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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  Former Ranger owner - 2016 Nissan Frontier
  By Tommy - May 20 - 2:28 am

  Having owned many Rangers, (which were very strong tough trucks) the Nissan Frontier is by far the better truck. Very strong frame, very solid riding. The engine, V-6 strong, plenty of torque. The price advantage is excellent. A similar equipped Toyota Tacoma will list for apron $4.000 more.

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  Our PartyVan - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By raq_sv - May 19 - 10:09 pm

  Minivans in the U.S. are mostly used to haul kids and run errands to the groceries and hardware stores. We use it to haul adults and friends to parties on weekends. All I have to say the Quest is an awesome van because its 100% made in Japan next to the Nissan Elgrand E52! No other Japanese vans in North America are JDM like the Quest. Like everyone said, the build quality is rock solid and very Infiniti like. I just slapped on a set of 20 rims with TEIN coilovers. It looks good and handles like a sport wagon. No more "trampolines" feeling on the highway and body rolls are reduced greatly. [non-permissible content removed]

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  2008 Nissan Frontier Excellent Mid-Size Truck!! - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By Mark W - May 19 - 6:46 pm

  I bought this 2008 Nissan Frontier LE 4WD CC 6ft bed brand new and recently sold it in 2018 (kept it 10 years). Ive owned Toyotas (1994, 2004) before and I have to say that they are pretty comparable, in terms of performance and reliability. The Nissan had excellent power and decent fuel economy for the 4.0 liter V-6. The low-end torque is fantastic, I was never feeling like it was underpowered. The transmission was very smooth shifting and dependable, no problems whatsoever. The 4wd system, especially with the active electronic limited slip system (which even works in 4WD), worked flawlessly. Whether it was snow, mud, off-road trails, etc. my Frontier handled it like a champ. The combination of its modest size and weight really helped. The design of the Frontier is really well-thought out as well. The Utili-Trak system with the moveable tie-down cleats and optional bed extender were super useful during the 10 years I owned this truck. The comfort and convenience features of the truck were fantastic. Keep in mind, this was a 10 year old truck, so it cant compare to todays trucks that have many more safety, entertainment and creature comforts. But for its timeframe, Nissan did a great job giving us plenty of great features. The only reason I finally sold my Frontier is because my kids (who were little when I bought it back in 2008) grew up and I had to get a full-size crew cab truck. Otherwise, Id still have the Nissan today.

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  Surpasses expectations! - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Leo Gomez - May 19 - 2:30 pm

  Recently had to choose one of the 5 great full sizes offered. The Nissan was not only very well priced, but its the only 1/2 ton pickup with a full size 4dr cab and a 7ft+ bed. Great combo for someone like me who loves to put motorcycles in the back and go camping. Very quiet which is great, the dual zone climate control works flawlessly and the chairs are comfortable!

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  Good "Sport Sedan" - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Red Thunder - May 19 - 8:40 am

  On the day of the delivery I experienced steering wheel "shimmy" or vibration at all speeds and despite 5 trips to the dealership, some improvement but not complete elimination of the problem. I love the car, the room, the VQ engine (plenty of upgrades...), reliability and this is my 3 maxima. My first is still on the road (a friend drives it now) with over 300000 miles. I really dislike the service I experienced though. And they still promise to fix the issue and Im still waiting...

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  2016 Rogue...NICE!!! - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Audra - May 19 - 8:15 am

  I only had the car for about a month, but I am very pleased with what you get for the price, I look at other SUVs in the Rogue class, but none I found came with the Navigation system standard....it was always an option. I am also impressed with the ease of steering the vehicle and the safety features and the overall ride is wonderful!

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  less than expected - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Fotojoe - May 19 - 8:03 am

  This is our third Quest and we expected this new Quest to be as good as the others and we have been very disappointed. Right off the lot the van has needed repairs for vibrations, rattling doors, seats....too many to go on. Perhaps that is why Nissan increased the bumper to bumper warranty. We love the space and it is great on the road but it just has not lived up to being a Nissan.

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  A great, practical car - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By star2007 - May 19 - 4:20 am

  Ive had my 2010 Nissan Sentra for about two years now and I love it! I previously owned a used 1995 Nissan Maxima, which had 200,000 miles and served me well, but I was ready for something new. This is a very practical car -- good gas mileage, big trunk (good for golf clubs), and nice features (auxiliary input for Ipod). The feel of a CVT took some getting used to but now I really like it. The car has more power than other compact cars Ive driven that are rather gutless. Ive had no major issues in the past two years -- just needed a replacement of one sun visor while still under warranty.

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  Avoid a 45K error. - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By hp1236 - May 19 - 4:16 am

  I bought a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Plat with Premium options and the vehicle had 9 miles on it. I drove the vehicle 50 miles to my home and the next morning there was an i-Key system error or similar. A little later the check engine light came on. OBD code was P0850. I was told there was a fob programming but it turned out to be a shifter assembly part needed to be replaced. Needless to say, I had to bring the vehicle back to get it fixed. A couple of days later my wife was sitting in the passenger seat and I noticed the passenger airbag was off. Back to the dealer and I am told the seat was not calibrated. They fixed it, yesterday the issue with the airbag is back.

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  2006 Nissan Altima - Scary Car to drive - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Kzande - May 18 - 11:16 pm

  I purchased a 2006 Nissan Altima after hearing about how reliable these cars are. I have had nothing but bad luck with this car. The car does not come standard with ABS or traction. The car spins out and slides in the rain resulting in 3 car accidents since I bought the car. I had never been in an accident with any other car. The handling in this car is HORRIBLE. It Is very top heavy. The brakes have a tendency to slow the car down a low speeds and the shifting is hard for an automatic transmission. Rethink purchasing a Nissan Altima or make sure you get the ABS package.