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:

• 

  Great Car for the Price - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Pamela Dean - April 15 - 10:27 pm

  Got average 28 mpg while driving 35 mph. Comfortable for driver…not so comfortable for passengers. One key entry went out causing me to be stranded. Could not open trunk without key entry because there is no place to insert the key. Replacing batteries did not fix the "key".

• 

  Truly Amazing! - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Speedbrds - April 15 - 7:33 pm

  Had this vehicle for nearly 1 year and Im just amazed how fun it is. When Im in the feeling for some sporty driving, I push the "M" button on the center mount. I pretend the "M" button is from the BMW M3. This is my M3. When I drive to Vegas, I can easily achieve 120MPH and keep it there with little to no trouble. When driving in town, I try to challenge myself. When I accelerate, I try and keep the RPM below 2000RPM. Once I hit about 10 or 15MPH, the RPM drops and I push a little more on the accelerator and move quicker all the while keeping the RPM under 2000 and the gas mileage up. Opted for the keyless and sound pack. The stereo is unbelievable.

• 

  I really like it...but... - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jhuck - April 14 - 7:53 pm

  I bought my 01 Pathfinder in 04 with 39,000 miles on it. I now have almost 113,000 miles. First let me say that I love the engine. It revs quick and has the power of a small v8. Overall it is holding up well but Ive had some issues. They are: 1 - 2 mass air flow sensors have crapped (when this goes the vehicle goes into safe mode and rev past 2000 rmp) 2 - 1 O2 sensor 3 - the drivers power seat has stopped going back and forth (im living with it as it stuck in my position) 4 - the stock Clarion 6 disk changer stinks. I replaced it with aftermarket single disk unit. (I will never buy Clarion) 5 - Rear defroster only defrosts half the window. 6 - tranny leak that went away.

• 

  Omg, how did this happen? - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By winson - April 14 - 1:18 pm

  I bought this really good Nissan Pathfinder SE, but 5 years later I regreted it. Just when I was done financing this car and when the warranty was done, the car broke down and I had to bring the car to a friend who inspects and fixes cars. He inspected it and said the "water boxes" water went into the transmissioner and they had to fix it and they gave me a crappy 2002 Honda Accord. After 2 weeks, I got my car back. (Yesterday) And I paid him $4700 dollars and I drove her home. But at 4:00, I went to wash the car and clean the engine but when I saw the transmissioner and the water box, I saw that nothing was replaced or anything. It was all the same. So I just wasted $4700 for nothing.

• 

  If you want reliability..... - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By AEP - April 14 - 1:06 pm

  This is the car to go for, if you need low prive and reliability. I just had the 120K miles service (as recommended by Nissan Manual) and it was all 320$. I have never had a single problem with this car - the engine is powerful , it has enough comfort for a commute car and it goes 23 mpg on the freeway - a good value given the 6 cylinders.

• 

  So In Love - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By So In Love - April 14 - 6:43 am

  Ive had my car a little over a month and I must say it is one of the best. I test drove and reviewed at least over 10 cars from chrysler, honda, to toyota. I previously owned a "06" G6, which was horrible. Hands down the 08 altima met my standards. The body and the interior style is wonderful. The CVT takes some time to get use to but I rarely notice. There is a little noise with accelerating, but goes away so quick you dont notice. Bottom line was sooo worth every penny!

• 

  Disappointed - 2001 Nissan Quest
  By Tom Hunter - April 14 - 5:26 am

  I bought this car new as I thought it would last a long time. The engine and transmission are mechanically sound, but I have replaced the drive shafts twice. The side window latches do stick. I have had work done on the power windows. I do plan on keeping this car for another few years. The VCR screen did break after 4 years.

• 

  Great vehicle - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Linda - April 14 - 5:06 am

  So far so good. Great riding, great gas mileage and sharp looking. Drove the CRV/ this Rogue is a much smoother ride.

• 

  i miss mine two - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By chonseydsa - April 13 - 3:06 pm

  I loved my 2000 Nissan xterra in silver it had about 190,000 miles on it when I recently totaled it in a accident on Thursday. I also had the problem of the airbags not going off but overall it was a great truck Im hoping to get another one with my insurance money and buy one with lower mileage. It was tons of fun I miss mine so much.

• 

  Just a perfect vehicle... - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By SpadedAce - April 13 - 2:23 pm

  I have had my 2005 Pathfinder for exactly 1 year next week and it still feels like I bought it yesterday! I love it. Very comfortable (drove it from south Florida to Maryland and back in 4 days), very sporty (hauls my kayaks and dirtbikes around like its nothing), pulls a 5000 lb boat very well (not underpowered or feeling like the boat is pulling me), the sound system is amazing, and I have not had 1 problem with it yet! They really are fun to drive in-town, on the beach, on the highway(lots of get up and go when you need it) and they are really great looking. They also have all the creature comforts you could ask for including 3rd row seating and a first-aid kit included! Get one!