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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  Not Satisfied - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By 1srac - October 4 - 6:44 am

  Bought my Nissan Sentra Dec of 2012. A week later i took it back cause the rubber seal around the front window came off. Took it to go looked at cause i can never get my music to bluetooth. took it back again cause while driving it, it felt like it was going to bog out and die. (Friend drove my car and freaked out) they couldnt re create it! took it back again for a sensor re call in the passenger seat that linked to the air bags not deploying!! Got that fixed. Then took it back, cause i was driving it home and the car lost all power and would not go past 2000 RPM.(Couldnt find anything wrong) Ran out of space for everythingOverall I dont like the car. Gonna get me something else here soon.

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  Reliable Car - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Z - October 1 - 5:03 pm

  I would recommend buying a Nissan. It was reliable while I traveled back and forth from college. I found out the hard way that my Nissan is picky about what types/brand of parts that I use. The engine light has been on for the past year. Other than that, I havent had any problems.

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  Lots of problems with the 4WD - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Zas Karson - September 27 - 5:36 am

  I live in Colorado and use 4WD a lot during the winter. I frequently experience problems shifting from 2WD to 4WD and usually I must come to a complete stop in order to make the transfer successfully. The dealer has tried to repair the problem twice with no success. I am a four time repeat Nissan truck buyer, but I think this may be my last.

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  Good, solid vehicle - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kagan - September 26 - 3:13 am

  Some of the reviewers really amaze me. Do people really feel maintenance items are a reflection of a cars quality? Having to replace tires, brakes, shocks, etc. These are not reliability issues. These are regular maintenance items for ALL vehicles. My PF now has 110K miles. Ive had to replace a bad Speed Sensor, and worn suspension bushings. The vehicle starts up without hesitation every day, runs great, and will get me wherever I need to be. Ive had many other vehicles that start falling apart at 50K with major mechanical issues. If these cars require some maintenance, its because they run an awfully long time. Id rather have the burden of maint. than another car junked.

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  Fuel Pump - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By 2nd Nissan Sentra - September 22 - 4:16 pm

  Had to have the fuel pump replaced after one year. Now at 4 years needs replacing again.

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  My First Nissan - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By TaTa - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought this truck because I needed inexpensive 4wd and the ability to pack a couple of kids in the back when necessary. Have had numerous other Japanese vehicles over the years and always was impressed with there quality,reliability,and driving satisfaction. Have to say that the Nissan is a step below the others. I also had the radio light go out (a common problem), Ive had driveability problems in damp weather,a 4wd hub issue twice,a/c not very good,squeaks and rattles,not very comfortable,poor mileage even with the 5speed. On the plus side, paint is good ,never stranded me,for what I paid its probably been a decent vehicle. Would I buy another? Probably not unless the price was a steal.

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  Steering Shutter/Load Capacity - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By angry1 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I just dumped my 01 Pathfinder for a Ford Explorer. Anyone buying this truck should know that its more a sports car on stilts than an SUV. With a 1,000 pound load (including passengers), its bottomed out...no shock absorbtion at all. Additionally, I went through 2 sets of tires and 14 service visits to fix a steering wheel shutter that begins at 60 and never goes away. Its still there after 45,000 miles and Nissan cant/wont fix it. RECOMMENDATION - Take it on the highway b4 you buy it! Dont get stuck with one like I had. Other than that, a very quick, fun to drive, reliable truck....but not worth the BS.

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  Very Unhappy - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Mark_ace7 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  If it drove as good as it looks, I would be very happy. My stick grinds into 2nd and 3rd and the dealer says its normal. The car also vibrates a great deal from external noise (other cars, trucks, etc..) The vibration is strong in the stering wheel, pedals, and stick. I want my old car back.

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  brakes no good - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By r palumbo - September 19 - 8:40 pm

  I got my 2004 titan in 5/2004. At 1280 miles, bad steering vibration due front brakes. They resurfaced rotors& put new on brake pads.The 2nd time 300 miles. They put new rotors & new pads. The 3rd time 4000 miles. Resurfaced rotors & put on new pads. The 4th time 5642 miles, had to bring it back again. Not even a year old. I am not very happy. I am not just talking about a little vibration on the steering wheel. It is pretty bad... Ride is pretty smooth, plenty of power. But the brakes are no good. Because of this I probably would not buy another Nissan. Thank you.

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  Junk Crap POS - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By acme1020 - September 18 - 3:51 pm

  Bought the Max new in Jan 07. First dissapointment gas mpg. Usually get 19.5 split city highway driving. Never been over 24mpg even on long highway trips going 65mph. Struts were replaced at 15000 miles by warranty. Tires were wore out at 30000. Whole new sunroof put in at 35000. Needed rear shocks at 50000. Rear ABS sensor for $800 at 55000. The car is currently in the shop for the other rear sensor, one front sensor, and actuator for a total of $2500. The dealer called Nissan and got them to pay half of the last bill cause there was another one in there for the same thing. They know this is a problem but will not recall. This is my first and last Nissan.