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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  Big Blue - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Sandy L. Komito - June 30 - 8:40 pm

  It is light on its feet and passes quickly and swiftly. Im glad I bought the blue one. Its almost electric. Its easy to locate in a parking lot. The headlights are creative and shed a great deal of light on the road at night. I bought the convenience net that holds items in the back of the hatch. It does a good job.

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  Good car, but beware of a few issues - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Jersey - June 30 - 6:46 pm

  I am the original owner of a 2004 Altima I purchased in 2003. Its a fun to drive car and has adequate head/legroom for tall drivers (as long as there is no sunroof). Acceleration and handling are very good and I generally get 23 mpg from daily driving. My biggest issues have been the following: Nissan dealerships are not good at diagnosing/fixing problems (Ive used several dealerships with similar results), car wont start after you turn car on/off quickly in cold weather (This is a known "cold start" issue that, based on my experience, Nissan generally does not acknowledge/fix), parts can be expensive. While I enjoy driving the car, my experiences with Nissan are often disappointing.

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  "Z" real deal, no? - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By DChris14 - June 30 - 6:40 pm

  I bought my Z used with only 6800 miles on it and got a great deal. So, the price/ performance ratio is fantastic. Heads turn when I drive this, people even stop me in parking lots. People pull up in Porsches wanting to race me, I just tell them my car looks better than theirs. The engine is great, get the KN air filter and release the horses to 290. The pedal to engine response is tight but the tiptronic shifter could be more responsive but the handling of the car is smooth and flawless. Being 62 I fit perfect into these racing type seats, if you are 65 and above get the G35. The layout of the interior is highly functional and easy to use but needs a little flash.

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  2006 Nissan Frontier - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By aolaniesene - June 30 - 10:18 am

  We purchased a Nissan because we believed in its superior quality. We believed that we would have a truck that would easily last us 10 years. However, after just 4 years - and almost nearing to paying off this trucks loan - we experienced what other forums show is a common manufacturer defect. At high mileages, Frontiers may experience a break in its radiator, causing coolant to mix in with transmission liquid. Even though we have been excellent Nissan clients, bringing in our Nissan for regular servicing to ensure it lasts long...weve been hit by this defect. So, the non-reward for taking care of our truck is having recently paid approx. $6k..

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  Great Value, but keep the dealer honest! - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By cpa6 - June 30 - 5:35 am

  I love my Sentra! BUT there were a couple of problems. The rear axle was bent upon purchase causing fishtailing in winter. Found it when I had the alignment ckd. Dealer tried to get out of it, but ended up getting it fixed for free. 90k miles on it so far. Do all my own work. Synthetic oil every 10k miles, CVT fluid myself at 50k, removed the cabin air filter. Grossly overpriced and worthless. Great value and looking forward to another 100k miles! Brakes have lasted far longer than I anticipated.

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  Another bad transmission in Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Colleen - June 29 - 4:26 pm

  I purchased my 2003 Murano AWD used with 24k miles on it. Like other reviewers, my transmission just failed at 88,319 miles, and it is costing me $6000 to have a reconditioned transmission put in. Nissan customer service said that they were not going to help me with the repair. I am very disappointed with Nissans quality and customer service, and I will not buy another. Also, the CD player stopped functioning at around 75k, and it cost over $450 to fix. The radio shop told me that they saw many Muranos with that problem.

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  Not TOO Shabby - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Roxy - June 29 - 1:50 pm

  I thought this car was fun to drive. Great for what you put your $ into. Not as powerful as a V-6 but peppy enough. What can you expect for under $20,000..? This car drives very smoothly. I used to drive a 6 cylinder, so changing over is quite a difference. Backing out is in full view. I havent found a blind spot yet. Want to look for accessories though.. If anyone knows where to find them...??

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  The Altima Experience - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By cbt1164 - June 29 - 12:40 pm

  Fun to drive quick pick up push start is great lots of new options one touch auto roof is new great idea sportier looking car standard side & curtain airbags a big plus

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  Enjoying my new car! - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By neilgphoto - June 29 - 11:53 am

  Ive never been compelled to write a review of my car until now. It was a toss up between the Altima or the new Sonata (which I still REALLY like the styling of). However, after paying attention to the cars on the road, the Sonatas seem to be everywhere!! Sure, there are also a lot of Altimas, but I think it will stand the test of time. The engine is smooth, and the CVT transmission is just bizarre to get used to. When driving "nicely", you can actually accelerate to 60 mph without revving past 2000 rpm - almost at a constant engine speed. Around town, the computer says Im getting 26mpg. After driving the CVT, it was weird driving our van and feeling the shifts!

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  A couple of exceptions - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bubbaschill - June 29 - 11:06 am

  Overall, impressed with the entire package (HP/Torque, Interior, Styling and Price (bought the Pathfinder at invoice - thanks to the pricing info. on the Edmunds site!)We have had the vehicle for over 3 months and have driven approx. 7K miles. During that time, we have had the vehicle into service 3x for an "intake clatter" (sounds like a diesel) under load at 1.5K - 2.5K RPM. The dealers service department cant remedy the problem (blames being "behind the curve" on the new 4.0 engine)which is very frustrating. Other problems were the housing of the interior brake light fell off and w-shield sprayer inoperable. I hope they can remedy the "clatter" problem. Aside from that, love the vehicle