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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  Kick Butt Nissan - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Jeckyll - February 1 - 10:00 am

  This truck is great. You get the best parts of an SUV, but you still have the convenience of a truck bed. Great towing capacity and the long bed makes it very stable. Back seat is a little cramped, but fine for younger kids, dogs or just storage. I only average about 19 MPG which I think could be a little higher. Funny thing is that it never seems to differ between hwy and city, or even towing my boat.The 3.3 liter is tough and strong, but not quite the pick I was looking for. I wish Nissan offered the 3.5 liter V-6 in the Frontier. I think that would be the icing on top and make this truck absolutely perfect.

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  Beware - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By ldb87 - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Now 18 K-sounds like a 15 year old cab. Worst build quality and materials I have ever seen-radio cant drown out squeaks. Brakes too small for vehicle and wet performance is horrid. Beautiful body and great engine but look elsewhere.

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  Value for money - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By us - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle! Choices were RX330, Murano, MDX and FX35. In the end, chose something that was different and well priced. Do feel sometimes that RX330 could have also been a good choice, but man is never really satisfied. All in all, good vehicle. Got a touring package at invoice value added to the car. Purschased it below invoice.

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  zman - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By z milwaukee - February 1 - 10:00 am

  enjoy the experience the sounds of the pipes as I push the padel and the looks of the car

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  2005 Altima 2.5S, beats Accord or Camry - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Dude in Bergen Cnty - February 1 - 10:00 am

  hands down, NO doubt. Got the car July,2005 with Convenience Plus Package! Car is so easy to drive, nothing harsh about it. All around spacious, including a sizable sunroof. Steering wheel and stereo looks more updated and pleasant than last years model. Interior door latches wide enuff for big hands. Bluish tint on windshield helps against sunglare. Seats feels comfortable for long vacation drives. Tires are decent even in sudden down pours doing 75mph.

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  AWESOME CAR - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By KEPOLA - February 1 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Nissan. My first was a 1982 200 SX that went to 260,000 miles. I still have my 1995 200 SX that has 250,000 miles on it and still running. I know this Altima will run just as strong. I love my Altima! Its fast, fun to drive, comfortable and looks awesome! It just hugs the road and when you need an extra boost, it will not fail you. You will not be disappointed with this vehicle.

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  Old man having a blast - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Gordon Lanning - February 1 - 3:53 am

  First time to own a foreign designed car. I car pool to and from work I cant wait for my turn to drive. Its like when we were kids you just could not wait for your parrents to ask you to go to the store to purchase something for the dinner table. That same feeling comes to me now after owning my car for nearly a year. I do my own maintenance and my vehicle has yet to go in for service of any kind.

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  Twenty-three K and broken - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By soon2bxoner - February 1 - 12:06 am

  WOW! Was excellent car. At 8000 miles rear tires wore out. Service tech advised that along with each 6000 mile tire rotation 4 wheel alignment should be preformed. Dealership replaced the 2 worn out rear tires with new ones same brand Bridgestone Turanzas. This car should have premium Michelins on it. Now 01-07-07 engine knocks. Metal on metal grinding in engine. Oil change reveals metal chunks and metal filings in oil. Dealership advised Nissan of problem. Nissan has authorized NEW engine replacement only because remanufactured engine not available. This car was never abused. Any faith or trust that this car brand would be relatively good reliable car is shattered. NEVER AGAIN! NO NISSANs

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  Completely Unreliable - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By New Honda Owner - January 31 - 5:53 pm

  We loved the styling and perks of the 2.5SL, and we loved the car for the first 2500 miles. Its been downhill fast from there- the car has been in the shop about 10 times in the first year of ownership. In addition to many smaller issues, we have had the transmission replaced, the exhaust pipes replaced, and the computer reprogrammed three times for a very rough idle. The car rattles like an old chevy truck, and they cant figure out why. Isnt legally a lemon, so we traded it- for a Honda. Will NEVER own another Nissan.

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  Not A Reliable Family or Traveling Vehicle! - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Cristy Bramhall - January 31 - 5:18 pm

  I should have listened to the reviews and my husbands gut feeling. I had previously purchased a 2007 Pontiac G6 from Economy Nissan in Durango, Colorado. Several months after I purchased it the brakes needed to be replaced. Shorly after that the 2007 Pontiac G6 stopped running. Found out it was an O2 Sensor and another issue that Nissan would not fix and stated I would have to go to a dealership that works on Pontiacs. Thank goodness it was under Federal Warranty and I didnt have to pay for the issues that needed to be fixed. After a year or so the vehicle started wobbling. Come to find out three of the rims were bent. I have no idea how. And again they would not fix. Then there were several recalls and I chose to trade it in for another vehicle. Against my better judgement I went back to Economy Nissan and ended up trading it for a 2012 Nissan Rogue. I am paying way more for the vehicle than its worth for starters. Three months after I purchased the vehicle my family and I were going to Silverton, Colorado for the fourth of July. While going up Coal Bank pass as soon as I hit 10,000 ft elevation I started losing power. With the gas pedal all the way to the floor I barely made it to the halfway point to where my husband had to take off the battery terminal to reset the engine and all the settings. We proceeded to our destination after replacing the battery terminals and the power was restored where we chose to camp and then were going to go into Silverton to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately, the Rogue would not start. It wouldnt turn over at all. We missed watching the fireworks and ended up waiting til the next day to walk to where we had cell service to call a tow truck to come from Durango. Needless to say it was very frustrating and we had the vehicle dropped off at Economy Nissan to be looked at the following day (Monday). They ran a diagnosis and told us the battery was running half charged. So they fully charged it. We feel this was not the problem at all and they were covering up for a problem they didnt want to fix because the Rogue was 5,000 miles out of warranty. After this event the vehicle lost power a couple of times crossing the highway at about 6,500 ft elevation. Economy Nissan said they could not find the cause for this. On July 4th, 2016, going to Silverton, Colorado in the same place the Rogue lost power going up Coal Bank Pass and would not go past the halfway point. It wouldnt even move in reverse out of the parking lot. I had to push the Rogue backward to get it starting down hill the way we came. The gas pedal was once again to the floor as it was coming up the hill. I made a service appointment for July 11, 2016 for a diagnosis. The results were the module in the transmission was going bad. I was told in not so many words that the whole transmission would need to be replaced for $4,000 for the transmission who knows how much for the labor, etc. And that because it was passed the warranty mileage Nissan wouldnt cover it. So I contacted Consumer Affairs and pleaded my case. After they spoke with Nissan the review was they could not help me because the Rogue is out of warranty. So now, I am stuck with a car that isnt worth what I am paying. Not by half and I feel Nissan knew about this problem. There are many, many bad reviews and Nissan refuses to fix this problem with Nissan. What if the Rogue loses power when crossing a major intersection and I have no control over the steering and I am hit with my grandkids in the car? Obviously, Nissan doesnt care because all they could say is "Im sorry, I know its frustrating. I wished we could help you further." So, with all that being said, DO NOT BUY A NISSAN ROGUE OR ANYTHING FROM ECONOMY NISSAN OF DURANGO, COLORADO !!!