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, but. . . . - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By feverfive - November 28 - 11:33 am

  Nice car, but not quite up to the hype. Nice thrust/acceleration for a 4 cyl. Could use more noise dampening to block out road noise. The heater/cooling fan is TOO NOISY!!

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  Do not buy a Spec V! Engine problems! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Lance O - November 27 - 9:26 pm

  This car has an engine malfunction which is apparent once car warms up. I bought my car new, and this malfunction started once it had 2,000 miles on it. This causes a car that claims to get 29 mpg on the highway, to get 23 mpg highway. This 200 hp car feels closer to 120 hp when the engine is acting up. The dealership and Nissan engineers are saying that it is a characteristic of the car, and thus far have not made a recall. This affects 2007+ sentra spec vs. I would not have bought this car had I had access to the above information prior to my purchase. Please speak with someone who has this car prior to purchase!

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  Better mileage and it would be perfect - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By boomingemu - November 27 - 6:06 am

  I bought it used with 15,000 miles and have been very pleased with it other than the gas mileage. The CD changer refuses to eject my discs (still need to have that fixed). Another review mentioned an annoying rattle from the defrost vents on the dash, and I have that as well. I also had a clogged a/c drain tube which caused a major water leak on the passenger floor board. Nissan will fix this design problem on 2005+ models, but I had to pay a little to have them clear the drain. Everything else mechanical has been great so far at 55,000 miles. The jack with the vehicle is terrible. I found it unstable and dangerous to use when changing a tire on the side of the highway.

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  Bad Nissan Experience - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Carlos Chiari - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I read before I purchased the car issues regarding "vibrations at high speeds". When I test drove it, it seemed fine, so I purchased it. After 3,000 miles the shake developed and i took it into the dealership. Conveniently, they "werent able to reproduce the shake;" hence, unable to fix it. After 3 visits, they still cant "replicate it". Ugh! Second gear also shifts rough - another thing they cant fix. Now my engines making a "metallic scratching noise", which - yup you guessed it - they cant replicate. This is my first and last Nissan. Im going back to overpriced Hondas....

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  1999 Maxima GLE - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - November 26 - 7:10 am

  Have had no issues with this car. Routine maintenance only. Has lots of pep, fun to drive. Has all options available on 1999 models. Moon roof. 85K miles. Very reliable.

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  Great vs. Competitors - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By AA - November 24 - 9:40 pm

  I bought this car simply because it was cheaper and a heck of a lot funner to drive than a Civic. It has not dissapointed. I have over 60K on it and it is still running like new. No major repairs at all. The only problem I have had is my front rotors warp very easily. Im going to keep it well maintained and expect over 200,000K from it. The gas milage is acceptable, would probably be better if it didnt turn almost 3500 rpm at 75 mph. All in all, a blast to drive, looks great and holds up well --- Id buy another.

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  Quality needs improv - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By New Buyer - November 24 - 3:10 pm

  I just bought Pathfinder 11/8/05 and love it. but last night (11/30/05) the right back tire was flat in the local street there is a very clean street and I couldnt find any cut from the flat tire. I called the dealer and was informed "no warranty for the tire" I am so mad this is only 3 weeks and 480 mile in this brand new car. How is this quality?

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  Lights out - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By mark skipper - November 22 - 7:26 am

  Have been pretty pleased with this truck. Dealer fixed brake problems early on. One thing though is that many times at night when I turn on the right hand turn signal the lights go off. This has scared the crap out of me as driving at high speeds at night and the lights go out when I turn on the right hand signal and a few times when I go from dims to bright. Anyone else experience this? Always in a panic to turn them back on.

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  Nice head-turner - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Mikester - November 21 - 8:56 am

  I bought my blue roadster about six months ago and its been fun to drive on the back roads of California. Amazing how steady it is above 100 mph, but frustratingly heavy clutch at road speed. Handles great and most of the Zs gremlins have been fixed under warranty (buzzy shifter knob, rattling axle bolts(!?), failed air bag sensor, etc).

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  So far not too bad - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By ken - November 20 - 10:53 pm

  Not a bad running car except for the engine being a little noisy and lack of pick-up unless you punch it. Exterior design is nice. The interior has a lot of room for a compact car along with a roomy trunk. All the controls are in good locations and are easy to get to. The display on the radio/trip info is large and very easy to see. The biggest problem I have had is interior rattles. First I had a problem with the drivers side window not closing correctly and causing a rattle. Even though its been serviced 3 times for the same problem it still makes noise. The glass/plastic which covers the speedometer is loose and makes a lot of noise. Overall interior made cheaply.