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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  STAY AWAY!!! - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By Tom Olzak - June 9 - 10:47 pm

  I bought this car used with 38000 miles on it. I drive about 12000 miles a year and have had the car a bit longer then 2 years and the transmission needs replaced (there are 64000 miles on the car) The initial warranty expired after 60000 miles. The Rogues transmission was problematic for years 2002-2010 to the point that there was a class action suite filed against Nissan and as a result they extended the warranty on the transmission for those years to 120000 miles. I was happy with the car till this. Never again will I buy another Nissan or any car with the CVT transmission.....

• 

  Nissan tweeks the 2010 Altima - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Nissan66 - June 9 - 1:10 am

  I bought the SL with everything but the NAV option. Many nit-picks about the 09 Altima have been taken care of. This year VSC and traction control were included on the 2.5 model. Turn signal markers added to the movable rear view mirrors too. A 4.3" back-up camera has been included in the Bose option(cool feature, but takes some getting use too). MPG at this early look was 27 on the first tank (combined driving). I expect 30+ with interstate driving. Nice quiet ride, handles well too.

• 

  Great Truck - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By SE King Cab 2WD - June 8 - 11:36 pm

  I must start by saying I went into the truck market looking to by the ford F-150. At the time I thought I was settling for the Titan, that notion has changed!! This is a great truck!! I must admit I bought the truck because of the large 5,000 rebate. I bought the SE model in king cab form, but doesnt seem as large as the Chevy or Tundra in the back. The ride and cabin noise is quieter than my wifes Acura MDX!! This truck is VERY well built. I know I made the right choice!!

• 

  It is a LEMON - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Hate this car! - June 8 - 4:03 am

  Previous 1996 pathfinder owner for 13 yrs.Traded for a 2008 model-it is plastic junk. Started rattling 5 wks after purchase: windows,dash,inside AC vents makes loud noise,hatch closes so hard glass shakes and rear inside panel is dangling/rattling due to rear door, rear camera wont work when it rains, steering column is going to fall off in my lap one day, paint so thin a fingernail can scratch it, rear view mirror falls down but Nissan wont replace it. Nissan says there is a lot of plastic and I should "learn to live with the noise"! Nissan Corp has gone downhill in the quality of vehicles.

• 

  Not a bad SUV for the right type of buyer... - 2015 Nissan Xterra
  By AJ - June 8 - 2:22 am

  ... good value overallThe 2015 Xterra is more or less unchanged from the previous years. I own a brand new Pro-4X in the Night Armour color with the cloth seats. Several aspects of the Xterra attracted me to it in the first place. First of all was value, I paid in the low to mid 30s for a relatively powerful 6 Cylinder SUV with 4 wheel drive, off road capability, a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity, heated seats, and a cool overall look. Granted the car hasnt been redesigned in quite a while but it still looks good. I specifically enjoyed that this is among a small group of cars that you can get heated seats on cloth seats. That makes it nice and cozy in the winter without the experience of hot leather in the summer. Inside, the Xterra offers a very easy to read and operate instrument panel. The infotainment system is basic but it never freezes or gets stuck. The climate and audio controls are easy to use with simple but quality dials. Personally, I love technology but the new cars with the complicated screens have gotten too intricate and they take my attention from the road. The Rockford Fosgate sound system (optional) is one of the best stock sound systems Ive ever heard. The heating and air conditioning unit works great in all types of weather, the "MAX A/C" option works tremendously in hot weather. The cargo room is great and there are plent of hidden storage areas throughout the cabin. The front seats are comfortable but not very big. The back seat is even tighter with difficult ingress and egress. While all of the switches and electronics work well the materials of the interior are very much sub-par. I have already had several squeaks and rattles develop in a car with less than 9,000 miles, this is unacceptable. If Nissan had put a little more time and effort in quality materials this would be one of my favorite automotive interiors. Outside, the car has a very utilitarian look with nifty cargo spots and steps for accessing the roof. Care needs to go in maintaining the exterior plastic trim as it can fade quickly in the sun. Use an exterior trim gel to keep it looking good. Mechanically, the Xterra has a great engine with a sub-par transmission. 5 Speed Automatics are incredibly out dated and this one shows its age. The engine has great power for regular driving as well as highway passing and off-roading. The gas mileage is extremely poor as I usually get aroung 14-16 in the city and about 17-18 on the highway. If Nissan could get this same power from a new engine while bumping fuel economy to the mid to high 20s it would have itself a great engine. However, most people dont buy an Xterra for fuel economy. This SUV is designed to handle anything the road throws at it. The Xterra is amazing in snow, rain, mud, and sand. It will get you to work when everyone else can get past the snow in their driveway. The 4 wheel drive system along with the off road gadgets in the Pro-4X make sure this SUV never gets stuck. Furthermore, for an off-road inclined SUV it has a fairly compliant ride on-road with not an obnoxious amount of road noise on the highway. It is easy to drive and park and the Pro-4X has a backup camera to help with parking. Overall, its a shame that Nissan is rumored to be pulling the plug on the Xterra after 2015. This is a good fun SUV for the younger crowd that doesnt have kids or doesnt need tremendous gas mileage. This car looks and feels sporty and rugged without being too harsh on its occupants. Its a great weekend trip car and it has enough technology and entertainment to be competitive in todays tech world. If Nissan could improve gas mileage, interior quality, and give it a fresh redesign I truly believe there would be plenty of buyers for a future Xterra generation, myself included.

