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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  This Truck Holds Up - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Dave - November 9 - 1:00 am

  I purchased this Pathfinder off-lease at 36,000 miles and have since racked up 115,000 miles. I have absolutely hammered this thing. 4 cross country trips, some serious off roading, living above 8,000 ft in the Utah mountains, and lots of 4WD driving in snow. She has never let me down, always starting right up. I have had the front rotors turned(they became warped) at 45,000 miles and a new Throttle Position Sensor. No other repairs other than normal wear and tear. This is not a fast vehicle, but it gets you wherever you need to go. Fuel economy is not great, but it is an SUV. K&N air filter and Platinum plugs help. Still drives well, I expect to put 250k on her.

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  Good car for first time driver! - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By lizemrich - November 8 - 4:28 pm

  I got this car for my 16th birthday, Ive never had any problems in the year since then. It is a poorly made car, low end of Nissan for sure, but for a first car it was great. Very easy to drive and gets great gas mileage. The fuel pump is an issue for me just like everyone else who mentioned it, my car has never not started, but it does take two tries sometimes. Other than that I love it! Great first car, I wouldnt buy it if it wasnt for a teen or college student though.

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  Not what we exoected - 2012 Nissan Murano
  By jmartinco - November 8 - 2:14 pm

  Bottom line, heres what were disappointed with: Leather seats are nice, but stiff and not comparable to the comfort in Volvo, BMW, VW or Lexus. Very noisy cabin...as bad on the highway as the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe we were replacing. The rear view is definitely compromised...and seems dangerous. Exterior design sacrifices size for a sleek look, making it more difficult to park and maneuver than it should be. Navigation not user friendly. Dealership didnt give accurate info about the pricing incentives, making us decide on this vehicle prematurely. MPG disappointing. Would we buy it again? No way.

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  40K car for 25K - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Vineyard - November 8 - 12:10 pm

  Superb car. Very smooth. Very fast. Very comfortable. A tremendous bang for the buck. I would choose it over my Boston car; a 99 Mitsu Eclipse GSX.

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  Buy an Xterra!!! - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Eddie Huerta - November 8 - 12:20 am

  I traded my 2000 Xterra in for the new 2005 Xterra. I think Nissan did a great job redesigning and adding more power to the "X". To me, acceleration was the only issue with my old one. I love my new Truck, I would never own any other car or truck if it wasnt a Nissan.

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  A love affair with my Maxima SE - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By mspitt - November 7 - 11:19 pm

  I bought this car new and it is still "New" to me. Everyday I get pleasure driving it. I had to do absolutely nothing to this car (except regular maintenance) until 2006 when my mothers dog chewed some wires in two. Now at 180,000 miles, the only thing my husband has done is replace the struts. This car is what all car makers should strive for. Its reliability is unmatched and it is a joy to drive. I would buy another Nissan, but I prefer to keep my Maxima, fixing whatever goes wrong, and just keep driving it. I am convinced this is the "BEST" car on the road.

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  Hard to beat for the money. - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Albert - November 7 - 9:58 pm

  Its cheap, reliable, pretty good looking and has enough power for you to have fun with enough safety features to keep you alive. Turns at double the limit and snow driving are no problem for this machine. Smooth as silk in the triple digits. Only complaint is that the trunk is on hinges instead of struts and that changing bulbs is not something a novice can easily do. I would recommend putting a cold air intake on for the mpg increase and increase in engine noise to drown out the higher pitched CVT.

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  SE-R rocks - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Lex - November 7 - 7:33 pm

  Hey, This car is the bestcar we have ever owned!! Its fast and really roomy. It has the Z engine and it hauls. I love this car!!

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  5 Months and still loving it - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Zach J - November 7 - 5:46 pm

  I wrote a review called 3 Months and still love it. I have now driven my truck in both summer and winter (live in the Northeast). I have also gotten over my initial new car happy feeling, but believe me: Im still very happy with my truck. I took fuel economy down one notch because in four wheel drive I know its depressingly low. All vehicles are low in 4WD though, so dont skip this truck because of that. The power is still great, handles like a dream, and there has been ZERO snowpiles or unplowed roads that I could not get through. I live in a city built on a hill where they dont know how to plow, and I still havent had a single problem in the snow.

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  The best! - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By bonton - November 7 - 4:06 pm

  I bought this car when it had 40K miles on it and now, 5/07, it has 202K and still runs as good as the day I bought it. I have replaced an oxygen sensor, the starter, and the brakes. This is without a doubt, the best car I have ever owned in my 32 years of driving. I will keep it until they push me off the road.