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:

• 

  Not as good MPG as I thought - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By bk_furman - June 24 - 8:00 am

  Compared several midsize cars before I bought an Altima 2.5 S in Ocean Gray. Something about the design and drive of the car won me over. Also add in the fact that JD Power gave the 2009 the nod in quality and Consumer Digest gave the 2010 its top honor in midsize sedans. The vehicle is deceptively roomy. Back seats have plenty of space for my teenage sons and I have plenty of leg room to drive. I fit in the seat like a glove and the new changes for 2010 make the Altima feel like a sports car. My only complaint is the gas mileage. I am not even at 20 MPG. I am now on my 3rd tank of gas and hope to start getting at least 25 MPG, but I dont think I will get it. Not sure why.

• 

  Screwed up on the door handles - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Newy - June 24 - 2:50 am

  A beautiful car that is fun to drive and hard to catch! Just one thing, it is so hard to reach out to close the doors in the front once you are seated. They should have put a handle closer to the middle of the door.

• 

  Luxurious! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Christi - June 23 - 2:23 pm

  My husband and I looked for a new vehicle for two years. We test drove almost every brand out there and many, many models. When the 2009 Murano made its debut, I was instantly mesmerized and I knew I needed to test drive this crossover. Our first test drive was unbelievable - I really couldnt believe how comfortable, stylish, and sporty. I knew as soon as my hubby test drove, he was sold. The Murano is exceptional in every single way. I think other brands need to open their eyes (including Acura, which was on the top of my list BEFORE I found the Murano). If you want a top of the line car that is sporty and drips luxury, this is it - youve arrived.

• 

  Little truck, lotta truck ! - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By john d - June 23 - 1:06 am

  I use the truck primarily to tow a 3000 lb camper. The 3.3 L engine in the 2002 was rated at only 170 hp but this little truck seems to use all of them as it tows the camper plus another 500 lbs of camping gear as though it is not there. That is both with power and mileage. The camper and gear doubles the weight of the truck alone with no more than a 15-20 % increase in fuel consumption. For power Im comparing it to my old Ford full-size with a 351 V-8. Never any maintenance in nearly 8 years of use other than regular preventative maintenance. Cannot recommend this little truck too much!!

• 

  Z - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Alans - June 21 - 10:53 pm

  At age 52 this is the most fun car I have ever driven.

• 

  80,000 nightmare - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By hi2008 - June 21 - 8:43 pm

  Bought this car last year. It only had 62,000 miles and all service records were produced. Thought we had lucked up, HOWEVER - brakes squeaked constantly - dealer tried to fix, but squeaking continued. A month in, the cd player broke. Went to open the rear gate and the trim that covers the latch came off in my hand! It is funny to count the ones we see around town with that piece missing. While on vacation, the check engine light came on at around 78,000 miles. Got back, called Nissan and was told that the converter was covered up to 80,000 miles, BUT since I had taken the car to my local garage instead of a Nissan dealer, they would not honor warranty. Just a 2010 VW - no more Nissans!

• 

  love my altima - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By tom - June 21 - 9:46 am

  this is the second new nissan ALTIMA that I have purchased. I loved my first one in 1998, still have it with over 300,000 miles on it. I just purchased a new ALTIMA 2006 about a month ago and love it. Nissan has earned my loyalty and they deserve it.

• 

  First Pathy....but not last - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Buzzo in NY - June 21 - 3:20 am

  I researched mid-sized SUVs for about six months before deciding to buy my Pathfinder. My comparisons were "whittled" down to the T4R, Acura MDX and NPF. Considering the MDX was about 10K more than I wanted to spend....then there were two. What ultimately made my decision easy was the financing Nissan offered and to date have not been disappointed. I only have about 7K miles on it and have not yet experienced any of the transmission "clunking" stated by other reviewers. One thing Im keeping an eye/ear on is the amount of engine vibration that exists between 4K and 5K RPM. It seems to smooth out closer to the redline. Extremely happy so far however...

• 

  I Love This Car - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Happy Maxima Driver - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car as certified preowned. Excellent power. Had absolutely no mechanical problems. Having the moonroof open and the windows down makes it almost as fun as a convertible but without the higher insurance. Really fun and comfortable to drive. Leather interior with wood accents looks really nice. Especially with seat warmers for winter. All that and it has dual front/side airbags and a four star crash test rating. Couldnt find a better car.

• 

  Love my PATHY - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By PATHY - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Went with the Pathfinder for numerous reasons. Specifically- the reliability, resale value, looks, features, price and safety rating. Trailblazer-- yeah more power, but cheaply made-- Forerunner- yeah higher ground clearance, but overpriced and everyone has one. Price --got a Loaded LE with a few extra options for 31,9- thanks to edmonds online dealer invoicing. SAfety -- got numerous high ratings in many areas Resale value-- Have you looked in the paper for used Pathfinders? Very few and far between- b/c their owners love them so much.