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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  GT-R will GeTcha!! - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By GlennO - April 1 - 1:36 am

  The earlier reviews cover most of the salient points, so I will comment, with a perspective as a mechanic and former SCCA racer, and to correct a couple of errors in the other reviews. First, not only is there an outside temperature gauge, but one can set an auto or manual temp at which the dash display will warn you of icy conditions. My main gripe is that doing ones own service is a challenge on this car. The underside makes it hard to get at the mechanicals, and the owners manual is useless for the DIYer - it reads like a BMW manual. Parts will be very expensive, as every fluid is "special" and costly. But the car gets better the more miles I put on it, and it IS a super car, for sure!

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  Love it - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Annie - April 1 - 1:26 am

  The first thing I did was replace the ugly grille! Now it looks perfect. Performance is exhilarating. Replaced OEM tires with upgrades and traction is much better. Bought a fully loaded one with heated SW, navigation, etc. and glad I did. Do 30 mpg on the highway, using regular on highway and 89 in town. Performs the same. Definitely one of the best cars Ive owned. Great value!

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  Deal gone wrong - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Crystal Williams - March 31 - 9:43 pm

  I have the 2012 rogue and my transmission done gone bad. Corporate offered no help to get it fix because Ive gone over 60000 miles. I have had my car for 3 yrs with 0 miles when I purchased it. I am so done with Nissan. I have to put out almost 4 thousand for a transmission. I think Nissan need to recall these transmissions

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  Wish I still had my Honda - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Sam - March 31 - 8:56 pm

  Purchased this car in December 2007. Returned to dealer 4 times for clunking noise when starting out.Dealer was unable to locate problem. Now drivers seat is loose when turning.This is my last Nissan product.

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  Good for the first 7 years - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By consumer30 - March 31 - 12:40 pm

  I purchased my Nissan GXE with only 17,000 miles on it.....drove it for YEARS with NO problems, took excellent care of it & then last year the bottom fell out! After reaching 100,000 miles, I started having major repair issues...one after the other...The sensors started going crazy...crank shaft & cram sensors,...the head gasket had to be replaced, the steering rack 6mos later....& these are $1000+ repairs!!! Major disappointment. Dont get me wrong, I did get a lot of usage, but I know people with nearly 200,000+ miles on their cars(different makes/models) & I thought I would be one of them... guess Not! Now I have to consider purchasing another vehicle & Im Not happy about it one bit.

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  Saving $$$ on gas! - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By srmom - March 31 - 10:33 am

  My previous car was an 03 Xterra and had it for ten years. Nissans quality of cars have never been less than excellent for our family. With my commute that went from 24 to 80 miles a day, I wanted something smaller and better on gas. After a trip to Puerto Rico this past summer, we rented a sentra and thats when I fell in love. Ive put only 100 miles on my new SR but absolutely love the ride and comfort!

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  Nice Looking, Noisy Car - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By dcwjr - March 31 - 5:46 am

  Having driven the 2013 Altima SL 4 cyl. for 5,000 miles now I have some things to say. I have taken the car back to the dealer to address some issues. They are as follows: 1) Acceleration through 1,400 rpms is rough, the transmission seems to struggle creating a noticeable rumbling/vibrating sound which you can hear in the car. The dealer says that is normal for the 4 cyl. 2) The power steering assist motor is loud and you can hear a whirring sound inside the car. The dealer says that is normal. 3) Sitting at a stop light the car sometimes vibrates and shakes not violently but enough to notice. I drove a 2009 Altima SL 4 cyl. for 3 years and loved its smooth ride so much I was sold on the new modelÂ’s better looks but now I miss the 2009Â’s smooth ride. The gas milage is better and it does ride smooth under and over the 1,400 rpm range. One mechanic suggested I use premium gas to alleviate the vibration/rumbling around 1,400 rpm but that did not help. The issues above take away from the positive features of the car. For Nissan the issues above should be unacceptable and should be fixed.

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  Transmission - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By John - March 30 - 2:28 pm

  I own a 2015 Pathfinder and 2014 Altima 3.5SL loaded Two transmissions in altima and its still has issues, jerks between 17-32 mph and 59-70 first transmission 30 days after purchase and multiple visits to dealer! Would stay away! I also own a 2012 and 2000 Altima both have 100k plus never a issue

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  Pleased with the 03 Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Ralph Iadarola - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Its a great sedan for those who like to drive - and yet have to consider the logistics related to hauling kids, etc. around town. Looking forward to keeping it for awhile - and expect Ill get my moneys worth out of it.

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  The most bang for your buck - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By chemboy - March 30 - 10:00 am

  After test driving several of nissans competitors, including the hyundai tiburon and the Acura RSX, I chose to purchase the Nissan SE-R spec V. This is a fantastic car! The engine and transmission are solid. The engine produces plenty of power throughout the power band. I decided against the Rockford Fosgate system because Im going to install my own but The RF radio package is well worth the money. My favorite part of the car is the suspension. Its absolutely fantastic. Firm yet not bouncy. You have total control of the car. A top of the line spec V shouldnt set you back more than 18,000 which is a value that none of the other cars can touch.