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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  Would not buy another one - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Zane - January 21 - 6:10 pm

  I have had the Versa for about 4 months; I would not buy another one. This car has been back to the dealer several times to fix small problems. It has several flaws that are important to me. One the AC is undersized for Florida, when out in the heat you need to put the air flow to recycle to keep the cabin cool. Although the noise level when running is the lowest of the other cars I test drove; it is the loudest car I ever be in when you accelerate. Last but not least. The driverÂ’s side window wiper is about twice the size of the passenger side, and it throws its water on to the passenger side. Thus in the rain the passenger side is never clear.

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  A truck with a cabin and a V6stick shift - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By daemonspeeding - January 21 - 2:00 am

  The tow rating is marked down 1500lbs in the manual, becuase people just dont know how to drive it. Excelleration is excellent, top end isnt bad...but its high. But, its also a truck, not a car on stilts. Dont buy this truck if you want luxury, or are just going to stay on- road. Its plainly ugly, but it does go every where and anywhere. I love the practicality and ruggedness of this truck.

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  This car is junk ! ! ! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By 04 SPEC-V - January 15 - 12:13 am

  I bought a 04 SPEC-V with only 4,000 miles on it. It has all options except the stereo system upgrade. It was practically brand new. At about 20,000 miles the front struts went out. At 30,000 the rear struts needed to be replaced. At 48,000 the front struts needed to be replaced AGAIN. The build quality of this car is horrible. Mine came with the Brembo brakes. What the hell is NISSAN thinking Brembo brakes but no ABS. They are completely useless in snow or rain. Even cheap cars like KIA offer you ABS. Transmission doesnt always shift properly into reverse. The summer tires it came with do not last. I wish i never bought this car. Im very disappointed.

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  This car is not worth the money. - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By kdutcher05 - January 11 - 11:09 pm

  I have had this car for 6 years and would get rid of it today if I could afford to. I have had so many strange problems with this vehicle and have been shocked to go on line and see that thousands of people have had the exact same things go wrong and still Nissan wants to blame it on wear and tear! I am not a youngster and have owned many cars in my lifetime. This, by far, is the worst one of all. It has been the most expensive and most problematic vehicle I have had the bad luck to purchase. The worst part of it is that Nissan will not acknowledge these problems exist in ALL of the Muranos. It wont be immediately evident, give it a year or two and then it starts. Look at the real reviews!!

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  Where is Nissans quality? - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By Nissanjunk - January 11 - 7:56 pm

  I purchased this vehicle NEW 2 days ago. Within 10 miles I had brake pedal feedback/shudder. At 200 miles, the brakes shudder so hard that the steering wheel almost shakes your hand off of it. The A/C compressor was cycling in/out way too often. Check engine light on at 225 miles. Took it to the dealer today - Updates as of current: 1) Front rotors are warped 2) A/C compressor is shot, needs to be replaced 3) "We havent had a chance to find out what the service engine soon light issue is, nor have we found the source of the odd howling noise. This is the 2nd Nissan that has had ridiculous issues, but this one is only 36 HOURS OLD!

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  Got rid of it after 3months - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By billmoze - January 11 - 6:14 am

  As previously mentioned, CVT Drivetrain sucks!! This was my first Nissan Product and most certainly my last. I took my lumps and traded it on a very nice Hyundai Sonata ( while they had their rebate offers ). That helped with the loss I took on it. I previously had a Hyundai Azera, a great Car ( for 6 years ). I just found out this morning that Nissan issued a recall on the 3.5 Engine CVT, but not the 2.5. Technical Bulletin issued just last week. I would very strongly suggest this Vehicle with a poorly designed & engineered drivetrain be avoided !!!

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  Poorly Enginneered AC Lines - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Joe 2 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  My Quest with only 3000 miles on it has already lost the air conditioning. The freon lines that run to the rear evaporator are routed so close to the stabilizer bar, that a hole was rubbed through the AC line, resulting in a loss of all the freon. According to Nissan, the line can only be obtained from Japan and will require pulling the engine to replace it. It has now been 30 days with no ETA for replacement parts. I can not recommend this vehicle to anyone until a recall is made for rerouting the rear AC lines is performed. The dealer shop mechanics could not believe the poor design and the neccessity to pull the engine for repairs.

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  Should have bought an Acura - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Paclark01 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  High points of this vehicle are the VQ 255 hp engine available mated to a 6- speed manual transmission. In addition the seating position for the driver is very good and is comfortable for 6 foot individuals. Exterior styling is attractive especially with the 17" wheels. Low points notchy shift feel. The clutch has been replaced 4 times and 2 transmissions have been installed, and Nissan service departments are horrible. Resale value is the pits...I would advise leasing instead of purchasing this vehicle.

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  Beware Of 01 Pathfinder. Find a diff car - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jensen Thomas - January 7 - 7:10 pm

  Although i like the way they build the car exterior and interior wise, i do not like the way they have so much problems. When i bought the car in 2001 to a total of 42,433 grand, i though i will get a quality vehicle, i was wrong. I bought the state of the line entertainment system, lo jack and a push bar, all have failed me. My BOSE 6 CD changer doesnt work, keeps on getting the error "err2" which means disk stuck, push bar is poor quality and the lo jack doesnt work. I though i would get a good car but this car breaking down every time. replaced the windshield washer motors 8 times and still doesnt work and the step bar is corroded and the transmission is going only at 52343. Do not buy

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  08 Sentra Um Not so good... - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Eric - January 6 - 4:00 am

  I have had my Sentra for a little over 2 years now. At first, I thought it was a great car. It seems a little wimpy as I have had other 4cyl cars with more guts. The factory tires wore out after 15,000 miles and it seems like there isnt a shop that can do a proper alignment on it. It tracks to the left and when braking at highway speeds, the steering wheel shakes bad. The interior looks cool, but isnt built with the highest quality. I would not recommend this car to anyone. The only good thing about it is the gas mileage. I get 31.5 mpg on average.