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:

• 

  Looks aint everything...then again... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Guy Mitchell - March 29 - 10:00 am

  at 4000 RPM the thing is a ROCKET. quick and RESPONSIVE. Interior steering wheel radio and cruise controls invisible at nite. Seats are TOO WIDE AND FLAT radio needs MP3 player. Info screen needs brightness control and display MPH? speedo is not clear lights should go OFF DRIVING AUTO to FULL ON and auto off. 3 outlets and they say use ONE AT A TIME! Love adjust seats and memory settings rear view mirror should be LINKED as are pedals. Middle console is cheaply designed Love the LOOKS it gets. car goes"BUDiBUM" whenever ruts and stuff. Horn should have THUMB control...must move hands to hit horn

• 

  Quest SL 3.5 - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By stuw - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I had already decided on another van, but drove the Quest as a last minute thought. I was glad I did! I was worried about it being a 1st production year for the vehicle, but took a lot of comfort in knowing the drivetrain has been around for years. That engine is awesome! Good styling in and out, although a bit too much cheap looking plastic on the interior trim. Vehicle handles well with minimal body roll.

• 

  Love it - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By julie - March 28 - 5:20 am

  I just traded in my 2004 Expedition for the Sentra. It broke my heart. But you have to do what you have to do. For not being a "car" person, so far I love it. The outside is sporty the inside is comfy. A lot of great features for the money. My only complaint is that I am not crazy about the mileage yet. The car only has 600 miles on it so far. I guess you have to "break in" the engine. Or so I have read. And I dont drive like a nut either so I was expecting more miles than I am getting. From just about empty it costs $52 to fill up at $3.97 a gallon where I live. Overall, I am happy.

• 

  Made in January 2013 - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By mickeywoz - March 27 - 9:29 pm

  After reading all the negative posts I was hesitant in waiting for my car to arrive in February. So far I have not had any issues with CVT shudder, and the heated seats worked as they should. There is a very slight power steering whine but for me it is not noticeable unless everything is off and you are listening for it at low speeds. I have really enjoyed this car, I have taken it on two long distance trips (have 6,000 miles on it) and the ride was quite and comfortable. The crazy thing is, the car is rated for 31 miles mpg on the highway and I had gotten 33mpg, 35mpg and a whopping 37.5 mpg on three different fillups, the lowest being through the mountains.

• 

  Super SUV with One Exception - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By H Gonzalez - March 27 - 12:46 pm

  Traded in 2004 Toyota 4Runner for 2005 Pathy LE. Nissan Pathfinder wins hands down having outstanding engine power and handling with all the bells and whistles compared to their competitors. The only thing Im not happy with is the rattles in the interior cabin. For the amount of money spent on a vehicle and type of technology used there is no reason for the rattles.

• 

  Mileage not what is promised! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By cakid1 - March 27 - 6:22 am

  Bought the car 3 months ago...nice car but very disappointed with the mileage. I am getting a solid 27 mpg with about half of my driving being freeway.

• 

  Rear window defect - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Linda Baiz - March 26 - 8:46 pm

  Two days ago the rear window of my Versa shattered spontaneously. I had just started the vehicle but was not yet in gear. There was no evidence of a rock or bird strike. Nissan does not warranty broken windows and my insurance has a $500 deductible so I had to pay $386 for replacement.

• 

  New Buyer - Excellent value for money - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Chandra S - Atlanta - March 26 - 8:16 am

  I am a new owner of 2017.5 SL with platinum package. I did extensive analysis comparing this with CX-5, CR-V & NX (My cars in the radar). I was very much drawn to the rougue due to its appearance and utility. I was a bit concerned about the inputs provided by some regarding the acceleration and CVT. After test driving all my comparisons decided to go with this as it was the most comfortable and appealing to me. It takes a bit getting used to the CVT and feels like there is a lack of response (especially I am coming off driving a BMW 328i for couple of years) but I feel that being mild the accelerator gets a more responsive torque and good enough for day to day driving. I am very comfortable now and love the way it handles the road imperfections. The smoothness of the ride is very good and I am very happy about the purchase and no second thoughts. I placing this feedback in case someone is looking for a user feedback and want to help people like me who had a lot to gain from others feedback. I have had it only for few weeks but enjoy driving it and thats the most important for anyone who buys. It sure is not the quickest off the block but good enough for average city driving.

• 

  Good Little Car - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By MobStar - March 25 - 9:43 pm

  I did my research before I bought it, and havent ever regretted the decision. Driving mostly city (Southern California traffic), I can pull almost 34 mpg. The interior is really nice, doesnt look cheap at all. Comfortable to drive, definitely not quick, but its a good commuter and daily driver. With the back seats folded down there is more than enough room to stow anything you need to - except maybe furniture, unless its from Ikea :)

• 

  Great but must like big things - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By hapieone1 - March 23 - 7:13 am

  We purchased this suv in July and traded in my Acura TL since it was too small for our growing family. My only conflict with this Armada is that it is not the Acura. I miss my car, but it is a great SUV !