truck out! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Stephen - June 21 - 5:10 pm

  This is absolutely the best truck out now. It has more power and torque than most and will smoke a Hemi. I wish the would put a couple more paint layers on though. The steel in the bed is tough but a little thinner than most other trucks.

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  An Honest review - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By instinctive - June 21 - 9:18 am

  I heard reviews for the Juke for 2 weeks before i made a purchase, I just bought one today and im so happy i did. So here is what happened, I traded in a 1999 Honda Civic to get this puppy, Its just as good on gas as a older civic but it has was more powerful and spacious as well. I dont drive like a maniac but Ive pushed the pedal hard and i get 27.6mpg combine so its good, and on regular gas by the way. Im also not nearly a hardcore car reviewer Im just a normal 9-5 guy. See below

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  3,000 miles and still going strong! - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By bigal1020 - June 21 - 5:51 am

  After having owned a new 2011 Nissan Quest SL for 2 months now I wanted to share some of my honest feedback. 1st we are still glad with our choice to purchase this van over the rivals of Toyota and Honda. The quality is amazing and the interior is very luxurious. My refrigerator recently went out and I was able to haul a brand new Maytag side by side refrigerator in the back of this van. If you need more space than that go buy a Uhaul. Not to mention I still had space in the back floor compartment. Also in every review you will read that the cubic feet is less in the Nissan with all seats folded. True but remember they are not counting the 30 cu ft you have in the back storage well.

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  BestBuy for the money - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Jim - June 21 - 1:10 am

  Car is fun to drive, looks very stylish, priced very well, have had no problems since purchased in July.The car has never been back to the dealer for anything except for maintenance.There is plenty of storage space, and a pass through trunk to haul long and bulky items if needed.The 4 cyl engine is very peppy.

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  2007 crewcab - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By bub - June 20 - 11:13 am

  I have been driving wifes 03 F150 and needed something for myself so I got a fairly good deal on the frontier.The ride is rougher which for me is just fine.

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  Nissan Rogue SL 2WD 2008 - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Charles - June 20 - 8:50 am

  We drive mostly in town, stop and go traffic (estimate 85%). Our gas mileage since purchase is 23.79 MPG for total mileage of 7000+ miles. It handles very well in town as well as interstate speed of 75 MPH. When climbing steep grades it is so smooth with the transmission. No sudden jerk it just varies itself and the engine speeds up smoothly to handle the grade. We have had it for 15 months and have not had to take it in for "ANY" problem. It is a great vehicle. I highly recommend it. Our only negative is the speedometer does not have a bright marker in 5 MPH increments. It is in 10 MPH Increments.

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  Even If I was rich, I would drive a Max. - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Loyal MAx Owner - June 20 - 2:00 am

  I just bought one a few days ago, coming off a 91 max. I thought my 91 was powerful, man I was wrong. The power and acceleration of this car kicks butt! I love it. All the features and the comfort. Love the bose, auto temperature, Sunroof, 17 rims, everything! I bought my 5-speed 91 with 91k on it for 2 years. rarely did it give me any problems. Now I bought a 2000 with 43k and I am in heaven!!