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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  Dream Car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Mary Beth - July 6 - 1:23 am

  I love this care. I have only one concern -- my sun-roof does not line up totally flush. I have noted no unusual road noise and no leaking at this point. Has anyone else had sun-roof issues? This is my first vehicle with a sun-roof, and I love having it. I just want to make sure it wont leak later on.

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  Im Trading in My Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Chris in NY - July 5 - 3:03 pm

  My main issue with the Rogue is the poor visibility. I am also frustrated that I am unable to tow a 1500 T@B camper comfortably, despite the fact that I purchased the SL with all the extra Towing features, giving it a rating up to 3000 pounds. Oddly, when I roll down the back window without rolling down the front window, a strange vibration occurs. The seats show every stain and are uncomfortable. The voice recognition on the Bluetooth has never worked right. I loathe the little joy stick for adjusting the mirrors. When I purchased this car, I loved it. Then I noticed one little thing after another. Im trading it in.

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  Heaven, Again! - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Wanda - July 5 - 10:46 am

  Driving the new 350Z is truly like being in heaven again. I havent had a Z car since 1981 and this car is definitely worth the wait. Not only is she absolutely beautiful in design, but her performance makes driving fun...again!

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  Great SUV - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Doug - July 5 - 10:30 am

  His name is Walter. I have had him for 5 years and am very happy it. Like with the other reviews, my CD went out at 15k miles (covered), replaced, and went out again at 40k miles. By this time I had an iPod, so I didnt really care. At 70k miles my A/C went out, only cost $400 to replace. Tires lasted 45k miles, so I was happy with that. I was rear ended at 60k miles and the unibody construction kept me very safe. After being repaired, I have not noticed any performance or rattling problems. If I were to buy another SUV, I would definitely buy a Pathfinder. Ive been very happy with it.

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  buyer beware - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By william - July 5 - 7:30 am

  My car makes a loud noise & there is vibration in the front of the car when the car is accelerated. I brought the car in to the dealer lots of times for a period of over 3 months. They said I needed to replace the entire exhaust system. I paid to replace it but it didnt fix the problem. They then replaced the catalytic converters, fuel rails, engine mounts, adjusted the front cradle and finally the transmission. They couldnt fix the problem & Nissan corporation told me after replacing all those items on the quest, that the vibration & noise was normal for this vehicle & to just deal with the problem. Nissan acknowledge the car had a problem in the beginning, now they dont want to help.

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  Great car after 1 year - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By jason438 - July 5 - 7:13 am

  I wrote a review a while ago, and thought I would follow-up one year later. I love this car more and more with each day! I live in Montreal, and the car handled very well on slippery roads in the winter. Thanks to the high ground clearance, it is also very good at getting through snow. Fuel economy is not as good as a Fit or a Yaris, but it has definitely improved since the car was broken it. Air conditioning is very cold, and this car is always comfortable to drive. Absolutely no problems to report after 1 year and 38,000 km (23,750 miles)

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  Great Ride - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Angel - July 5 - 5:46 am

  Just bought this car. The buying experience was very good. Love driving this car and getting great gas mileage is even better. Bose sound system is great. Bluetooth phone feature works fine.

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  great "Z" - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By william b - July 4 - 10:43 am

  a much harder drive than i expected the lights do not go on when you start the car but the car is fun to drive and i am getting 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the road

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  Great SUV - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By Bill - July 4 - 6:13 am

  Only 900 miles but love my Murano. Replaced a 2007 Honda CR-V. The Murano is much more solid and quiet vehicle than the Honda. Great features. Considered a Infinit FX-35 and Audi Q5 but got the Nissan with the same equipment for much less. Rear view camera system is very quick when shifting to reverse. Runs fine on regular gas.

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  Watch Out for the Drivers Seat - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By newowner10 - July 4 - 4:58 am

  Murano in this vintage have a weak support on the drivers seat. If you look at the Chat area you will see what I mean. The part is $900 and you still need to install it or pay the labor.