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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  Major Problems and Nissan Not Helping - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By amandathibault - January 26 - 11:36 pm

  I bought my pathfinder brand new. I put the first miles on this Pathfinder. Within the first few months I noticed that the paint was starting to flake in some areas. Now a year later and fighting with Nissan I have paint missing on 10 panels of the Pathfinder. Also when I went for them to do their so called "paint test" they treated me with disrespect and sexist. I requested to watch while they did this paint test and they pulled paint off my Pathfinder and told me it wasnt enough to qualify for a warranty defect. So I hope Nissan will read this and try to make it right. One other problem I have had is my left turn sign does not turn off once I make the turn.

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  2009 Nissan Altima used purchase. - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Richard Harris - January 26 - 9:53 pm

  Con: Road noise is apparent, especially with front end, nothing loose tho. Biggest Pro is excellent acceleration, plenty of power from 4 cycl engine, 175Horse.

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  Investigate before you by - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By ovi17 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Initially this car was awesome, and it still is with some exceptions. The car is fun to drive but Im having some problems that are giving me a headache. Here are some of the problems: Alignment issues right off the lot, excessive paint chipping on hood and bumper, transmission noise when in neutral. Read the forums before buying.

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  Not splashy but functionable - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By jrc0302 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  The Quest doesnt turn heads, or zoom,zoom around town. This is my second (1998 GLE) and it has always been reliable. It has enough luxury with the heated leather seats and VCR plus, but the price didnt kill me. For an older couple like us, it provides enough hauling roon ,but with alittle bit of luxury.

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  Love It!!! - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MnMKY - January 26 - 10:00 am

  It has power to boot... Stereo is GREAT!!! DVD player is awesome. Lots of fun to drive!!! Gas economy is low but acceptable... Only aggravating feature is opening the rear hatch... FOB wont do it...

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  The Murano Rocks! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Aksarben - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Nissan designed an SUV killer with this car. Ive been a truck man all my life, being that Im 6 5" tall. Just traded my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab for a 2003 Murano SL with everything but the Nav system. No other SUV in this price range has the leg and head room the murano has. Absolutely love this car. BOSE stereo system is an absolute must if your into music listening, blows the doors off of my Infinity stereo system I had in my last truck.

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  Not for cold climes or if you plan on ever moving - 2014 Nissan Leaf
  By Richard Newcomer - January 25 - 10:24 pm

  It is tough admitting to a mistake, but the Leaf in IL may have been one. I say "may" because the lease payment vs. my Avalanche is so much less, that it will still probably pay off my solar panels with the difference, but I probably should have held out for a Volt to be available locally. What dont I like about the Leaf? Its COLD. I call it my carcicle The stereo is not good enough for music (does fine with audio books) The battery life in the winter stinks, and no one told me it would be this bad...real world: ~75 miles/charge in warm weather; ~45 miles/charge in the winter...and its freezing in the car! I cant move farther than 75 miles from where I live now without towing

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  Simple but great - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By xterra canada - January 25 - 8:03 pm

  You get exactly what you pay for with the Xterra. Its hardy, functional, cool looking and reliable. Servicing really started at 125,000 kms at which time most bits started to come apart. Keyless entry, shocks, clutch, muffler, power windows, a/c all needed either partial or full replacement. I did miss some of the luxuries of upscale models. Overall a great buy.

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  Mini Max - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Tiffany - January 24 - 7:50 am

  I purchased this car in Nov. 2006. The handling is excellent. The engine is quick and for a 4-cylinder it has great pick-up. The CVT engine I think is a load of garbage though -- I can feel almost every shift. Also, the car does not handle well at all with bumps, which is very annoying. My paint could be defective, but if a leaf touches the car there is a small scratch left behind. The car is roomy and very comfortable. The body style is comparable to the Maxima, which was a huge selling point for me since I came out of a 93 Max -it does not come close to its power though. I fill up at least three times per month, so it is not that bad on gas. This car is great in the snow! It is a tank!

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  Great car - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By wd - January 23 - 8:26 pm

  This is a reliable vehicle that gets good mileage (33 mpg highway). Its dependable and also handles well. Overdrive provides decent acceleration for its size. Its a good commuter vehicle.