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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  Xterra not what its cracked up to be - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Gremlin336 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle has been in the shop more than driven. They cant seem to fix the alignment. All the Xterras I have looked at(6) show feathering on the tires long before they should! Seems to be a design problem. Could be because they use the older recirculating ball steering.

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  Buy the 2003 Altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By andrew ng - May 22 - 2:00 am

  I love this driving machine.

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  2003 Altima Interior design deficiencies - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Haute Harry - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Car has nice exterior styling; however, interior materials are way too hard and plastic. Needs soft covering over all door interior sides. Interior lights on dash need to be different colors for different gauges. Difficult to distinguish between fuel gauge, temperature, and shift/gear selector because of same color and close proximity.

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  Cant let go of the keys! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By buzz5 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Beauty in motion, powerful and graceful.

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  Still ticking - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By briellejade - May 21 - 11:53 pm

  I purchased this maxima after owning x3 other Nissans. I work home health and have driven this car 169,000 miles while all my co-workers have had new vehicles since employment, I am still driving my Maxima to the "Max". I do feel that the depreciation\trade-in value of such and expensive vehicle should be higher and does deter my notions of purchasing another new one.

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  Disappointed - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Rick - May 21 - 8:40 pm

  Overall I have been disappointed with this vehicle. When it is running I would say it is a good car but I have had so many mechanical problems that I rarely get to see how fun it can be. At times it seems this car has been in the shop more than it has been on the road. I have had it die on me in rush hour traffic 4 times, had the struts and rotors replaced within a year of buying it, and now I have to replace the catalytic converter and header pipe. The shifter bezel has come apart on me for the third time and my headrest cover continues to come apart. I purchased this car thinking I would get a reliable car to get me to and from school and work but all it has done is let me down.

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  never buy it again - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By AZ - May 21 - 3:15 am

  I had problem with the roof rack peeling on my 2014 rouge. Since I use the vehicle for work I am past the mileage that is covered under the warranty. First asked the dealer and then filed a compliant with the consumer affair of Nissan USA. Of course they denied the claim to get it fixed since it out of warranty. This should not happen on 2.5 year old vehicle. This will be my first and last Nissan that I will own.👎👎👎 Also this is know problem with other customers. [non-permissible content removed]

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  my first new car - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By princesspoo - May 20 - 1:13 pm

  Ive had my car since late 2001 and I just hit 90K on the mileage. Considering the last 20K have been in the last 10 months, the car is doing very well. I replaced the tires twice, brake pads once, and had the belts changed recently. I also had the factory recommended 90K service completed. It set me back quite a bit, but considering the car has held up since 01, Im not complaining. I will probably drive it another year or two before seriously starting to look for a replacement. The exterior paint still looks good after a wash/wax, minus the dings you get from people who park next to you and open their doors too wide.

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  Overall great car... - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By suel99 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new in 1995 and still like it. Very reliable. Replaced tires at 48K. Replaced brakes for the first time at 60K. Easy to drive and park since its not too large.

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  Awesome SUV - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By sache302 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Love it!