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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  Watch the color! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Allison - September 14 - 2:10 am

  I purchased a midnight blue Xterra a month ago. If you live in an area that has "love bugs" do not get a dark colored Nissan vehicle. The bug guts that have been splattered on the hood of my new car have made little dents in the paint. I had to buy a bug shield to cover it up! So be careful, go for the light colors if you have "love bugs" in the area where you live!

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  Do not buy this vehicle - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By 04MaximaForSale - September 13 - 9:33 pm

  This is the 4th Nissan I have owned and you can bet it WILL BE MY LAST! I bought it because I thought it would be fun and sporty, while still luxurious and comfortable. However, none of that is any good if youre too worried about breaking down to drive it! I have put 30k miles on this car and have had nothing but problems with it the entire time. In 2yrs, its been in the shop for the Clutch (twice!), Transmission, Struts, power windows, gas tank, front axle, engine mount, and the stereo. I was just informed that the Bose stereo unit on this car has failed and Nissan refuses to fix it. Only 2 yrs old and the radio fails? Not only that, to replace it will cost me just under $1000. Disappointed!

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  Could be a Great Vehicle, if..... - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By onei - September 13 - 5:16 pm

  My wife and I wanted to get out of the minivan era. This Murano clearly stood out as the top contender for us. It handles very well in all conditions. Has good pickup including climbing hills. The seating is comfortable with the leather seats and touring package. We average about 10k per year and mileage has been acceptable with about 20-21 mpg avg. This car is an eye catcher when its all polished up. Trouble is we cant get more than 30K out of a set of tires. Bose cd is great if it works. Sun visors are a real problem, replaced 4 of them so far. Engine mount cracked. Has been costly to maintain. CVT has performed well but high in maintenance.

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  Noisiest car I ever had - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By frespo - September 13 - 8:53 am

  I bought my new car ~ 2 months ago. Since the beginning it made a loud "grinding" engine noise. I think it sounds like a loud diesel car. Took it to the dealer and they could not find anything "unusual". You could hear it over the radio, which is not very good. This car is noisier than the Civic 2001 it replaced! On gas milegae, I was looking forward to getting at least 30. No such luck. With the car brand new it gave me 27 and now it is down to 25. It does not have a USB port, which comes standard with cheaper cars. In short, not the new car experience I was hoping for. Do yourself a favor. DO NOT BUY AN ALTIMA. There are plenty of good cars out there. Many are priced lower than this

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  Great Car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Andy - September 12 - 9:46 pm

  Ive had this car since 07 and put 42K on it. Theres never been a single problem. This is one of the best cars I have ever had. I tested the other hybrids and this one has more room and comfort. The ride is silky smooth with an excellent blend between ride and handling. Long trips are not fatiguing. Acceleration due to the electric motor boosting output to almost 200 hp is excellent.

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  starting to go! - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By bianchi - September 12 - 10:00 am

  My sentra has been wonderful up until 120,000 miles. Check eng. light has been on for 3 years and as I get one thing fixed the light comes on again. Given up, just put in 2 new sensors the Mass Air sensor and the Map sensor both were very costly, over 1,000 dollars combined. Check eng. light still on. The car is losing power on hills and when the AC is running. The eng. now is beginning to make a ratteling noise it was fixed before when I put in the new sensors. The car has over 150,000 miles and over all I havent put very much money into it. I will not put any more money into it either. When it dies its gone. Over all its been a great car!

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  Excellent Car for its price - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By Argoquest - September 12 - 10:00 am

  The car is actually fun to drive. Transmission is very responsive – no annoying downshifts. The engine is a bit noisy. Steering is CRISP; virtually no body roll; tight turning radius; very good road feedback. The car handles well at highway speeds. Two words on brakes – be gentle, or you’ll warp your front rotors in no time. Already had two recalls: faulty crank shaft sensor and defective rims – the dealer took care of both problems and have done an excellent job. One major complaint: the metal under the hood (supporting brackets, heat shields, wire harness brackets, etc) had started to corrode. Mileage is very good – I get consistent 33-34 miles/gallon.

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  maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By jason t - September 12 - 10:00 am

  good car but many small annoying things

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  Murano_best all wheel drive Ive owned - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By robbie - September 12 - 10:00 am

  The week I picked my Murano we had a big snow storm. When I pressed the all wheel drive switch and backed out of my parking space I met a huge 18" wall of snow left by the snow plow. I plowed right through it with ease. The SUV is as good as any 4 wheel drive Ive ever owned. I have been driving 4 wheel drives since 1969. I have owned aleast 9, 4 wheel drives from CJ Jeeps To Toyota 4runners

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  My Rano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By tbartz - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I love everything about this SUV with the exception of the following. The type of leather they used on the seats is very dry...its not soft or suptle, it is however durable, and great for kids. I also dont care for the drink holders in the front, nor do I care for the styling of the grill....The Infinity FX -35 & 45 are much better.