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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  Deal of the Century - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Brian - June 5 - 5:00 am

  I bought this car used with 82,000 miles on it. I have put over 100,000 miles on it since I purchased it. I have only had to put new brakes and tires on it. I change the oil every 10,000 miles. Thats right, 10,000 miles. It burns no oil, leaks no oil and runs smooth. It floats smooth at 80mph. The car runs flawless.

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  Nissan lost my business - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Exit Nissan - June 5 - 2:20 am

  Build quality is the worst Ive ever seen. 2,000 dollars in rotor work before the car had 18,000 miles on it. Window stuck, trans was a mess and the list goes on. New tires on the front at 8,000, 12,000 and 16,000 miles. The best deal I ever made was selling it. Ill never buy a Nissan again nor will any of the 47 family members who drive by Nissan. HUGE disappointment...

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  Grownup style, with a rocket for a heart - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By O. Ludlow - June 4 - 1:33 pm

  The Altima is a lot of fun. Its the first new car Ive ever owned, and its neat to chart how it feels for the first thousand miles, and the next. I use the cruise control for long straight freeway trips, and get 32 MPG. In town, more like 24. Im 63" and it fits me well. I think it really comes down to the rocket under the hood. Ive never been happier to get behind the wheel and GO somewhere. Its really a great ride and I wholly recommend it.

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  murano - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By tony novello - June 4 - 10:33 am

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  Wish I had spent more time test driving - 2011 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Vivian JonesSmith - June 4 - 3:28 am

  I bought this vehicle used about a month ago - it is a 2011 Silver addition with 4WD - I use it daily for to/from work and have just taken my first long distance (5 hours) trip in it. My major issue is with interior space. I wanted an optional 3rd row, which this vehicle has, but if you want to bring groceries home - you cannot have the third row up. The second row is not much use except for storage, you could fit two small people, or children comfortably, but two full grown adults would have a hard time after 30 minutes. Especially if there is a full grown person in the front seat with the front seat back - it only gives about 8 inches of leg room to the second row. So basically I have a two person vehicle with 4 doors. There are very few storage compartments - so I have added a container to the back cargo area to hold the basic items I keep in a vehicle. The driver side seat does not have lumbar support (that I have found) there are multiple adjustments, but nothing that helps the lower back - the head rest juts forward more than is comfortable for my neck, so I find that if I am in the vehicle more than an hour, I am constantly adjusting the seat trying to find a comfortable position that supports my back and allows my neck to be at a comfortable angle. The radio controls are crazy - the radio is incorporated into the dash (so you have no option of ever replacing it) and you have to reach all the way across the middle of the vehicle to the passenger side to change the station - but the volume control is too near the driver - the heat/AC controls are between the volume knob and the station selection knob and I still find myself adjusting the temperature instead of the volume. There are controls on the steering wheel, but with the weird issues I am having with the radio and display, I cannot change the channel from the steering wheel if it is on XM. By the way - XM is not a visible option on the radio controls - you have to push the radio button twice and then you can access XM. I have had electrical issues with the radio - it gets stuck on a station and no matter what station I have it on when I turn off the vehicle - it turns on to the stuck station, with no volume - then it changed to another station it is stuck on. I cannot reprogram my stations - once the vehicle is turned off - they all reset to what was there before. I can change the station once the vehicle is on, but I have to adjust the radio every single time I get in. The display flashes bright then dim for no reason - I ll be driving down the road and the display flashes. There is no navigation and the display is hard to use. The temperature is very difficult to regulate - it goes from hot to cold to hot - and on the long trip I had to constantly adjust the temperature to keep the inside from being either too cold or too stuffy. If you try to use vent without AC - it blows hot like it is coming directly from the engine, so you still have to adjust the temperature to regulate the inside conditions. With all that said, I wanted a vehicle that could go off road for bike races and possibly pull a camper - in those two areas, the Pathfinder is great - awesome ground clearance and the tow package is for 6,000 lbs (though I have been advised to not tow to the max since the vehicle is older) Gas mileage is what I was expecting from reading other reviews - not the best but not the worst - I am averaging 16.5 MPG - on the tank it recommends supreme, but I cannot see a difference in MPG - though my son does say it will help with overall engine performance if the correct octane in used. If you are single and want a vehicle for off road and fun - the Pathfinder is great - if you want to take friends with you, your limit is one comfortably, you could take four, but the two in the back will not be happy after a while. I had the vehicle looked at by my garage and they said they had never seen of vehicle of this age in such good shape (mechanically) - not one single leak of any kind. So I hope the Pathfinder will make up in longevity for what it lacks in usable space and display use. Though I am already considering putting it up for sale.

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  Excellent Buy - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Kyle - June 3 - 4:20 pm

  At first I was skeptical about the new Nissan but after test driving it, the car surprised me in many ways. I bought the 2.5 SL package and I love everything about it. It is a nice quality ride with great sound (if you get the Bose). It looks sharp and runs even sharper. I really have no complaints so far either. For a four door sedan, Ive recieve many compliments for its sporty look and great looking interior. The new Nissan also gets great pick-up for a four-cylinder and has excellent gas mileage. Excellent choice of a car for the price.

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  Economic Car Great for a College student - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By seunghyeon00 - June 3 - 7:23 am

  First of all if your looking for a reliable car with great room interior AND small yet not feeling crushed in this is the car for you. I got this car from my parents in high school and I have been driving it ever since. I had it since 09 and no problems I take it to the dealer to get it serviced and my baby has not let me down.

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  Couldnt Be Happier - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Bill - June 2 - 8:40 pm

  2.5 SL CVT, with the connection package. I have never written a review for anything before but after all the helpful advise I read here before I purchased, I had to return the favor. I cannot be happier with this car. Have owned 1 yr, right at 17K miles, still just as excited about it as when I drove it off the lot. Looked at Camry and Accord, never even thought about this and then decided to check it out and something just stuck with me. Excellent performance for a 4 cylinder. Never been starved for power. Avg 27-29 mpg per tank with mixed hgwy and city, and I dont hold back on the peddle. Smoothest transmission I ever felt. Love all the extras too. Great car for the money.

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  Awesome car! - 2013 Nissan Juke
  By lianamcl - June 2 - 8:10 pm

  Ive had my 2012 Juke for 16 months and have 26,000 miles already! Its cute, sexy, and out performs anything Ive owned to date. Traded in a 2000 Wrangler and was really afraid Id be disappointed... NO WAY!! I love it!

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  Excellent and Stylish Vehicle - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Anthony - June 2 - 7:10 pm

  I was in the market to buy a full-size SUV. I narrowed my choices down to an Expedition XLT or an Armada SE. You will not go wrong with the Armada. 1st I love the room inside in the 2nd and 3rd rows. Nothing else compares. Instrument panel is a lot more exciting than the Expedition. The base model SE came with alot more stuff that was extra on the Expedition XLT. I love the Red Brawn color. It is an eye catcher. GAS mileage is poor especially with prices around $3.00 in FL. Very powerful SUV. Drives like a truck but it can fly. The Expedition did handle more like a car. This was a great buy and I would recommend it as long as you dont mind going to the pump twice a week.