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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  Good hand-me-down Car - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By George L. - February 16 - 9:50 am

  My dad purchased this car new in March 1996 and this car has been in my family since. I got the car as a junior in high school from my dad in 2001, and now at 23 I still have the car. While I am looking to replace it, I have been pretty happy with it since I got it 6 1/2 years ago. I have had very few mechanical problems with it. It seems to run strong every day. It doesnt have too many miles for its age. Its been a nice 1st car for me, but I am ready to move on.

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  Most Fun - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By John Holdren - February 15 - 8:40 am

  Ive never had more fun owning a car/truck. She runs like a sewing machine. Handles on the mountain passes here in CO perfectly. Off road very reliable. The girls wish it had a lighted passenger mirror. I bought em a make-up mirror and a flashlight.

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  You get what you pay for and then some! - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By hightechjunkie - February 15 - 5:45 am

  Ok, ignore all other reviews and pay close attention to this one about the 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan. This is a utilitarian vehicle...no frills and no nonsense. It will not make you grin when you drive it but then again, its not supposed to. It gets you from a-b very well and very cheaply. It has all of the convenience features you need and none you really dont. Its cheap to operate and in my experience very reliable.

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  2.5SL package - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Mr. Patel - February 15 - 1:50 am

  I bought my 08 Altime from my previews experience with a 03 Altima. I put 150,000 on my 03 Altima without any problem, so i bought an 08 Altima. 08 Altima is a great product, but the CVT transmission is horrible. I had so many problems while driving in the city from 40 to 50 mph. Also, the mic with blue-tooth feature is terrible. When you on the phone with another person, they cant hear you. Need better mic. Nissan needs to bring back their traditional transmission or they will lose alot of customers. I trade- in my Altima for a pre-owned Lexus.

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  last review traded it in - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By twowhldoug - February 14 - 5:34 pm

  final follow up on 2010 rogue,has 58,000 miles.Traded it on a pilot yesterday.Didnt buy a pathfinder due to premium fuel req.Unlike the 2009 we had the 2010 has been very nice to own.Only issue had for the length of ownership was the fuel gauge,not very accurate(was replaced once).The rogue has been a fine car,and has been fun to drive.Anytime punched up fuel mileage was 27pluss.the bose audio and blue tooth was a high point.Replaced tires at 44,000 and just maintenance.Dealer(Hunt Nissan)was the best.Feel bad about loosing them to the Honda guys,but we had to have a bigger car that used reg fuel.Ican say that a Rogue is a good choice to have.

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  2015 Nissan Rogue a Solid SUV option - 2015 Nissan Rogue Select
  By REBECCA ASHLOCK - February 13 - 10:58 pm

