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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  A solid car with its own Achilles heel(s) - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By kismet1113 - February 10 - 5:17 am

  My 02 Altima has over 200,000 miles on it with little more than normal repairs. Like most Altimas my crankshaft sensor failed around 150k miles. The frame of the car is 100% rust free, except for the floor panels right under the drivers side and passenger side front seats. This again is a common failure with these cars. My radiator started leaking around 150k miles and having to jack the front end of the car up 20" or so off the ground to work the air out of the lines is very annoying, but manageable. At the end of the day I have over 200k miles on the car and have yet to run into repairs I couldnt do myself...and for a woman I cant complain about that.

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  Lemon of a car - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Melissa - February 9 - 7:26 pm

  My check engine light has been on 3 times since March, two dealers cannot find the problem, so they reset the computer and send me on my way. And my leather seat was defective, that has been replaced. Did I mention my bluetooth has been replaced also, all of this before the 6,000 miles mark. What a lemon. If you own a Nissan, good luck if you have a warranty issue.

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  Great Truck - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Neil - February 9 - 5:03 am

  Steped up to Nissan for 95 GMC, tested GMC (few changes from 95), and Ford. Nissan moves, Gas mileage is good if you do not get Tow Package. Still pull 7000. But Nissan hitch cost as much as Tow package.

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  Excellent for the money! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By nissanfan - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my Sentra XE a month ago. I had a 1994 Mazda Protege which pretty much decided to fall apart on me at 70,000. For the money, you cant go wrong with the Sentra. I just wanted basic equipment at a good price. At $13,200 with A/C, AM-FM-CD Stereo, Armrest Console, Coin holder, All Cloth Seating, and Automatic Transmission, how could you beat that? The 1.8L DOHC has some good muscle because of the 126lbs torque at 2400rpms. As well the car is very comfortable on the highway with very little wind noise which most compact cars do have. I highly recommend this car to anyone.

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  Pathfinder - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By McCoy - February 9 - 2:00 am

  This is a great truck. Its offroad abilities are very good and performance is also very good. The comfort and styling is also great. No problems with this truck at all.

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  beautiful car! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Marty Ball - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I cant seem to keep the miles down on it because it is so reliable, comfortable and economical. The handling and the brakes arent the best in the S model, but the little 2.5 four literally flies down the road just fine. Lots of front seat, rear seat and trunk room. I got lots of compliments when it was the only one around last year.

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  02 Altima - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By wm - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Great car, superior handling, more fun to drive than the Camry (I know, we have one), and looks way better than the new 4-door Accord... although 2- door Accord does look good (but isnt a fair comparison).

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  Ultimate Altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By comjoe2 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Excellent, beautiful looks

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  Extreme Reliability - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Charles - February 8 - 5:30 am

  I purchased my Maxima December 22, 2000. This has been an extremely reliable vehicle. I have taken care of regular maintenance when it due to be done and have had only one problem with the vehicle this entire time. The starter needed replaced in mid summer of 2005. I currently have over 110,000 miles on the vehicle and have no reservations about driving it cross country. The ONLY reason I may get rid of this vehicle would be to purchase a new Maxima!

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  What an Incredible SUV!! - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By Joe - February 8 - 4:23 am

  I looked around for an SUV/minivan that would provide a safe, comfortable ride for my family of 5. I narrowed down to the Infiniti QX56, the GMC Yukon Denali and the Armada. When compared side by side, there was no question... the Armada won. The legroom and comfort are incredible. The fuel economy leaves a little to be desired, but it is a huge SUV! I am 68" tall and with the drivers seat all the way back, I can easily sit behind the driver. No other vehicle found had that much rear legroom. Bells and whistles galore plus it looks great!