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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  Enjoying the Stares - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By thornwall5 - December 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought my red 2004 SE in September and although this is my first Nissan car, it certainly will not be the last. For months I considered buying a G35 and even had a black one one on order. While waiting for the G, I discovered the new Maximas and it stole my heart. It seems to fit my 62"/200lb frame better. I must confess that Im also enjoying all of the stares, thumbs ups and compliments Im getting as well. Deliriously fun to drive!

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  All Good Until Now - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Roman M - December 10 - 7:58 pm

  As long as you perform routine maintenance you should have a long lasting Altima. The items needing attention after 120,000 miles include ignition coils and now the most important and costly single item to date, the electronic steering lock. The extended dealer warrant for the ESCL ran out in 2015 for the 2009 model. Of course mine failed a year later. There is no recall for this well known issue concerning the lock so it will leave you stranded somewhere down the road, believe it. You can bang on the box for a temporary remedy, disable it with the knowledge that you are driving with a faulty item, or cough up $1000 to get it fixed at the dealer. All good choices. The honeymoon is over. I can live with the tire press low light (how easy is it to check your own pressures?), the CVT surge when accelerating, the routine maintenance, affordable brakes and parts easily replaced, but the one item I feel entrapped by Nissans non committal to address and fix is what burns me. Again, $1000 for a box you need to get going. Before you buy that used Altima consider this and ask if the ESCL was changed. Otherwise, its a good comfortable car for commuting or day trips.

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  Better Than Expected - 2011 Nissan Murano
  By such - December 10 - 10:58 am

  We purchased an AWD LE with all the optns. We are a family of 4; 2 girls 58", 1 girl at 5 & 1 male at 62". We have a Sequoia 3 row in addition to the Murano. The Murano is so easy to maneuver at malls & parallel parking. The auto lift gate is very easy to access, especially when hands are full. Highway driving is very NICE even w 20" wheels. It has a very smooth ride, dont feel the highway but its also not too "soft" of a ride. My mom has the 04 & there are so many impvts in both quality of ride & fit & finish of interior components. The space is great 99% of the time. No prob for people space on trips but Im getting cargo box for luggage with all 4 of us (my girls do pack a lot)

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  Not your typical SUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Andrew - December 10 - 8:50 am

  This is a fun car to drive. Bigger than it actually looks with plenty of cargo space. Its a nice change after driving a true V8 SUV for many years. Feels like driving a luxury car more than on SUV.

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  Murano Love - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By eddie - December 10 - 3:16 am

  The 07 Nissan Nurano is the perfect SUV. It is very versatile, comfortable, stylish and fun to drive. It has everything that I need and like in a vehicle. I traded an Acura TL for this. I loved the Acura and thought why am I trading for the Murano. Now I know why. I look forward to buying my next Murano, it will be interesting to see how it changes in the coming years.

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  Shame on Nissan!! - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By torrdcs - December 9 - 11:44 pm

  Purchased at 64000 miles, drove it, loved it, no problems at all other than the tire pressure light after so many miles of consistent driving. Then, at 121,000 miles, boom... transmission failure. Upon further research, it is a NISSAN DEFECT in the radiator that Nissan refuses to address more than a little warranty increase, and even THAT took a lawsuit. I spent $3000+ over a period of 8 months to fix it and it still wasnt fixed. I had to purchase another vehicle to drive while it was down. I ran out of money, so I was forced to trade the XTerra with $3500 of negative equity, totaling near $7000 that I lost on this vehicle, due to Nissan and its ways. NEVER. AGAIN.

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  NISMO WINS !! - 2013 Nissan Juke
  By Happy with NISMO - December 9 - 11:53 am

  Have had my NISMO for about 3 years, and Absolutely NO problems with this car. I love it. Gets great gas mileage! The ONLY thing that could be improved is, it is equipped with Summer Sport tires and would be much better with All Season Tires for those who live in snow prone areas; but then a lot of new sport cars are equipped this way. (When its time to replace them, Ill get all seasons.) I get many compliments on my NISMO, because it has tons of sporty "personality".... it certainly does NOT look like EVERY other car on the road!! Everybody wants one! Mine is a 6 speed manual. I live up a very steep winding hill. Driving in in "Turbo" is an absolute blast! Great acceleration and grip. Lots of cargo space in the back. Great dealership service. Check one out!!

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  Good value - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MGibbs - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought the vehicle new and have had only a few problems. The manifold had a known problem that impacted my vehicle, so the dealership fixed that for free. The cd player went out, so I replaced it with an MP3 player. OTher than that the vehicle has always been reliable.

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  its the best! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By youngest max driver - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I have now had my Maxima SE for four years. I bought it used in 99 as a 96 model. I havent had any major problems with it yet. The fuel pump is fine, the altenator is fine, and the car will stop on a dime! Even though it squeaks I think its the best 4 wheel brake car around!

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  Impressed - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By bdruggan - December 9 - 3:46 am

  I am a Nissan fan as I have found that their customer service is tops. So it was not a tough decision when I traded in my 4x4 08 Pathfinder for my 10 Altima Coupe. The same week I got the Coupe, a snow storm hit burying us under no less than a foot of snow. I was concerned about driving the Coupe and wished I still had the Pathfinder. No need to be concerned. The Coupe pulled through the snow like a champ. I love this cars interior design and love the Bose with back up camera. CVT feels odd at first, but give it time. Well done Nissan! By the way, I now have two Altimas, an 09 Sedan and now the 10 Coupe.