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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  Handles like a Go-Cart! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By David Oliver - July 29 - 2:27 am

  At 41 mpg I got on a 700+ mile trip you get about 700 miles to a tank of gas. I almost did the whole round trip without buying gas! The car I rented had pretty loud road noise, but I attribute that to the tires and the fact that the rental agency had pumped them all up to 42 pounds. The doggone thing cornered like a rabbit and was very fun to drive. Most of the time I felt I was creeping along, but was doing at least the speed limit. It was so comfortable to me that I drove the entire trip and never shuffled around in the seat. I hope to purchase a 2013 or 2014 soon as the newer models come out.

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  Fun 4-door rod - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Spooky - July 29 - 2:00 am

  Had 1985 Maxima wagon previously. Also 1983, 1984, and 1986 Zs...all great cars and reliable. This time wanted a sedan that had some six cyclinder guts and good gas mileage. Ended up with a 95 GXE plain Jane thats a kick to drive without busting the bank....a near perfect sedan in an imperfect world...have had several Camrys, a Cressida, 2 740 Volvos, a 7 series BMW, and a 4 and 6 cyc Accord....this car is the most fun to drive of all

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  Ideal SUV - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Importfan - July 29 - 2:00 am

  Having recently purchased the new 2003 Murano it seems to the perfect suv out there. Very smooth CVT engine; great handling in all types of weather. The styling was the selling point, a cross between the Altima and 350Z. The interior is the best in its class.

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  Still going strong - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By OptiClaw - July 28 - 6:10 pm

  We bought our Armada new in Aug 04. Loved it from the start. Great power, tons of space. Had the usual brake issues, dealer handled it for free. Squeaky A/C fan also fixed free. Over 54K miles now and still going strong. Used it to shuttle 5 men for weekend trip and all commented on how big it is inside. MPG is no worse than other big SUVs, so I dont know why people complain. You know what to expect when you buy these things. We plan to keep the Armada at least another 5 years if all goes well. Why replace such a fantastic vehicle?

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  I got CUBED! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By mom0f3 - July 28 - 9:36 am

  This vehicle caught my eye when someone was driving one in town. I went to test drive one and feel in love. I really enjoy driving this car. I havent drove a manual in years and forgot how much fun this could be. I bought one that has a little less of the "frilly" features but all can be added at a much lower price than buying with the car.

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  Awesome Whip - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Terrance Scott Sr - July 28 - 9:06 am

  The Altima 3.5SR is such a wonderful vehicle. Nice performance, nice features, nice interior, nice exterior. Sport, Premium and Technology packages are all worth the money. A cargo net wouldve been nice, as well as some all-weather mats, but not a deal-breaker. The new generation of OEM navigation is impressive. The build quality seems to be high too. So far, theres nothing I dont like about this vehicle.

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  All weather performance - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By M J Prime - July 27 - 11:46 pm

  The Murano is ideal vehicle where 4WD is only needed for trips in and out of higher elevations in winter. I have not noticed any drop in performance with the convertible transmission as the use is usually on slippery roads and slower speeds and less power requirements are the rule not the exception.

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  Definately a Good Buy - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Adam - July 27 - 10:16 pm

  i Just got a new 1.8s Special edition sentra and it is amazing. The sound system is much more than anyone expected. It picks up pretty well (i suggest the 5-speed manual). It saves a ton of gas when driven normally. Best of all, it was the best possible deal since the civic and the corolla were more expensive, yet had less power, worse design, and less than half of the options.

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  350Z Track - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Pigpen - July 27 - 10:10 pm

  Fun to drive, very reliable only problem was drivers side window motor. Added cold air intake and high flow exhaust, gets 24.5 MPG. Track model handles well w/ 18/19 inch wheels, bimbro brakes and stiff suspension.

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  NEVER HAD AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By anthony87 - July 27 - 3:40 pm

  I have read these reviews and I have to wonder if the people that have had alignment problems are just hitting too many potholes. I have over 70k on my car and have only had one alignment and I know it was due to the terrain. Nothing flimsy about this car. Its been an excellent car, I drive a lot and I highly recommend it. Its held up extremely well, no mechanical problems at all. I think its all in how you drive.