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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  Most reliable car with great mpg - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By brianarm - October 11 - 6:44 pm

  I bought my altima new for under 20K. I now have 50K miles on it and have had only 1 issue. The bolt holding the alternator broke, the fix cost me $75 because the threads were stripped. I am still on my original tires though I do need to replace the fronts now. I calculate actual gas mileage myself and average 28 mpg in mainly city driving. So I go about 560 miles between fill ups (sweet). Car is plenty quick enough and was a lot faster than accord or camry (which I test drove). CVT is smooth and zero probs. Im also 61 and have no problem with headroom or entry exit of vehicle. Theres a reason this car is such a great seller, its an auto mechanics enemy.....

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  Like it - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By tata201037 - October 10 - 7:06 pm

  I love my Sentra, I got it for my 16th birthday. It gets great gas mileage, about 35 mpg, when on empty it only takes $25 to fill it up. It has pretty good get up and go for a four cylinder, faster than a honda civic off the go. The seats are kinda stiff but other than that its a nice interior. It has power everything, and even keyless remote entry. There pretty nice cars for their year. I personally like it better than its Toyota or honda competitors. Fun cars to play with and customize. One thing i dont like about it is that its not very safe, no ABS, no side-compact airbags, very light design, and poor stability on the road. Great car, fast for what it is, and attractive for what it is.

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  Is It a Good One? - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jaredsalinger - October 10 - 4:50 pm

  Recently, Nissan mailed me a warranty extensions on the radiator, because it might fail and leak coolant. Some 2005 Pathfinder owners have had the radiator fail, causing coolant to leak into the transmission and ruin it. I contacted my Nissan dealerships (2 in my area), and they tell me that there is no fix, and that the radiator has to fail before they can replace it. Really, Nissan?! Well then, Im sorry, but I cannot support an automaker who engages in such practices. Ironically, my Pathfinder has been a great vehicle. So now, Im left wondering if I got a good one, or if its just a ticking time bomb.

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  Fun Ride Terrible Gas Mileage - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By xterra - October 10 - 2:53 pm

  Its advertised at 18 city/21hwy. Mine has never done better than 17mpg no matter how I drive. I also drove the tacoma before I bought my X. I wanted a 6 speed. The tacoma drives like a car. The X feels like a full size truck. It doesnt have the girly frills of other trucks. It has a ton of power. I slip it in 3rd at highway speed and roar right by people. I got it to haul my mastiffs to shows and it fits that bill great, plenty of room and height for them. Get a cheap rubber mat so your dogs dont slip on the plastic. The only time it doesnt have enough power is in 6th on hills hauling dogs or people. No prob 5th will have you gaining speed on that same hill.

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  2015 Altima 2.5 S - squeaky brakes - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Mary C - October 10 - 9:18 am

  4/27/16 update - Went to Nissan dealer in Gardena, CA this morning and spoke directly to the mechanic. Now he knows about brakes. They were nice enough to put my car up on the rack and take the back brakes off. Usually this is where most of the noise is coming from. I had my husband with me of course to really understand all this. My husband tape recorded the squeaky brake noise. Mechanic explained to me that everything looks good. Now regarding the squeaking noise when the car is cold, he said around 2013-14 Nissan was using brakes that had asbestos material in it. Per Federal regulations, Nissan stopped using this and switched it with copper material brakes. Lots of people are complaining about the squeaky brakes. They can lubricate the situation but it is only temporary. Unless you get squeaky brake noise on the street and everytime you brake, then this is another issue. My issue is only squeaky brake noise when the car is cold. I dont know if any other new cars 2015 on are having the same squeaky brake problem? Before I seriously think of trading my car in for a Camry, I might try later on to switch out the brakes with another better quality brand (not Nissan) and see how I like these. Dealer will only use Nissan brand. Purchased my 1st new 2015 Altima and after 10 months when brakes are cold they squeal loudly where ever you are. It is so loud everyone turns their head to see what car is making all that noise. Both in reverse and going forward. It sounds like you need new brakes but the car is only 10 months old. I had it checked by mechanic and they said they have received lots of complaints of squeaky brakes. Had the dirt blown out of them. Noise stopped for a few weeks but continues a year later. I was told some people have changed out their brakes but loud squeal noise continues. I am going to take it to a couple more places and get their opinion. If this noise does not stop, i may trade it in for a Toyota Camry. Very disappointed.

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  Fix the AC system! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Henrygrc - October 10 - 2:00 am

  My complaint is the A/C system. When "defrost" is selcted the A/C compressor starts working as it should with the A/C switch off. However when I switch the Mode Control Knob back to the dash wents, the A/C ramains on(with the A/C switch off),the compressor keeps cycling and it is impossible to turn it off unless the vehicle is restarted. Nissan issued a service bulletin HA03-002 NTSB03-065 advising that this is a "normal" condition. How is it normal when you have to stop and restart you car in order to turn your A/C off? Looks like not too many people noticed this and Nissan wont issue a recall unless there is more complaints

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  Sluggish 02 XTerra - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By SeaDweller - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle looks great and is fun to drive. The Solar Yellow turns alot of heads as well! It is perfect for my lifestyle with the real-truck features I need with relative comfort for its class. Not much pep, however. It is sluggish on acceleration.

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  Solid Solid Solid - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By 3rdPrizeIsYoureFired - October 8 - 3:10 am

  This is my third Pathfinder and theyve all been fantastic. Bought it new, and after 40k miles, not one major problem. Only minor problem was an alignment. Thats it. Dont like the climate control much, I prefer three dials, but thats subjective. Plenty of space, not really a luxury SUV, but a solid performer and can handle just about any task... commuting, towing, hauling. Plus its really a handsome car. Even though the gas mileage is pretty lousy, I plan to keep it anyway because its just so reliable. Almost a perfect car.

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  98 Sentra GLE - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By SentraFan - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Best value for the $$ at the time - new ones appear to be as well. Handles Great in the snow - very reliable car - just feed it and its happy! Not very hungry either!

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  Under Rated - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By Mark G - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Although this may not be the best Mini-Van ever made, it is a darn good one! It has a very quiet and solid ride. Very good ergonomics. The engine has enough power. The criticisms about not having enough passing power are stupid. This is a “Mini-Van" not a racecar. The worst thing about this vehicle is the rear bench seat folds up and slides forward, but you cannot take it out. The captain’s chairs in the middle do come out. This leaves a pretty screwy arrangement for the carpet.