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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  BUENO! - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By RUSSELL PTACEK - June 5 - 11:39 am

  Good car at a fair price.

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  Best truck - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By killgo - June 5 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Titan for 7 months and no regrets. I drove every truck before before purchasing the Pro-x and has been the best truck I have ever owned.

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  Pathfinder Radiator leak into Tranny - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Donna from Lanc PA - June 5 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a brand new Pathfinder in 2006. A few days ago, the engine light came on. I took it to Apple York Nissan(n/c the customer service in Lancaster PA is TERRIBLE) and they informed me that I need a new transmission and radiator. I looked this up online and it happens that many people have come across this. I have a HARD time swallowing the fact that I need to shell out $5900 for a car that is not even 5 years old! Does Nisan stand by ts cars? Hell no! Would I EVER buy from them again? Hell NO! Customer service was downright awful in Lancaster. York was better. This seems to be a ongoing prob with Nissan, I have researched this prob and many people have had it...its time

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  Love our X! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By mistfairy - June 5 - 1:46 am

  This suv is fun to drive! It has lots of room for all your stuff, even when we had our first child. Infant and toddler car seats fit - but snugly. Unfortunatly the back doors do not open wide enough. It can be tricky getting an infant seat in and out. Has enough pick up and go to really move.

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  Still happy 4 years later - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Chip - June 4 - 7:50 pm

  I bought my XT used in 05. Had 24K on it at the time, and Ive since added another 70K. It has been very dependable, and Ive only has to deal with general maintenance issues so far. I also find it funny that people are complaining about the fuel mileage. What did you expect? Its a big box sitting on a truck chassis. If youre worried about fuel economy, buy a sedan. Ive actually found it to get decent mileage for what it is. Theres a ton of space, it tows well, and looks good.

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  What a truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By mike - June 4 - 4:56 am

  I have always driven a Chevy Silverado except I owned a new Ford F150 for 3 yrs 99-2002. This Nissan Titan blows both of these other trucks away. My truck before this was a 2001 silverado that I had 175000 miles. The Nissan is a far better truck.

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  A Fun car to drive and you save money too! - 2015 Nissan Leaf
  By Jim Mol - June 3 - 12:04 am

  If you are looking for a LEAF, do your homework. Figure out how many miles you drive a day to help you decide if this car will work for you. Batteries seem to be a biggest problem after a number of years of use and there are forums for the LEAF that will tell you what to look for and how to check them. It is such a different car, from your internal combustion engine car, that you need to think different. If you want to follow manufacturer recommended service, you take it in every 7500 miles and they check a few things. Every 14,500 miles they change the break fluid. Thats it. On my 2015 I figure we have 85 miles to use even though it says we have 110 miles available. That is more than enough to get to work 10 miles away and run errands along the way. We are now charging every other day. The day after we bought it, we had gone 75 miles and still had 20% of the battery left. As it gets cold, expect the milage to go down - part in heating the car and part due to how cold can effect a battery. For us, even if it is cut by half, it would still serve our needs. As with every electric vehicle, this one has a sweet spot: 38 mph. If you could drive that on a nearly level road I have read you can get 134 miles out of it. Meanwhile in the real world, be conservative and decide if the milage it will normally achieve based on the number of bars left on the battery are right for you. If so, get it. If not...your choice. Oh, I didnt rate the safety cause we have not had it over a winter and I do not know what they mean by active safety.

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  The Real Deal - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Walkman - June 2 - 11:36 pm

  I NEVER expected a Multi-Valved, Twin OHC engine to ever be so smooth and liner all the way through its power band. The engine in of itself was the deciding factor in my purchase. The handling was indeed a factor as was the styling but Ive also found the build quality be be very good. I bought the Base model through my ignorance but have plans of the purchase of an enthusiast model next.

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  Very Solid Crewcab 4x4 Mountain Truck! - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By peijae - June 2 - 10:25 pm

  I am person that has had over 35 cars since the age of 16, partially from hobby and partly for experience. The best vehicle I had owned was the 2008 Tacoma, but had to get out of heavy payments and let it go. Since then I always wished from at least a small truck bed after a few SUVs. Living in the mountains of Colorado, I need plenty of power, decent fuel economy, passenger room and real 4x4 utility. Not the easiest combo to find. I ended up getting a Frontier and it is truly one excellent mountain truck. Lifted, built, 33s, 5 speed, headers and intake: Excellent power up and down hills, 15-22 mpg, and very capable off road. I like it as much as my old 2008 Toyota Tacoma. A 200k keeper.

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  In Love With My New Altima! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By Djohnson21 - June 2 - 8:50 pm

  I owned a 2005 Nissan Altima for years with 200,000+ miles on it when someone hit me and totaled it. My immediate choice was another Altima, and I have not been disappointed! I purchased a 2013 Altima 2.5 SV off lease with 40k and Im in love! Rides great, awesome mpgs (which I need because I commute 500+ miles a week,) and ver comfortable! Very spacious and well laid out interior, and the exterior is definetly an eye catcher! Bluetooth, push to start, remote start, and LED lights under the car that light up when you open the door are new luxuries that Im in love with! The only complaint I really have is the interior gets dirty quick! Im a smoker so black interior probably shouldnt have been my choice, but overall Im very happy with this Altima! I will definitely continue to buy Nissans in the future!