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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  Beautiful car - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By Charles Werts - May 11 - 7:15 pm

  I really like this car. After owning 2 SUVs. I decided to buy a sedan. I bought the top of the line Altima with all the options available. I am very pleased. Mileage is great, 35 mpg for my normal driving (not highway driving). Very comfortable with great visibility. The interior is very nice, leather seats, moon roof, etc. Safety features are well designed and intuitive Very happy with this car

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  Maximas Rock!!! - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By krissyc - May 11 - 2:23 pm

  What a car!! Havent owned my Max that long, but the ride, handling and power are awesome!!! Love the comfy leather seats and wood grain design. A very safe, dependable vehicle. Bought for only $3,300 with 139K. What a steal! Ill never get rid of this car! Very happy!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  A huge disappointment! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By ladylawyer1968 - May 11 - 2:00 pm

  This van has had more problems than any vehicle we have ever owned. All the recalls, rear door motor had to be replaced, rattles in doors "fixed" numerous times, automatic sliding door reverses for no reason, both sliding doors have rubbed over rear wheel well causing paint to be scratched, fixed once, but doing it again, getting it fixed has been a nightmare. Most recently, automatic drivers seat was leaned back to reach something and now will not move forward, switch is dead, creating a major safety issue. Nissans answer? Drive the 80+ miles to the dealership with the seat back in an unsafe position. Horrible gas mileage. Nissan U.S. no help. Shame on you Nissan.

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  Great for being the wifes vehicle - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Sanders630 - May 11 - 8:56 am

  Overall this is a good family vehicle. Meets the same fuel economy that our previous 2003 Altima 2.5S had. To me theres nothing fantastic but, Im a sports car fanatic. The paddle shifters do help with that aspect though. Also does handle pretty decently for a tall vehicle. Some of its braking components and suspension aspects are shared with the Sentra SE- R Spec-V.

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  Armada.......a big disappointment - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By james28 - May 10 - 7:13 pm

  This vehicle is the worst i owned. I owned a supercharged xterra which i assumed was the biggest leamon of all time. 3 recalls and numerous problems we traded for the armada. Nissan refuses to provide parts to fix the brakes and we have driven this shakey vehicle for 8mths. We have a water leak, rattles all over, power steering pump moans and a wind leak around the door. The transmisson has a shutter in it. Nissan has fallen to an all time low. I have owned nissan since 1985 and will never own another one. Stay away from nissan products if your smart.

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  Great car, a few glitches. - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By craigj - May 10 - 9:26 am

  Overall I love this car - it looks great and handles great. The performance is great and though the ride is stiff, I find it to be comfortable even for 2 or 3 hour rides. I get about 19 mpg which is all surface streets, even getting on it occasionally :). The handling is very neutral - not too much oversteer, just what youd expect from this configuration. The interior is, in my opinion, just right for a sports car - nice and clean, a little spartan. the exterior is just beautiful, especially in titanium with the 18" wheels and brembo brakes. I do feel that there are some issues with the build quality. To date Ive encountered a leaking roof, a drivetrane rattle, misaimed headlights.

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  Best in class - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By jwill - May 10 - 9:20 am

  I drove the Frontier and the Tacoma - the frontier was my favorite by far (although some of that had to do with the sales guy). The v6 has power to spare, the seats are comfortable, and Im getting 19 mpg mixed driving, which is about what my old Volvo 740GL was getting. Couldnt be happier with this truck.

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  Look out Europe, 3.5 rocks - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Big Papi - May 10 - 6:06 am

  Ive owned the BMWs, Saabs, and prior to those, Maximas. Honestly, for the money, you cant miss here. The engine is very strong at all speeds, exhaust has a muted but otherwise nice growl. Does not handle like a BMW or Saab Aero, but will walk away from most with its 270 hp. Car has a solid feel and fresh design. Big enough to actually carry normal sized people! CVT is so smooth and has a nice manual mode - first automatic trans Ive owned in 22 years - its that good. Have to buy the option packages to get all the features youll want, but do it dude!

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  Nissan "Little WorkHorse" - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By Henry - May 9 - 11:06 am

  I bought this vehicle in 1998, have had it since. Best vehicle I have ever owned I can count the repairs with one hand. Repaired the ignition key once under warranty, air bag light has been on since 2007 still not repaired, replaced clutch 4/2008 only because I had the money to do it before it went out on me, found out later I still had a few more miles on it. 2009 replaced starter, A/C making humming noise but still works. One more thing replaced headliner. Best truck ever owned, I also own a Maxima. The Frontier beats the Maxima by a long shot on repairs.

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  Fantastic pickup - 2014 Nissan Frontier
  By Nicholas schutzius - May 9 - 10:05 am