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:

• 

  Great truck - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Darrell Smith - October 22 - 9:50 pm

  Ive had this truck now for over a year. And with 90,000 on the odom. Ive given it 1 full engine and tranny tune- up. It cruises on the hiway at 2500 rpms doing 70 mph. And Idles Smooth as glass. I give it 4 out of 5 Starz

• 

  Too soon to tell - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Aruna - October 22 - 3:43 am

  This is my first purchase of a brand new car, well it had 14 miles on it already. i like what Nissan has done with the exterior design or their stock, Sentra, Altima and Maxima. so far so good, but its been less than a week and i heard a noise under the hood like i drove over a small branch. Uneasy about that. Nissan took my 2000 Grandam GT w/104k miles for $2200. i couldnt beat that deal so i didnt look further. I took that offer.

• 

  LOVE/HATE - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By Raph - October 21 - 11:43 am

  Bought car as B-day present for self. Was great. super fast. The Sync Rev is awesome. You can basically drive it as if its a manual w/o the clutch. Burning out is easy, won every race I had with it but 1. The only problem was axle broke on me after 2 months while swerving to not hit something (freak accident) Still love this car. The 370 is better in some ways, not all. I would most def recommend this car. If you get this car get the NISMO. It looks better. Love this car though. you can get one for a good deal ina lot of places now really cheap because of 370Z. My car was white with limo tint w/ 18" chrome also with orange interior.

• 

  2012 Quest Paint Problem - 2012 Nissan Quest
  By quest_2012 - October 19 - 5:04 pm

  We recently bought a 2012 Quest SL. It is white pearl in color. When we purchased it we noticed Rail Rust on the paint and some of the chrome trim. We showed it to the dealership and they promised to take care of it. We took it to the dealership bodyshop to be clay bared. After having it a week they called to let us know that some of the spots were too deep and they believe the entire vehicle needs to be repainted. They advised that due to the pearl color that they could not match the paint. We are currently waiting to hear what Nissan wants to do. We are currently in a loaner LE fully loaded Quest. Has anyone else had the same problem? The loaner has the rust on the chrome trim 2.

• 

  A history making car! - 2011 Nissan Leaf
  By R. Edelman - October 19 - 4:54 am

  Why is this a history making car? Because the Nissan Leaf was one of the first practical and affordable all-electric sedans. I purchased this car new in 2011. Back then, the Leaf was made in Japan. Now they are made in Tennessee, but I dont think there should be a difference in quality. My Leaf has almost 50,000 miles on it, and it has been reliable and almost completely trouble free. It is deceptively roomy inside because there is no fuel tank or exhaust system. Maintenance costs are low. The original tires lasted 45,000 miles. To recapture the kinetic energy of the car, most of the braking is done by the drive train. This is called "regenerative braking", and allows the drive train to act as a generator to charge the battery. All electric vehicles and hybrids utilize regenerative braking. Not only is regenerative braking energy efficient, it allows the brakes to last a long time. For example, I also own a Toyota Prius with over 100,000 miles on it, and the brakes have never been serviced. Driving an electric car is fun. The electric motor provides all of its torque instantly, which allows excellent acceleration from a stop as well as on the road. It is quite, and there are no vibrations. There are no exhaust fumes or oil leaks, and the drive train of the car tends to stay clean. The down side of any electric car is the battery. Batteries are heavy and expensive. They become less efficient in very cold weather, and they lose charge capacity as they age. Both of these translate into reduced range. And you need access to a 220 volt charging station to recharge the car in a few hours. The Leaf is sold with either a 24 kWh battery or a 30 kWh battery. I recommend the 30 kWh battery as it provides a range (when new) of about 100 miles, rather than the 75 miles provided by the 24 kWh battery. That 75 mile range provided by the 24 kWh battery when new drops down to about 55 miles after 5 years. So, the larger battery will allow you a more generous range even after the car is several years old. Despite the battery issue, I really enjoy the Leaf ownership experience. Nissan service and support has been very good. Based on my Leaf ownership, I have become a fan of electric drivetrains, so much so that I am now on my second Leaf, one with the 30 kWh battery (which was not available in 2011). I do not think that I will ever go back to owning a car that is not either all-electric or a hybrid. Nissan should be commended for taking a big risk in developing and marketing the Leaf. I think that the commitment to manufacturing an all-electric car will pay off for Nissan in the future.

• 

  Love my Spec - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By logan - October 18 - 8:36 pm

  I have owned my 2003 Spec V for about a year now and absolutely love it! I was fortunate enough to purchase the car with a nismo short shifter and nismo rear sway bar. Handling on the car is second to none. I love the power it has, which is great for a four cylinder. Its also a great "sleeper" car. I have yet to lose a race (no, I dont race evos and stis). My point being its a blast to drive and fun to drive hard. I have not had any problems with the car (Ive put 20,000 mi on the car and it has 65,000) and hope to keep it for a long time.

• 

  Not what i thought - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By tom from Jersey - October 17 - 9:20 pm

  I purchased a "Program Car" w/ 10,000 miles on it. Now after spending some time in it, here are some comments. Stereo in 2.5 S so-so , seems like CVT vibrates to about 40 mph. Feel it in the wheel and floor. They say 600 miles per tank full, Im getting approx 510, this is all highway driving.

• 

  Almost there... - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By eamers - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Great looker, great driver although my front wheel bearings are shot at 10,000 miles - whats up with that? Nav system is VERY cool.

• 

  former Explorer owner - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By GOMizzou - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This is a well made SUV (still make them in Japan for now) and I couldnt be happier with this car. The LE interior is very close to the Infiniti version of this car. I have the traction control option and tire pressure monitor as well.

• 

  2002 Altima Review - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By JabbaJ766 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Great car overall. Since I bought the car about a year ago, I have had to replace the boot on my shifter, because it came apart, and I have had to get the black part of my window repaired twice. Wish the dealership was a little better. Have gone there along time, since they changed owners they have been going down hill. The car handles great, I wish they offered sunroofs in the 2.5S, that is all I wanted when I bought my car, but I could not afford to go up the next step.