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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  Luxury Performance Sedan - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By BP in SC - August 11 - 10:00 am

  Love it! Even the 4 cyl. engine delivers awesome power- same horsepower as other 6 cyl. such as Accord and Camry. I was a die hard Honda fan until I drove this car. And talk about being the center of attention . . . . Easy on the wallet too- insurance only increased slightly and its a lot of car for the money. Since I have an 11 month old, the interior room and trunk space is significant-- backseat seems bigger and more comfortable than 2000 Accord. Ive always been a "wait and see" person when it comes to a new make/model, but dont worry about this one-- go for it! No bugs.

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  2011 Quest is awesome - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By paul_hansen - August 11 - 6:37 am

  We did a lot of research. Besides the Nissan Quest, we drove the Honda Odyssey (ok), Toyota Sienna (yuck), Buick Enclave (nice, but $), and Mazda 5 (great, affordable microvan). Hands down, the Nissan Quest was our choice. Definitely feels like driving a luxury car. Pro reviewers should rate it higher. Seven seats are plenty, and I dont care that they dont "stow and go," because both back rows fold flat for plenty of cargo space. If thats really not enough, rent a U-haul. Also, since the third row doesnt fold into the floor, youre left with cavernous storage that doesnt have to be emptied to fold the seats.

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  I cant believe the responses on here. - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By kgordo26 - August 10 - 9:44 pm

  After reading several of the reviews, Im pretty surprised. Ive had mine for 2 yrs. I have 60k miles on it & have put nothing into it but oil changes & a set of snow tires. I agree with the review about poor handling in winter, but have not had a single problem since buying 2 front snow tires. Before badmouthing the car, check your tread. I also love the CVT. It is designed to be smoother & it is. As for engine noise, its a 4 cyl people, theyre all louder. Also, Im still on my first set of brakes all around with about 25% left. A lot of the complaints are differing preferences, not quality issues. Do research before you buy! Dont badmouth the quality bc you made a poor personal choice!

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  my family has been with nissan since1974 - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By grant - August 10 - 8:16 pm

  i have had altmas,frontiers, maximas, stanzas, and pathfinders this sentra is by far a great car. nissan did it again. handles great up mountans i have raced my dads frontier 4.0 and off the line i won. nice comfort the front seats recline very far i drive 150 miles a day and i get an avg of 29- 32 depending on how hard i step on the gas. mtn driving is a blast the car hugs turns tight and you still can give it gas threw the turn for the rest of it looks, inside and out its a good looking car. would like to see in 2 dr tho. and as for build and reliability well ... its a nissan not a toy. haha over all price handling performance and looks its a 10 to me

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  2004 Maxima transmission problems - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By thecuda - August 10 - 6:36 pm

  I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima with the serious transmission problems, driverÂ’s side window motor and one motor used to control the driver side power seat is out. We have been owners of Nissans for more than 22 years. At one time all of my childrenÂ’s (3) has a Nissan. We will switch to another brand and never own a Maxima again. My daughter had the same problem with her 2004 Murano.

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  Overall an excellent truck - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By tracktech - August 10 - 2:43 pm

  Overall, I have been very satisfied with my 2006 Majestic Blue Crew Cab 4WD Nissan Titan LE. I have had to bring it back to the dealer for a few things covered under warranty, but nothing major. Also, when installing aftermarket products, there is ABSOLUTELY no room in the engine compartment for anything additional. The cab is unbelievably spacious and comfortable, and the 5.6 Liter 8 is very bold. Sometimes a little too loose in the rear end though. I used to want my first truck to be Ford or Chevy, but after the release of the Titan I couldnt pass it up, and Im glad I didnt.

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  I Love This Truck - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By Gary - August 10 - 2:40 am

  Ive had my Frontier a year, now. If I had it do again, I would still buy this truck. I looked at the Dakota and the Tacoma, and wasnt very impressed. First, I liked the look of the Frontier. But, when I drove one, that was it. The power, felt like a V-8. Too me, it was just what I wanted in a truck.

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  Jack of All Trades!! - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Matt - August 10 - 2:16 am

  This car is "good" in a lot of different ways. Suspension is soft for off-roading, but skid plates, and ranchos serve it well. Highway ride is GREAT, very smooth and quite, long wheel base helps with that. Only complaint is the seats! Im 64 and I dont fit comfortably, seats could be more supportive. Rear seating is cramped but storage capacity is great. No reliability issues whatsoever yet Yes, the throttle IS touchy, but if you know how to drive a car, this shouldnt be a problem! Interior ergonomics are above average, plastics could be little bit more scratch resistant (have to be careful when cleaning). Can avg 21 mpg if you drive it at 65.

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  Enjoy the Ride! - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Nate240-Z - August 9 - 9:20 pm

  I LOVE this truck! I have almost 45000 miles on it now and not a single problem. The interior does not have the cheap look and feel that the Toyota has. The interior is also extremely user friendly. Once you get rid of those horrible BFG rugged trail tires for a real All Terrain tire, I suggest the Yokohama Geolander A/T+IIs, the off-road ability is amazing. I had NO wet road traction with the BFGs and the Yokos solved that problem. I ordered mine with the 5spd manual which has a 4LO crawl ratio of nearly 40:1. Gas mielage is good for a 4x4... I average 20mpg on the highway and 15-16 in town, also while towing my 72 240Z on the hwy (3300lbs w/trailer) I averaged 16mpg @ 65-70mph.

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  Great but not perfect - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By djfultoz - August 9 - 5:16 pm

  Love to drive my Titan. Lots of performance and sounds great. Room for the family. Good value for the money. Had problems with the gas gauge and interior lights. The gas gauge problem was with the sending unit in the gas tank. The part was on back order and took 3 weeks to repair as I drove a Sentra rental provided by the dealer. Like the adjustable pedals and power drivers seat.....easy to get good driving position. I get a so-so 16 to 18 mpg without the big tow pkg or 4 wheel- drive. Overall, this is a very nice truck and like it MUCH more than my former 2001 Tundra.