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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  Nice Truck For The Price - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By ROBO - December 29 - 8:56 am

  I have only owned my Frontier SV 4x4 for 2 weeks and am happy with my purchase so far . The only problems i have so far is a not centered steering wheel and a minor trim fit problem in the cab . The truck seems well built and a value considering the price compared to mid size Chevy and Toyota trucks which are rated better by writers but also cost a few thousand dollars more . I have the 4.0 V6 and the mileage is less than my previous 2011 Jeep Liberty Sport with a 3.7 V6 . But the Frontier SV is bigger engine wise and weight wise so it is to be expected . A lot of writers criticize the gas mileage of the Frontier compared to similar trucks by Toyota and Chevy . But if you research it . They all have smaller engines compared to the Nissan 4.0 V6 in the Frontier . So the critics of the Frontiers poor gas mileage have made a bad comparison in my opinion . The ride is better than a lot of cars . The off road abilities i have not checked out yet . Ground clearance looks good for off road use . All in all a nice truck at a nice price .

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  Better than a Tacoma - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By danwatson - December 29 - 7:38 am

  I owned an 04 Tacoma Crew Cab that I was never going to get rid of. Very reliable and functional. Then I moved to the Eastern Sierras and needed 4WD. I quickly narrowed it down to a Tacoma and Frontier. Chose the Frontier because of better pricing an appearance. Ive had it for10 months and nearly 13,000 miles. There has not been a problem. 4WD works great in the snow and I just got back from a hunting trip in Wyoming where I was off road for a couple of hundred miles. Even needed 4WD low and it went everywhere I needed to go. Im very satisfied with the Frontier. Its my first Nissan truck (I used to own an Infiniti). I owned an 88 and 04 Toyotas and this is better than either.

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  My 2007 Maxima SE - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By 07GuamMax - December 29 - 6:43 am

  Owned this car for about 2 years now, and have read a lot of reviews to see if anyone else was experiencing the same problems as i was. There is alot of cabin noise especially from the front end, you can feel most of the bumps on the road due to the sporty suspension, have had my batteries changed out twice, air conditioner has gone twice in a year, and other problems that i cant mention because i had to bring my car into the dealership so many times. This car is a really great car, but i just wished that these problems would have never occurred. I have owned a 2003 Toyota Camry XLE before i traded it in for the 07 Maxima SE, and i have never had any problems with the car at all.

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  Nice car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By JulieinGA - December 29 - 6:26 am

  I have been a Camry owner for the last 20 years. But I liked the luxury and handling of the Maxima and the price was right. It is my first real luxury car and I love all the bells and whistles. It is a pleasure to drive. The downers are very wide turning radius, back window is small and slanted reducing visibility and glare from dashboard on front windshield is distracting.

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  Thumbs up! - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Psquared - December 28 - 3:16 pm

  This car gets more compliments than any other car I have ever owned. Handles great, plenty of power precise handling.

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  Love my Versa!! - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Versa SL - December 28 - 11:26 am

  I love my new Versa SL. For a city car, it is perfect. Fuel efficient, small and comfortable x 100. I appreciate that the cloth seats actually look really nice. I am really pleased with my purchase and feel that compared to other cars in its class/price range, I did really well!! I also test drove Fit and Rabbit. The Versa totally felt better than those. btw, had to rate reliablity for the site but i have no idea, will take time. Expect a lot as my previous Nissan experiences were very positive.

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  Overall Very Impressed - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Bob B. - December 28 - 4:56 am

  Purchased 3.5 SE w/CVT in November 2006. Cloth seats w/few options. Approximately 3000 miles on the vehicle now. I just took a long trip w/the vehicle over the Holidays (avg. 27 mpg on Hwy w/premium) so I was able to spend some extended time inside the car and here is what Ive found so far. Very impressed with 3.5 and CVT combination. Its a blast to drive. My only complaint is that the transmission has a slight initial hesitation under hard acceleration. However, once the revs come up the car moves out. Brakes are awesome. On the other hand, seats are BAD on long trips, horn is more difficult to operate than it should be, and the interior has too many cheap looking/feeling parts.

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  Run for your life away from this car!!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Bob - December 27 - 5:36 pm

  For the first three years of ownership of the Spec V, it was relatively problem free. As I write this, the car sits in the shop needing a new head gasket and timing chain. Last month it needed a new radiator and ran out of radiator fluid. I have been diligent about oil changes and routine maintenance. Last summer it mysteriously ran out of oil 3,000 miles after an oil change. Nissan Corp is a JOKE and did not respond to any letters sent its way about this lemon!! As for the recalls mentioned, I was NOT informed of any of them. The car has 60,000 miles on it and as soon as it is returned to me, it will have a "for sale" sign on it. There is a "cover up" Nissan is not mentioning here.

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  08 Altima Sedan Outstanding - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Eileen F - December 27 - 3:26 pm

  Ive really enjoyed the pep of the car with CVT. Its very quiet, no wind or engine noise. Rides and drives like a dream. I really cant say enough good things about the car. This is my first Nissan and Ive not been disappointed yet.

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  Super SUV! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By dougmael - December 27 - 2:03 pm

  I traded a 2007 Toyota Camry SE-V6 for this Murano LE in April and could not be happier! Great styling, excellent performance, fine handling (for an SUV) and decent fuel economy... what more could I ask for? OK, I could ask for more, but then I would have to purchase a new FX-50 and spend an extra $15K or more!