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:

• 

  The Truest Sports Car at a Bargin Price - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By SIMON SIONI - April 18 - 7:26 pm

  Incredible value! New & improved, even more powerful V6 Engine; Hood Design; 7500 RPM Redline; Bluetooth now available; Improved switch visibility (example; Open/Close - Top).

• 

  2007 350Z touring - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By David Colas - April 18 - 4:06 pm

  Very happy with the car, comfort gets an "8" because of road noise. but overall very happy with the car, had owned a 71, 240Z, a 77, 280Z, and an 86, 300ZX, by far this is much more car.

• 

  New Altima - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By M.A. Davis - April 18 - 2:23 pm

  Getting 23-24 mpg in town, 30-31 highway. Steering is easy, parking even easier. All accessories work well and are within easy reach of driver. Has back support for comfort. Get loads of compliments on design and color (pewter)

• 

  Blast to drive - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Jedi Z - April 18 - 11:16 am

  This has to be the most enjoyable car I have ever owned. Sure, its small and other cars are a little faster but the combination of Japanese quality and unique styling make a true winner.

• 

  Electric Wonder - 2012 Nissan Leaf
  By mikelaw1 - April 18 - 11:16 am

  The Leaf has great acceleration up to about 40 mph, because of the high torque of the electric drive, it is only two wheel drive but feels like four wheels drive, maybe because of large wide tires (55 series) and a low center of gravity, Batteries under floorboard have a lot of weight, so it really hugs the road. Keeps the car about forty mph in ECO mode, (slower mode, slower acceleration ) should get you 150+ mile range. It really begins to use up the juice over 50 mph and by 60 to 70 mph range is only about 75. Frost on inside if left outside is a problem requiring defrosting before starting out. It is a really about town car. Most charging stations appear to charge $3 for a charge.

• 

  I was set to purchase the Outback until - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By Female Road Warrior - April 18 - 11:03 am

  I read about the Rogue on Edmunds! I purchased the Rogue S w/360. I love this car! It is very comfortable, fun to drive, and affordable! I am a middle-aged female, 52" and I find this car suits my need to carry my sales samples, suitcases,etc. It is peppy, quiet, easy to maneuver. I really enjoy driving this car. I have put 1800 miles on it in just 2 weeks. I travel by car for my job and this vehicle gives me the room and ride that I require. I have the 360 pkg and I love that backup mirror option! Its "no frills" package is just what I need. the AWD is awesome! Winters should be a breeze with this car.

• 

  Solid Car with style - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Paul - April 17 - 12:03 pm

  I have traded in my 06 Acura TL w/ Navi. Since I was sick of driving TL (Dont get me wrong. TL is a nice car), I wanted to get infiniti G37x or Nissan 370 Z. However, my wife liked the look of Cube, and she liked it because of high gas mileage compared to our 06 TL and 07 MDX. I had this car for 4 days. So far, this car gives me a good gas mileage, and I get a lot of attention from people because of its unique appearance. Cube is roomier than it looks and 1.8 SL with SL package gives you many useful features. Interior lighting features and luminating kick plate add an accent to the car as well. Driving is not as powerful as TL, however, it serves its purpose with decency. Very nice car

• 

  Awesome Car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By scott2007 - April 17 - 10:53 am

  I purchased the Versa 2 days ago and Im very impressed. Build quality is top notch for this price range. The interior room is exceptional for a subcompact. (I traded an Element for this vehicle). The CVT auto transmission is very smooth. The interior is exceptional for a car at this pricepoint.

• 

  Great Car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By ioccaste - April 17 - 7:30 am

  ive had my 2000 maxima se for about 7 months now. i bought the car with 73k miles on it. so far, i havent had any problems with the car. it really is a great all-around car. interior is laid out very well, and exterior styling is great. this car really goes! you can notice the difference between 89 and 93 octane gas--better performance, gas mileage, etc. what i love is at idle, you can hardly hear the car running, you really have to stress to hear the engine. very quiet and stable at highway speeds and beyond. the ride in the SE is a little firm. if you like to toss the car around, the SE is for you. tigther suspension compared to the GLE or GXE. superior to any american car.very happy

• 

  for $23018 great - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By len - April 17 - 2:00 am

  the wife loves it, For the price what even comes close too it???