  I bought my 2015 NIssan Rogue Select S certified Pre-owned approx. 3.5 weeks ago. I chose the Cayenne Red exterior, gray interior, with the convenience package. I test drove a Ford Escape, Jeep Compass & Grand Cherokee, Chevy Trax & Equinox, and Subaru Forester. I chose the Nissan for the comfort, options, gas mileage and price compared to the others. I will start with the interior & seating- The first thing I noticed compared to some of the other models were the soft material in the Rogues seating. I found the front seats to be very comfortable, plenty of leg room with a high back & comfortable head rest. Im 59 and my husband is 64. We have no problem with space or comfort. I was surprised at the reclining/sliding seats offered in the second row seating which gives passengers more room. If you have to set in back its not a bad ride. I opted out of the third row seating, its small and cramped for this model. So please keep that in mind. My display is 4.3" color, rear view monitor, Illuminated visor mirrors, illuminated steering wheel. On my steering wheel are audio controls, bluetooth controls, and cruise control. The screen does offer hands free blue tooth. The back-up camera is very convenient and easy to see. I have Sirius radio, a CD player, Ipod/MP3 hookups, USB ports. I used the SIrius free trial, its nice but I wont subscribe. The radio is average, easy to pre set with 6 speakers. The controls on the steering wheel has made things very easy. I dont have to look away or reach over they are right at my fingertips. Kind of a nice safety feature for me since I love music. Its convenience is well worth it. I will say the steering wheel is a little smaller than my Dodge Charger. A side note on the Hands Free, you have the capability to switch to manual controls easily, I love that option over my moms Ford system! Cargo space is actually quite spacious. Its not a truck so if you have expectations of it offering full size truck capacity you will be disappointed. I believe my overall space is around 70cu feet with the second row seats down. Its more than adequate for a grocery shopping trip or to haul luggage, camping gear, sports gear, ice chest, etc. I have went to Lowes and bought some wood for my deck and it fit nicely with seats folded down. There is an option for a hide cargo system, I actually like this if I want to leave anything of value its great for concealing. The AC/Heater gets very cold, and there are plenty of vents throughout the vehicle. The performance is not bad. I have heard a lot of people knock passing or going up a hill, its not a 6 or 8 cylinder vehicle! I have the 2.5L FWD. I dont have a problem going around someone or getting on the highway, I also dont put my foot all the way in it either! If I wanted to drive like that I would get in my 2009 Charger and go for a drive! I drive 95 miles to work every morning and have not had a problem reaching speeds of 80mph. While driving at this speed, its smooth, easy to handle, and I dont have any blind spots others seem to have. I adjusted my mirrors to fit my view and no issue there. If you are going up a hill it is a little more noisy but nothing major. I have my radio set at 15 so most of the time I rarely notice any noise. The brakes react well, and driving in rain has not been an issue. I have never hydro planed so far and I love the Traction control. I live on 5 acres off a private dirt road which is why I wanted a small SUV or truck. The Rogue has handled well so far. When it gets muddy I dont have a problem getting through the road, it rides smoothly over the bumpy road, and handles well. That was my main reason in purchasing a small SUV was the country roads! So far its performed well. I get roughly 25.5MPG average mixed highway/City driving. This is not a muscle SUV or Truck, if you want a mid size economical SUV that handles nicely in various road conditions this SUV would be worth the look.

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  Shouldve kept looking! - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Charles Williams - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought it in July 2010 as I thought was an upgrade from my 1998 dodge stratus. The first mistake I made was when I test drove it; I loved the ride of it and the smoothness of the CVT transmission, but little did I know that that is pretty much the only good thing about this car. I thought I did my homework on it but apparently not. I shouldve read the reviews on this site from people because the people giving it bad reviews are spot on. I waited 8 years to get a new car and I ended up getting totally let down. I immediately regret my decision.

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  Superior interior room to competition - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Louie - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Versa last year in order to visit my grandson about 6 hours away. It has performed very well and reliably. It has 22k miles with only one service call for check engine which was just a sensor. My Versa is an S with a hatchback, 1.8L engine, automatic, power windows, ABS and cruise control. I am so glad that it has these options as it has made this car so comfortable over the long haul.

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  Nice, but... - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By NWO - February 13 - 10:00 am

  This is my 6th Sentra. 1. Who is dummy at Nissan who allowed Driver Visor to hit mirror? And no extension! Can cause accidents. 2. Extreme glare on window from dash. 3. Gold color radio and digital fuel readout very annoying. Pls switch bank to analog. 4. Temp gauge not correct. 5. Weak acceleration on slightest uphill, especially when entering on-ramp to freeway. 6. Dont be fooled by post "plants". 7. Cheesy speakers (vibrate to much). 8. No lock on glove box - what? (probabaly same design dummy at Nissan). 9. Very load interior noise (this is why dealership has heat or air on full blast so U cant hear road noise). 10. Drives nice, though, and look nice too.

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  Dependable, but... - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By badgerone5 - February 13 - 2:19 am

  cant understand how the frame could deteriorate so badly that it is virtually undrivable now. For a car that is 17 years old, I expected more--even if we are in the north. Have had the vehicle for about 2.5 years, and it has been dependable for our daughter, driving to and from college (some 400 miles away), generally requiring just regular maintenance overall. But, the car is virtually junk now because of the frame--with only 126,500 miles on it. Very disappointed. Other issues: a check engine light comes on often (oxygen sensor?), and it has a lot of rust. But the frame is the main issue. If purchasing vehicle used, have a pre-purchase check--especially the frame.