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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  one issue after another - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By dakota - January 10 - 6:06 am

  Well to begin with I bought this truck to replace my Toyota tacoma which got totaled out,had 85,000 miles on it when purchased and like a timer when it hit 100,000 miles everything has started falling apart, First off the tie rod went out which costs $300.00 next thing to go was the common knock sensor $600.00 which nissian ignores right after that the then the wheel bearing went and now its currently sitting in my driveway because the check engine light came on and it started missing like crazy and it now needs a $300.00 oxygen sensor which is absolutely outrageous. my toyota had 145,000 with just a power steering pump go out because it had 33inch tires on it will never own another nissian.

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  Disappointment - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By XFactor - January 6 - 4:20 am

  I was pretty disappointed with my Xterra. If all you need is something to look cute driving around town, youll enjoy the Xterras rugged looks and relatively easy handling. Try and get it dirty however and youll be disappointed. It slips easily in ice and snow (turning, even with 4WD is precarious), the mud factor wasnt great either, even in 4WD low. The interior is hard to keep clean, and the outside dents easily. Passing people on the highway is nearly impossible, even with the bigger engine option. And of course, fuel economy is horrendous with gas as much as it is now.

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  JJ - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By JJ LEE - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Nice engine condition(2.4 syl) and good acceleration, still comfortable to drive. Good fuel economy. Cornering is not that good. Shock absorber is not that good. Just got an 4 wheel alignment and ballance.

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  Test drive was rogue - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By Lew balser - January 1 - 11:37 pm

  Limited head leg room in front

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  3.5 stars. Not bad, but not amazing. - 2018 Nissan Rogue
  By Joe H - December 30 - 3:38 pm

  Ive been driving this car for three weeks now. I leased it for a reasonable amount per month. Its the AWD version of the SV trim (second out of three trims, the top of the line being the SL). This car is another one of those mid $20,000 SUVs that puts more energy into creature comforts than raw performance. It has a delightful interior. It could be better in some areas, but the inclusion of a back-up camera, heated seats, remote start, and Android Auto keep me from wanting to complain too much. The seats are comfortable enough and the ride is good enough. I have no real complaints about it, but I have no real praises either. The car doesnt come with navigation, but I get it for free via Android Auto so Im happy. The interior could be better, but it could also be much worse. The divide-and-hide feature in the back is nice and it does have fairly good cargo space. My friend doesnt complain about the backseat. Again, another one of those middle-of-the-road deals. It takes a moment to warm up, but it has an auto-starter so it helps mitigate that as well. The only real complaint I have is the engine and the continuous variable transmission. Its a very soft, sluggish drive. The set-up is decent for gas mileage, but not so great if you really want to "drive" your car. This is especially true if you need some extra power to pass people on the freeway or idiots on their cell phones on 45MPH roads. Im leasing this thing for three years (2018-2021). I dont regret the lease, but Im definitely not buying it at the end of said lease. I may even trade it in beforehand depending on the circumstances. The creature comforts are nice and for that Nissan deserves 3 stars. The engine gets it half a star because its not useless, but its just not interesting, either. Those who really need decent fuel economy and modern tech at a decent price and dont mind having a less-than-optimal engine could be happy with this one. However, anyone looking for a responsive car with a little juice may want to look elsewhere. I give it a 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4). I dont hate this car. I dont dislike this car. Its like that friend that you dont see that often but you kinda dont mind not seeing that often but theyre still your friend, if that makes sense. Its an okay car.

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  My worst purchase - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By sandypines1 - December 29 - 10:56 pm

  Purchased my Altima August 2012, thought that I had purchased a great car. I had owned two cars with CVT transmissions and have had a good history on how they work. This car has a serious problems, it shudders and vibrates and according to Nissan, this is a normal function.I think that they know that there is a problem and say this is normal. I would suggest that any future buyers of a Altima forgo the purchase.

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  Worst New Vehicle - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MaryAnn B. - December 20 - 3:43 pm

  I purchase this vehicle and notice a very hard downshifting and bucking when I start to accelerate at about 40 mph. The dealer put in some transmission fluid and told me that would fix the problem. It didnt. I took it back a second time and had the shop manager drive it with me. They kept my vehicle for 1 day and then told me that there was nothing wrong with it. When I told them to give that to me in writing they said that there was something wrong and that they wanted to keep the vehicle longer. They also told me that they have 6 more pathfinders on the lot with the same problem. I am still waiting for it to be fixed. It now downshifts hard at all different speeds.

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  test drive this with open windows - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By MOST - December 18 - 12:10 pm

  I just bought this car, and frankly am dissapointed, the pickup - or lack- thereof, is frustrating - talking about even turning corners, never mind trying to speed up when getting onto a highway! And driving this with open windows even at 25 mph i feel like im rocking a boat! As for the fuel - it claims it does 28mpg but it doesnt do more that 20! I thought id be getting something worth the name Nissan! - (and i used to drive a 2000 Ford Contour!)

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  Just meh - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By pat - December 8 - 5:23 am

  Not a bad car overall, I suppose. Live in AZ and got this car at around 55k miles.I was very smart to get the extended warranty on this car from the start. In the 12k miles I have driven it in less than 2 years, it has needed a new strut, 2 new fuel injectors, 2 batteries (I blame the state, not car), lower control arm, power window motor and both the engine and tranny mounts. The inside is also falling apart; the top light console clip broke and I was forced to glue it so it can never be removed. The light glass broke on the inside and rattles like crazy and the trunk clasp wont release half the time. I only paid around $150 for the repairs with my warranty thankfully but it concerns me

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  Transmission / Radiator issue must be addressed - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By john534 - December 5 - 10:07 am

  Very unreliable and very poor powertrain and electronic system design. Started experiencing shudder at 89K miles when the automatic transmission moved between 1st and 2nd gear. Symptom did not occur over two day period until driving on third day where the issue worsened rapidly until transmission became inoperable above 10 mph. I investigated the issue and learned that this is a well known issue with the Pathfinder where the radiator fluid fails into the transmission, causing both the radiator and transmission to fail... great design! My transmission and radiator are shot at 89,000 miles. Looking at $6000 repair bill that I will not pay.