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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  defects - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By will m - November 15 - 10:00 am

  my experience with this vehicle is not a good one,namely warp rotor,faulty molding, leaking sun roof distorted speakers,leaking and right front strut

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  LUANN - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By LUANN - November 15 - 10:00 am

  THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS THE ROAD NOISE AND IT IS NOT AS COMFORTABLE OF A RIDE AS I HAD EXPECTED.

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  Not too bad for a puddle jumper - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Carl - November 14 - 8:53 pm

  I am not too crazy over the road feel. It is difficult to keep the car going in a straight line at hwy speeds.i think that has something to do with the electric pwr. steering?

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  Horrible Gas Mileage - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By CMC - November 14 - 1:53 pm

  The looks and towing on this truck combined with the comparisons to Ford and Toyota is what prompted us to buy this truck. Big Mistake! The gas mileage is 9mpg city and 11mpg hwy. In the first month the airbag light works when it wants to, the radio was completely shot, things under the hood like the fuse box are very difficult to get to and it really feels the weight when towing affecting the ride. Would not recommend for the money.

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  so far, so good - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By maas - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I had a 95 Nissan pickup that never did me wrong, but it was time to get something newer. I decided to stick with Nissan due to my past experience. I love this truck, but I keep hearing about people having problems with them and that scares me. One thing I can say is that the A/C makes some strange noises that I fear will mean problems in the future. Also, my clutch pedal squeaks. Gas mileage stinks big time. Overall, I think its great, but Im still worried that it will end up having some problems .

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  lots of speed and tire noise - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By eyes - November 11 - 1:33 pm

  Great ride with the top down. Plenty of power and still more power available. Holds the road beautifully. The tire noise is a problem. The trunk space is miniscule. The rear view is really miniscule though one does get used to it. Seats are comfortable but cabin is poorly laid out.

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  Satisfaction! - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Richard S - November 10 - 10:16 am

  Bought new in 1999. 135,000 miles to date. Very few problems. Usual maintenance. Have original muffler and brakes. Not the greatest pickup performance and uses more gas due to the cab it carries on back. But cant complain mileage. Have owned Toyota, Mitsubishi and Mazda models. This Nissan has been by far the best!

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  Hold for the long run - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By ssnell - November 10 - 10:00 am

  This car has 139000 miles now and expect to hold for 200000+. Engine and trans ultra smooth, almost good as new; zip is still remarkable as described by all. Brakes have cost me a small fortune. Getting some body rust. Car is great on long trips, comfortable. Interior has held up flawlessly. Car has smacked 3 deer but recovered from all. Still great fun to drive.

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  Enthusiast Silver 2003 edition - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By georgyo - November 10 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Nissan, Overall, it is a great sports car, gets a lot of attention driving and performs well. Had the OEM battery replaced already after 1 year since it had a bad cell and would not start. The interior plastic feels kind of hollow in center console. It is very hard to see rear objects for sure while backing up. It is rather easy to update Audio\Video components in this car!

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  Engine Problems - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Sheila Whitley - November 10 - 10:00 am

  I love everything about the van except several engine noises. When the air conditioner is on, there is an annoying sound. When I accelerate, there is a cricket sound that lasts about 15 - 20 seconds. It makes this sound at any speed when accelerating once youve leveled off. There is also a motor noise when I am going up an incline and between 65 -70 mph. If I stay exactly below or above, you cannot hear it. When going up the incline you can acutally feel a vibration. Everyone who rides with me wants to know what is wrong with my car. The noise is very annoying when traveling long distances. What is going on? Oh yea, gas mileage not as great as I thought it would be.