• 

  Great car so far - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By Nick A - June 8 - 2:14 am

  Love the styling of the altima for 2016. It has great acceleration even with the four cylinder and handles pretty good. Ive been averaging 31mpg with mostly city driving. Road noise is a little much but i think its these cheap tires it comes w from the factory. Engine makes alot of noise but i like to hear my engine most of the time. The A/C in this car will freeze you to a solid block of ice in no time even on low. Only have 1200 miles so far but will update my review as time goes on. Great car for the money, if you want something thats going to drive like a million bucks then spend a million bucks.

• 

  Great small SUV - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By carolinabob - June 7 - 8:36 am

  Great small, but not too small, SUV. The FWD version gets very good mileage and is the most comfortable and quietest riding of any small SUV. Luxurious interior and lots of gadgets, especially if you get the SL with Premium Package. Lots of safety devices. Voice control of infotainment takes some getting used to and is a little slow, but it works fine. Only problem so far is the sunvisors wouldnt hold position, but that was probably a supplier issue. Both replaced and no problems since. NO CVT noise even going up 6-8% grades in the mountains; no searching by CVT either. Prices much more reasonable than CV-T and RAV4.

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  Needed better mpg with this truck - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Bob - June 7 - 4:53 am

  I needed a truck. After I got this one I wasnt getting the mpg I thought I should. Well, one night I was on the interstate and I went just below 2000 rpm, about 1800 and locked in the cruise control. My mpg went up to over 24. My speed was about 65. With the present gas prices this might help you get some better mpg. Now I dont feel so bad. I like this truck. Mine is a 2 wheel drive Nismo with automatic. My best mpg is 27 using this method. I avg about 24 on the highway. Around town , 17 like everyone else. Hope this helps. You can go up to just about any speed and cut your rpms to about 1800 (or a little above) and improve your mpg.

• 

  Love It! - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By jyamser - June 7 - 4:07 am

  The CV Transmission is a pure delight. Edmunds reviews mentioned that there was resistance to it. Resistance to acceleration when stepping on the gas? You NEED to hear the transmission going through gears? This is probably the cheapest and best car I have owned. VERY satisfied.

• 

  Pleased One - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By sfvtiger - June 6 - 9:30 pm

  Yes, I agree, there has been numerous recalls on my Sentra but other than that, it has been in the shop quite a few times. My clutch went out at 60,000, very pricey repair!! Brakes are a frequent repleacement and it will be going on its 3rd set of tires here pretty soon. The engine has excellent power and runs well to this day with on time maintanence. Service engine soon light is on because of a cat converter being damaged by running over a construction cone. This is pricey to repai and am considering purchasing another vehicle in order to avaoid fixing this. Everything on the inside is great, except the stock stereo, the backlight went out. All around pleased with this car.