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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  Worth the price - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By RJ - January 25 - 12:23 pm

  I purchased the car new and had not had any real problems. The Firestone tires wore out in less than 35,000 miles. The first brakes are VERY loud for the first few miles. I would recommend this car to anyone. I have 70K and it is still running strong.

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  Great Price and Outstanding MPG - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Stan - January 25 - 8:56 am

  I was looking for a car that would be affordable with high MPG output that looks good and drive just as it looks. I found all that and more in my Nissan Sentra. The only time this car will sit park is on the weekend when my Corvette or Hemi Truck must come out to play.

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  very happy camper - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By wayne - January 25 - 5:10 am

  Purchaced in NC. Drove it back to Ny in the Hurricane. It handled every watery twist , turn, & sudden stop. The van was fully loaded with household items. Not top heavy as many vans are. Handled sudden lane changes and exits well. The adjustable brake pedal is great.The heated seat was a blessing for my bad back.I still have my 1987 Maxima Wagon, it has 226,000. miles. still looks and runs well. I hope to have the van for as long.

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  Good mid sized truck - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By Martin - January 25 - 2:49 am

  driver leg room less than my 2012 model though specs say theyre the same. Turning radius is poor.

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  Nice Car - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By happyinnj - January 24 - 5:44 pm

  This is a nice car. Ive been reading the other reviews about the brakes, and I found out, almost accidently, that the rear brakes were recalled. They were fixed in less than an hour. The brake pedal does travel a bit more than normal, but we got used to it Generally, its a nice car and gets very good gas milage. I average about 32 mpg, and thats a combination of city and highway mileage. The car is very roomy inside. 5 adults fit very comfortably, and the ride is smooth and not too noisy

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  Things to watch for.... - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Nissan meh... - January 24 - 5:20 pm

  2006 Nissan Altima: automatic 48,000 miles. Gas mileage: 29 mpg highway. Its only my second car ever had and I am so unhappy. I find the transmission to be very harsh while shifting. Its hard to drive the car smoothly. The brakes constantly squeal and grab while driving at slow speeds even after I had them completely replaced. My car also seems to need a wheel alignment every 1,000 miles. Now I understand why the previous owner sold it. Im not sure how well it held up in the beginning of its life but at near 50,000 miles it seems like its about to just give up life. My 1994 Mecury Sable with 100,000 miles, with a failing transmission, shifted more smoothly.

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  Great Car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By fms - January 24 - 3:40 pm

  Ive had the car for 3 months and have over 4,000 miles on it. I am tall (66") and I have plenty of head and legroom and an adult can fit comfortably behind me. Gas mileage is less than the EPA rating by quite a bit, but its still very good. Average mileage has been 32 mpg. On a level freeway at 65-70 mph, I get around 36-38 mpg (approx. equal to EPA). With hills the highway mileage drops to about 30 mpg. On city streets, with lots of stop and go, the mileage is in the low 30s (much less than EPA). The best mileage is achieved in slow moving or stop and go commute traffic, where I have gotten above 50 mpg. I dont regularly commute with the car, but anyone who does should have a hybrid.

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  0-60 in 7.38s, 1/4 mile in 15.86s @ 89.2 - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By tony22r - January 24 - 12:26 pm

  this is what you Wont find in the brochure.. pop the hood and youll find: really BIG air filter, oil filter located in front (easy to service), check out those oil lines.. they go to Engine Oil Cooler!, look at passenger side of radiator, lines from tranny.. Transmission Oil Cooler! Check out the Variable Intake! Have your partner blip throttle while you stand near exhaust.. listen to that Throaty Exhaust sound, Oh Yeah! Whoever put this engine together Knew what they were doing! You can See the quality they put in every little detail. That tow hitch you see comes standard. Oh my favorite.. those Big Fat 265/70R16 Tires! ..monitored by low air pressure sensors (trust me This comes in handy

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  Try one Yourself - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By BOB - January 24 - 10:56 am

  This Nissan Altima is the #rd one that i have had and have driven them all over 100K before upgrading to the newer models. This one has been better than the rest but overall they are great vehicles with an awesome engine, Never have had an engine issue.

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  Nissan, never again - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By nutmeg1416 - January 24 - 10:50 am

  I loved my Murano and had the ability to overlook a major headlight issue at 40,000 mi because of the drive and comfort. Now, at 85,000 mi I am facing AWD transfer case issues which are due to a control panel flaw. The transfer case is susceptible to cracking because of control panel. Nissan fixed the problem in 05 models and on, but will recognize that there is no issue with my car. I have been extremely disappointed with the way Nissan has treated me through this ordeal. Such an expensive car should NOT have $5000 in repairs before 100k miles, very disappointed in reliability.