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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  Colorado car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Dennis - February 8 - 2:53 pm

  I purchased the car new as I wrecked my Honda Civic when an old man turned left in front of me. I tried Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. Only the Nissan Altima had the CVT transmission. This transmission really gets the most out of a 4 cylinder engine. I pulled all cars up the steep section of Interstate 70 going up to the ski areas. The Nissan really held its speed going up the Floyd Hill or steep section for the test drive as the Honda and Toyota seemed to have to strain to keep up with the 65 mph. speed limit on the hill. . Bad is body dents really easily Poor body fit. Hate the fancy key. Honda dealer much better service.

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  2006 Titan - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By c wood - February 8 - 2:16 pm

  Very pleased with the purchase of my 2006 titan. This vehicle is a pleasure to drive. It is apparent a lot of thought and research went into the design of the this functional as well as pratical vehicle. I am not equally as pleased with my servicing nissan dealership. I hope R Nissan located in Edgewood Maryland is an exception to all other dealership.

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  Luxury "Minivan" in SUV configuration - 2017 Nissan Pathfinder
  By John Dylewicz - February 8 - 12:50 pm

  test drove used 2016 base QX60 with low miles side by side at same dealership for comparison, fit and finish on Infiniti noticeably better and comfort subtly better. the used Infiniti at ~$3K less than a new loaded Platinum PF with most (maybe all?) of the safety features of brand new QX60 = PF won. the fit, finish and ride were nice but not differentiated enough to be an offsetting factor for this consumer. comparing the Platinum PF to a brand new QX60 (which we did not test drive) with similar options, the ~$10K difference was not enough to justify. advise to use online tools to get best price (bought for WAY under MSRP after all rebates included), essentially exactly the Edmunds price quoted by dealrship for the new car and using an unbiased condition assessment of our trade-in based on Edmunds value as well.

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  Best Looking Murano Platinum I have ever seen! - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Anna H. - February 6 - 8:25 pm

  I traded in a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder with only 20,000 miles on it for this vehicle. I just love it. It is beautiful, has all the bells and whistles, and I am very pleased with it. This is my third Murano, and the one I love the best. It will brake for me, let me know what is in my blind spot, and let me know if I cross the line and am partly in another lane. It has all-around cameras, and everything I would want in a vehicle. I think I will hold on this one for a while

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  WARNING!!! Do NOT Buy - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Me and my 2 Dollies - February 6 - 7:50 pm

  Purchased this car and drove it off the lot w/ under 50 miles on it. Was told would get 41 MPG even going 80 MPH. Most Ive gotten is 32 and that was 1 time. Hub caps broke off w/in 6 months. TOO expensive to replace. Most miles are freeway miles. Tires had to be replaced after 20000 miles. Serviced engine as required and engine went out on me at around 40000. Wasnt covered under warranty because I couldnt find 2 receipts. Paid $4800+ for new engine. 20000 miles later replacing it again. This time warranty is covering it. Car is not reliable. Very noisy inside even w/ the windows up. Would not recommend purchasing if wanting something reliable. Engine not reliable.

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  We Love It! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By cbraschl - February 6 - 6:03 pm

  After we purchased the Quest, we did have some of the issues that have been listed on other reviews. We had what we thought was a door rattle, and that turned out to be that the latches that hold down the rear seat were rattling. This may be something that the rest of you may want to investigate if you havent resolved the problem yet. The dealer couldnt solve the problem, so I placed electrical tape around the latch pins and the rattle went away. We also had a fuel pump failure within the first 2,000 miles. The dealer was very responsive in fixing this problem. Overall, we are extremely impressed with the Quest.

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  Love this Altima - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Chuck A. - February 5 - 2:13 pm

  Ive had my 2.5S for 5+ months now, and am extremely pleased with it. Ive taken it to Syracuse NY and Cape Cod, MA (I live in northern NJ), and once got 34 mpg! For a car this size, the 2.5L four cylinder engine is very peppy. The ride is smooth, and, so far, the interior is free of squeaks on bumps. The trunk is huge. Those who have sat in the back seat compliment me on the ample legroom they have. All in all, I am very, very happy with this Nissan.

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  Retired - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Geza S. Kovacs - February 5 - 1:26 pm

  Funn and safe vehicle to drive. True value is in winter, driving in the snow.

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  Great little car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Kelly - February 5 - 11:50 am

  I looked at the Versa, the Fit and the Yaris, and for me this was the best of the three for several reasons including available features, safety rating, performance and roominess. CVT was a plus, as well as the larger gas tank size. Its fun to drive and cute to look at. It looks and feels a lot more expensive than the sticker price. It gets loud when accelerating to higher speeds, but once speed is achieved, the ride is smooth and quite. Wish ABS was available without adding additional equipment. For mixed highway/city driving I get about 32 mpg, and thats improving each time I fill up. Its a great commuter car thats easy on the budget, well designed and one of the best in its class.

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  I wanted to love it... but - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Melissa - February 5 - 10:06 am

  My husband and I bough a brand new 2016 Nissan Murano hybrid PLATINUM edition with every single bell and whistle they offered on 1-31-2016. About a week after owning the vehicle I was driving and started to smell a burning smell. Soon after there was a loud electronic warning noise that was constant but there were no warnings anywhere on the screens as to what it might have been. I pulled over and turned the car off and then back on and it didnt return. When I took it in the dealership they tried to recreate the issue for three days but couldnt, so I had to leave without any answers. The next week my husbands commuter car wouldnt turn on so he had to jump start his car. I then had to take it in again because my husband was able to get the hood latched but it wouldnt close all the way. Luckily they were able to fix that problem. Here I am 2 1/2 month down the road (still under 1000 miles) and today I had the same constant electric warning noise and burning smell with once again, no warning signs to what it could even be. Luckily it happened twice today and my husband remembered to take a video of it so I will be able to show the dealership so they dont thing I am crazy. (Last time they tried to ask me if it could have been the eco hybrid mode shifting. They treated me like I was making things up. I am a woman and I dont know that much about cars but that sound and smell is not normal and anyone that would experience that would know that. Plus, my husband was with me two of the three times it happened and he is VERY knowledgeable with cars and has no idea what it could be.) On top of that, it says Im supposed to get an average of 28mpg city and half of my miles have been on the freeway yet my average MPG is always around 17 MPG. Im by no means the most fuel efficient driver ever, however, I also dont slam on the gas or speed around. I have a newborn with me 98% of the time so Im a very cautious driver. What is the point of paying more for a hybrid if it doesnt actually give you better gas mileage. I paid top dollar for a fully loaded vehicle so I could feel safe with my family in this car and so far its UNFORTUNATELY been nothing but a headache. I love everything else about it. Its comfortable, the tech package is fantastic and it looks amazing. However, thise issues are some HUGE deal breakers. We normally purchase from Infiniti and now in regretting using their sister company. The service and the vehicle has been so much less than what we are used to and expect. I normally dont write reviews unless I have a superior experience or a horrible experience. People need to know about these issues. Especially because this is such a new car that there really isnt anything online about it. Im really hoping that Im the only one. Other than that, the car is beautiful and comfortable. Im hopeful that they can figure out what is wrong because I want to love this car.