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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  Nice Looking, Noisy Car - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By dcwjr - March 31 - 5:46 am

  Having driven the 2013 Altima SL 4 cyl. for 5,000 miles now I have some things to say. I have taken the car back to the dealer to address some issues. They are as follows: 1) Acceleration through 1,400 rpms is rough, the transmission seems to struggle creating a noticeable rumbling/vibrating sound which you can hear in the car. The dealer says that is normal for the 4 cyl. 2) The power steering assist motor is loud and you can hear a whirring sound inside the car. The dealer says that is normal. 3) Sitting at a stop light the car sometimes vibrates and shakes not violently but enough to notice. I drove a 2009 Altima SL 4 cyl. for 3 years and loved its smooth ride so much I was sold on the new modelÂ’s better looks but now I miss the 2009Â’s smooth ride. The gas milage is better and it does ride smooth under and over the 1,400 rpm range. One mechanic suggested I use premium gas to alleviate the vibration/rumbling around 1,400 rpm but that did not help. The issues above take away from the positive features of the car. For Nissan the issues above should be unacceptable and should be fixed.

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  Shakey drive - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Wheel Shakes - March 27 - 6:43 pm

  This is the worse car that I have ever owned. From the time I drove it off the lot, nothing but suspension problems and back to the dealership 10 times and still have the problem. No good in snow or rain. Tires are over $200 each..bad choice of car and brand. Dealership could not keep the problem fixed. Wheel shakes all the time when driving.

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  $30,000 for this? - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By jim - March 25 - 10:56 am

  The suspension is horrible. The front shock has been replaced as has the front strut, yet you still feel every crack in the road. The radio has to be turned up the noise level is so high. The drivers side power window has been repaired twice and it still goes up very slow. My avg. gas mileage runs around 18-20 mpg. I have to reset the clock every 4-6 weeks because it runs fast. The display screen that shows the radio station and time etc. had to be removed because it was cloudy and hampered viewing the settings. The lights do not adequately light the road, they seem to be misaligned, but I am told they are not. I keep checking to see if my lights are on and I have 20/20 vision.

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  Worst Car Ive ever owned. - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By josh1234 - March 24 - 12:15 pm

  I purchased this car brand new in April 2003 and owned it for 3 years. It was nothing but problems for those 3 years straight. The catalytic converter failed within 2 months of owning the car and had to be replaced. This happened 3 additional times over the 3 year ownership. About 2 1/2 years in the engine blew all by itself and had to be replaced. The alternator failed multiple times and sometimes the car would die while in motion. The car had many rattles/creaks all over it always. The transmission developed many issues and grinds and had sounds like loose metal inside of it. I have read many problems with this car from others as well. Stay far away from it, its an endless money pit.

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  Not what I expected... - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Zeke - March 22 - 1:40 pm

  Horrendous gas mileage, window leaks, exhaust rusted out after 20 months, lots of noises coming from rear end, CD player does not like the cold weather, steering wheel is falling apart. Original tires lasted 20k miles. Will not purchase a Nissan product ever again.

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  Smaller on the inside while bigger on the outside - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By L Whiting - March 19 - 4:09 am

  Ive owned 09 & traded for a 12; loving them both except for each had cabin electronics failures before 34K... My test of the 16 was enjoyable yet uncomfortable. Why? The connection hit me when the salesman mention the aircraft cockpit styling changes. THAT WAS IT! Why I was so uncomfortable. the 16s new cabin mods reduced seat width and right leg room reminding me not of a fighter cockpit; but the cramped seating of all my hated 200 flights in the past 18 months. Sorry - the 12 will not got to a 2016 PS I miss the paddle shifters. I actually use them.

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  Still going strong at 115k - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Great SUV - March 19 - 1:46 am

  This SUVs great. Not anything like JD Powers review. Practical, fun, low maintenance. Just do the maintenance and everything works fine. Still a very tight sounding vehicle 5 years and 100k+ miles later. Not too many vehicles can pull that off.

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  nice but fragile - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By JMSFred - March 12 - 2:00 am

  After I had put 1500 miles on my Spec V both the airconditioner and cruise control failed to work. They were both fixed under warranty.

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  Stykish, Yet Not so Reliable - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By skurl - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Our experiance with our first minivan is a mixed one. The styling and power were what moved us to go with this vehicle versus some of the more well known brands. So far, in only 3700 miles, the van has been to the dealer twice for electronic/mechanical problems and needs to go back again for a rattling sliding driver door. The rear lift gate has gone out once and also all interior lights have gone out as well, much to the dismay of the service center. We are keeping a positve view because we like the driving and styling of the car, but it is testing our patience.

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  No happy with it car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Cesar - March 5 - 5:37 pm

  I had this car for 2 years and I have so much problems with it. I wish i had never bought this car