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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  Nissan compensation - 2012 Nissan Juke
  By sec2011juke - May 25 - 9:31 am

  Juke owners seem to mostly be in agreement that their cars are not getting the mpg numbers that were advertised. Mine should be getting 30mpg highway and it it does well to get to 23.5. MANY other auto makers have had models with this problem and they have compensated owners for the problem. WHY is Nissan refusing? Dealerships Ive spoken to say they get regular complaints about the Juke mpg; the internet is loaded with customer compaints. I was advised to call the 1-800-Nissan1 by my dealership to try to get some compensation. When I called, I was told that there is NOTHING offered to resolve this problem. [non-permissible content removed].

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  Terrible Experience! - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By sandra87 - May 25 - 3:50 am

  I used to own this car and even though its great looking and fun to drive, my engine blew... timing belt was ripped off and they told me they needed to replace whole engine! Just reading from other reviews I see this is a common problem for 2004 Nissan Xterra so just be careful when buying!!!!

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  Love this vehicle - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By lit - May 25 - 3:26 am

  I purchased with 33k and Im now at 156k with no major problems. The car runs like the day I purchased and is extremely comfortable. I will say its not great for tall people. All my brothers and my husband are at or over 6 2" and their heads are skimming the roof. My cd player died about 6 mo ago but I still have the tape and radio (and a 2 year old so when do I listen to my own music anyway?). I dont complain about the mileage either. What do you expect for a truck? I will say this: my last long highway trip I did get 20 mpg (for the 2nd time) but usually Im at 17+ around town. Im not sure what Im going to do when I have to buy a replacement!

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  2008 Frontier SE 4WD Short Box V-6 - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Dan Thomas - May 25 - 1:43 am

  Nice size,Nice exterior.Rides nice.

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  Nissan Never Again - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By rjk - May 24 - 10:56 pm

  Had to trade my Nissan in after only 3 months. The rattles drove me about insane. Live in the cold country and it depended on the weather which rattle would occur. When I traded it in, had to tell dealer that the rotors were going. Had the 4x4 light go on with out any reason then go off. Dealer said that computer didnt show the light going off. NOT IMPRESSED. Bought a Denali cant even compare the two.

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  Wife wins - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Beauro - May 24 - 7:40 pm

  After 3000 miles noted a shimmy when I applied the brakes...brought it to the dealer where they ground the rotors and put me on a list to have the rotors and brake assemblies replaced...dealer stopped short of calling this a recall...but said Nissan is having this done to all Titans. Hope this isnt the beginning of bigger and badder things...I wanted the Tundra but the wife talked me out of it....

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  Big improvement! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Bob - May 24 - 12:10 pm

  I traded a 98 Frontier with more than 130,000 miles on it. Dead reliable and relatively economical, but ride was harsh and interior uncomfortable for long trips. Nissan learned their lesson with the new Frontier. Very comfortable, roomier, and the increased torque make this heavier vehicle peppier than its predecessor. I got the plain jane of the line, but am very satisfied with the package. Toyota wouldnt try to find a 4 cylinder Tacoma, but the Nissan dealer was happy to and cut a great deal. Average 22 mpg around town; 24 on the road. Nice job, Nissan!

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  reliable car - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By kab - May 24 - 10:00 am

  We leased the 99 Altima,and as for our family,the car has been very dependable.We have had no problems with this car.I dont know about a used one,but this one was brand new,and an excellent car.

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  More than I expected - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Got Sake? - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I originally wanted an SE with leather, sunroof, and CD...but my wife wanted the entertainment package for the kids...so I asked the dealer to locate a truck for me...He had in stock the LE with all the extras I wanted, and the navigation system, which I did not want. I researched all the internet sites, including Edmunds and arrived at an invoice price of just over $34,700. I started the negotating of the truck at $32,600.00, because I didnt want the navigation in the truck so I decided split the cost with him on the navigation, because you dont get something for nothing and it was already there. I picked up the truck for $32,200.00

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  HAPPY NISSAN OWNER - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BIGAL - May 24 - 10:00 am

  THE CAR IS A VERY SMOOTH RIDEING 4X4. THEY SHOULD TRY TO IMPROVE THE FUEL MILEAGE. CAR HAS PLENY OF POWER