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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  Excellent workhorse - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By sescaugust - January 5 - 2:00 am

  I use my Nissan Sentra 98 XE(manual 5 speed) to drive to Detroit from State College, Pa which is a distance of 440 miles twice every month. In not a single trip did the car give me a wee bit of trouble. It has over 86000 miles on it now (i bought it at 65500 miles) and still gives me a mileage of over 35 mpg on the highway. I have taken good care of it by sticking to the maintenance schedule and it has more than paid off by its excelelnt eliability and mileage. I think it is a highly under rated card compared to the Civic and Corolla.

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  Unique Performace - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Fateisj - January 5 - 2:00 am

  If you treat your car right, you will get 30 miles per gallon, and it will last you atleast 250,000 miles easily. It has good torque for its year and class. Its a very comfortable ride, and it is the absolute best to drive. it has the best road feel.

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  A Great Vehicle - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BIGURQ - January 5 - 2:00 am

  This is out second Nissan, first being our trade in, Altima, 140,000 miles and running strong. This SUV is a great vehicle. The engine is very strong and the 4wd system gets us through the snow everytime. It is very solid with a sturdy feel to it. The doors might be a little too heavy, trouble closing first time. If you are mechanically inclined, I advise doing the services yourself. $$$$ dealerships charge way too much. Plenty of cargo room and the Bose system is fantastic. Great all around SUV.

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  Nissan Sentra - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By purplesky - January 5 - 2:00 am

  This is not a good first new car to purchase. The minute I drove it off the lot things started to fall apart inside. Foam shooting from the heat vents. Weird odors from the melted adhesive in the dash. Heater not blowing hot air out of drivers side vent (but it can blow cold air just fine!) New strut replacement. Speakers replaced several times--crackle/pop noises. New exhaust replacement. Cheap plastic door panels. I think the list could keep going....

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  Nissan GXE - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By cobb_cruiser - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Excellent handling, accelleration, and gas mileage. Fun to drive (I have a Manual Transmission).

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  What a great feeling truck to drive - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Seattle Titan - January 5 - 2:00 am

  The truck itself is fun to drive, my only concern the lack of quality and the lack of customer service from nissan USA. Many issues with part not fitted right or not at all.

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  just drove off lot - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By cameek - January 5 - 2:00 am

  although my car is just a few hours old..i am very very happy with it...head turner/power/comfort...so far so good...i will definitely post as the time goes along. I got the SE in black with regular sunroof and light sand cloth interior

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  Very, very Pleased after Purchase! - 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Grant - January 4 - 5:27 pm

  I read reviews, but evaluated several top 3-row SUVs for "myself". The Pathfinder was exceptional. My wife or I have owned GM, VW, Infiniti, & Mercedes vehicles. So, I have a basis for comparing. The takeoff is not the swiftest, but thats not my num 1 preference. It has strong mid and top end power; great highway performance. "Excellent" comfort that front & rear passengers enjoy. Plus I enjoy the comfort, power, & handling poise cruising around city.

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  Good car but has flaws - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By stingray312 - January 4 - 3:46 pm

  It is a good little car. It has good acceleration even with a 4 cyl. It is good looking and stylish. It does not get the gas mileage that the tags said, but I had already known that none of Nissans vehicles get what the tags say. The paint chips easily and it rusts easily when the paint is chipped (keep a bottle of touch-up paint on hand). Plastic cowling on bottom of car makes it a pain to change the oil by yourself. The intelligent key and push button starting are great features (I have to keep my friends from playing with the door locks though). All in all, it is a good little car that will work well for you as long as you pay attention to it once in a while.

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  Too Bad - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By apps10 - January 4 - 3:37 pm

  Have the manual transmission and have just loved this car for 7 years. Unfortunately Nissan had some major transmission issues. My car had the entire engine, transmission and cats replaced under warrantee just before it expired. Time to get rid of the car cause I anticipate the issues resurfacing. It has been a great sport sedan with the power and acceleration being the best features. The engine is silky smooth.