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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  It doesnt get any better ... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By lvbyit - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought this magnificent machine "love at first sight". No need for leather, the material is like no other, more of suede feel than anything else. The standard features surpass Lexus and BMW as far as interior comfort, design, and hands on instrumentation. 4-foot daughter to my 6.5-foot son to my full- grown lab, thereÂ’s room galore. Exterior, its like no other. It ownÂ’s the niche between luxury SUV design and ultra sport sedan, revolutionizing this market class. Lastly, who ever heard of an SUV doing 7 sec. 0-60 times, still getting 21-avg. mpg, oh yeah, all under $30K. Me thats who, see ya!

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  Awesome!! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Tom - April 29 - 11:43 pm

  My first "big/small" car. Just love the CVT, comfort, ride, silence, music system, and room. My first fill up with a new engine and town driving only was 32 mpg - cant wait to try it on the highway!!

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  XTERRA"ED - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By randy - April 29 - 3:26 pm

  Traded in used 2005 model for new 2007 S model. LUV IT! Very easy to drive, handles, well, and lots of rear cargo space. Got thru first VT winter with factory BF Goodrich tires w/no sweat. Acceleration for a 6-cylinder, 4-liter is great! Nice CD stereo and speakers to start but upgraded w/after market Kenwood system & Jensen Speakers. Decent mileage at 20 plus on highway for this size/weight SUV. Outstanding value for the price versus domestic comparison SUVs from Ford, GM, and Dodge!

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  Feels like the Basilica inside! - 2011 Nissan Cube
  By jlaven - April 28 - 4:55 am

  Getting in and out of the cube is complete different experience than other cars. So much space inside! Yes it feels spacious, yet it is a compact car. Mines is Bitter Chocolate. I figure why get just a normal color like grey or white for such an exceptional vehicle. This is a car I actually look forward to driving. Too bad my wife has it for most of the day.

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  2008 Nissan Versa... what a cool car! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Jan Hill - April 27 - 9:56 pm

  Great car. I drove the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris, the Suzuki SX4, and the Nissan Versa won hands down. Its a great car. Has a lot of interior room. The Versa has tons of room and I can straighten my leg all the way out, which is great when you are commuting 2 hours round trip a day. The mileage is great. Im getting 33 MPG and Its not even broken in yet. Very quiet ride (w/windows closed) and does great at highway speeds of 70 MPH. It feels stable and solid. Has a big car feel to it. The others felt like scary go-carts at high speeds.

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  I think Nissan will sell a lot of these - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Fred - April 27 - 2:56 pm

  I have had my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder for about a month now. It came with the Comfort, Premium, and DVD packages. Initially, I wasnt totally sold on the Comfort and Premium packages, but now am glad I went with them. They add very nice features. So far I love the way this truck drives. The kids love the third row, the DVD player, and the ability to see out the windows.

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  Happy Customer - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Satisfied Owner - April 27 - 1:50 pm

  My previous vehicle was a Chevy S-10 with the Vortec V-6. This Nissan blows my old truck out of the water. It has plenty of giddy up, lots of room inside, and handles remarkably well for a large vehicle. The gas mileage I get is a lot better than advertised on the sticker. I usually get about 18 miles per gallon city. I also enjoy how quite it is inside the cabin. This vehicle is very well built.

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  Fun Car to Drive - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Tom - April 26 - 3:26 am

  I bought this car a month ago, after searching and reviewing numerous other models/styles. This is our second Altima weve owned and what an improvement from the first one. Exterior styling is excellent. It has a distinctive shape that stands out from other vehicles on the road. The interior styling is good, but not great. Its a rather plain interior, with a bit of a cheap plastic feel in some areas. The wood-grain molding on the dash and the center console improves the feel. Storage is adequate, but small in the console. The ride is a bit stiff, but has a sporty feel to it. The 6-cyl engine is strong, with good acceleration. Steering is crisp and responsive.

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  Very nice SUV - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Chris - April 26 - 1:36 am

  Im from the bay area, I was ready to buy a Toyota Highlander but thank god I saw this SUV online, I went to test drive it and I liked a lot. Dont get me wrong the highlander is nice but for just a couple of more dollars I got a better SUV overall. You can feel the power on it, just had it for almost a week and I love it.

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  Armada reflects Nissons racing lines - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Gary Farmer - April 26 - 12:00 am

  I have perhaps 200 motorcycle road races under my belt and this Armada is the most fun to drive SUV I ever could imagine. I live in the North Georgia mountains with numerous hairpins,15 mph curves with increasing and decreasing radius turns within uphills and downhills. Im MOST satisfied and highly recommend the Armada.