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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  187,000 miles - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Rick - May 2 - 6:43 pm

  I bought my 2001 Altima GXE limited edition new. The car has never failed to start, but I have been dumping in money lately. I have replaced the manifold gasket twice, the driver window motor, and both rear window motors need replacing. I have also put on 4 new struts. The wheel covers are very noisy. When everything is fixed on it I do enjoy driving it. Get around 23-25 miles per gallon.

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  Great SUV - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By julian - May 2 - 3:00 am

  This is my second 07 Armada. We had an accident with our first one, we got t-boned by an RV. The Armada held up excellent, even so it was later declared a total loss, it got us 40 miles to the next town. It kept all of us safe, even so the frame got damaged. After the loss we went and bought the same truck again. We also have a 9000 lbs trailer which we tow without any problems. I did not notice any of the brake problems a lot of people refer to. I stop that truck out of 60 mph with trailer safe and sound in a heartbeat. I love my Armada, wish so they would provide a diesel engine as alternative.

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  So cute and fun to drive - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By lindaw2 - May 1 - 8:30 pm

  Just got my pearl white SL AWD Juke today. It is replacing a 2008 Rogue. So far I think it is adorable. The only negatives I notice so far are the seats are firmer than the Rogue and there is no middle console for storage. Love the nav and the back up camera as well as the climate control. Fun to drive and my husband likes it too!!

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  Cool Truck - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By steve - May 1 - 5:23 pm

  Its a very cool truck. It handles well and has some real get up and go. The only downfall I can think of is the gas this thing takes. I suppose overall though, theres not another large SUV I would want or trust.

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  My first real car - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By Nicholaspel@hotmail.com - May 1 - 4:07 pm

  Ive owned alot of clunkers. Most cars i have driven were 200,000 miles plus. Well i always like to rent a car on vacation and this was the one for grabs. On the trip the ride was smooth, no gears meant a smooth ride on the interstate. Its always adjusting. Usually in a 4 cylinder i would be at 3000 rpm on the interstate at 70. The sentra likes to hover around 1800-2000 the noise is great. I can turn down my radio amd hear myself think. Torque city driving is not sp great. The added a sport mode features which basically makes the travel distance of the pedal shorter. Faster reaction etc. its a great commuter car. Interior is easy to keep clean, i have black cloth so it can be shampood easier. Give it that new car smell every 9 months. I guess you could say i liked the car so much, i found the exact same model and color and bought it. People dont like the acceleration . Its similar to a 4 wheeler, hit the throttle and go. I drove rx7s in the past, very similar . Interstate or highway, good acceleration. I just drove it from louisiana to delaware last week which is why i am writing this review. I bought this car preowned and certified by nissan. It has been the best investment. Gas mileage is fantastic. I dont know why peoples transmissions are burning up. If you hit the gas hard it will stay in the higher rpms. If you have a heavy foot i reccomend another. This is purely a small car, low hp. Cvt will never allow it to be anything more. Strictly for cummuting and gas mileage without being in a tin can

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  2008 FRONTIER LE CREW CAB 4X4 - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By nsanewheels - May 1 - 3:36 pm

  This is my 2nd Nissan Frontier since their redesign in 2005 just turned my 3 yr lease and now I have the Red Pearl 2008 as loaded as it can come. Its a great midsize truck good for work or play. I used it for both work family and a little beach riding. I regularly max the 4.0 out highway driving daily in PA. It will max out right about 115, electronically limited at 4500 RPM top gear which is acceptable given that youre still going way too fast anyway.

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  I Love My Car! - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By dianna - May 1 - 1:16 pm

  I love my car! My boyfriend bought it for me. I love driving it. I have no complaints about my car at all. It handles very well. I have had all the oil changes and the 15,000 mile inspection. and the tires rotated. It corners very well! No problems at all. If you take care of your car. Its going to last a long time. I hand wash my car.I treat it like a baby!! I love it!

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  nissan sentra se turbo R spec v - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By nakia - May 1 - 9:46 am

  Great car very reliable gas mileage depends on how you drive. it hugs all turns a little bumpy but hey, great power and torque feels like a v8 but an in line 4 wow.

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  Unreliable Car & Expensive Repairs - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Last Nissan for us - May 1 - 9:26 am

  Our second Pathfinder. All reg maint done at dealership. Had to replace O2 sensors at 34000 miles, and second one at 52000. At 61000, dealership said I had a bad catalytic converter and since we had just passed (by two weeks) the 8 year ownership mark, they refused to fix it. First two repairs were $700 each, cat converter estimate is $1000. Have had engine knock for 2 years that dealership couldnt isolate/repair. Knowing that the sensors had gone out, and there was an engine knock, they should have checked cat converter. We will fix this, sell it, and go back to buying Toyotas.

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  The CVT Is The Kiss of Death... - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Boston Fireguy - May 1 - 3:11 am

  I just put 500 miles on a 2016 S model rental in southwest Florida. It had just 3000 miles on the clock. The positive: The A/C provided plenty of cool, quiet cooling. The engine was smooth at idle, even with the A/C engaged. Plenty of room for 4 checked pieces of luggage. The doors provided easy entering and exiting. The satellite radio reception was very good. Wind noise was minimal. The dash layout was good, with easy to reach controls, easy to read gauges and easy to navigate trip computer & settings. The 12 volt outlets were powered with or without the ignition on. The LED daytime running lights are sharp looking. The leg room front & rear was very adequate. The minuses: The snowmobile transmission always caused the engine to drone loudly during normal acceleration. At around 40 mph the engine would bog down. The sport mode surprisingly made it worse, even with the driver only. The firm front & rear seats were uncomfortable after 25 miles. The space carved out of the dash by the ignition switch made inserting the key difficult. The outside temperature reading was always off 8-10 degrees. The speakers were very weak, even for a basic model. The passenger side wiper arc was small, missing about 25% of the right side windshield. With the cruise control engaged a slight incline caused the engine to drone loudly. The halogen headlights were just so so bright. When opening the front doors ones hand would hit the lock button, a potential problem if the key was still in the ignition. Did I mention that dreaded transmission? If this represents Nissans auto drivetrains I will never rent one again, let alone buy one. Just mine and my wifes 2 cents worth...