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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  So unreliable,Nissan doesnt even stand behind it! - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By Jill Grey - October 23 - 6:32 am

  Dont buy it! After 4 years and 120,000 miles the drive shaft fell off due to poorly made universal joint. Nissan will not sell the joint, only entire drive shaft with joint attached. 2 months later the transmission blew while driving with my children in the car leaving me in the middle of the road and the car wouldnt move! Nissan says too bad because the warranty was up at 60,000 miles. Ive had the transmission serviced as they recommended and that was supposed to extend the life. Ha!

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  Smooth Sailing SUV - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ty - October 22 - 10:26 pm

  I used to hear of SUV as being cumbersome and consuming. But, our Nissan Pathfinder 2006 is none of that. It is very comfortable and rolls with ease. Above all our kids are always shrieking with joy whenever its time to go out with the SUV..because it has so much space for them to pull hairs and hide! I have never regretted it, more so its ability to consume as little gas as an Xterra but more satisfying for me, my spouse and our entire family

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  Redesign sold me - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By KimL - October 22 - 3:13 pm

  I previously leased a 02 SE PF. Both my husband and I couldnt stand it! We thought it seemed like a light SUV that was very wobbly and no real design appeal. I swore I would never go back into a PF-until I test drove the 2005! We upgraded to the LE which made a world of difference. I am absolutely in love with this truck now. I actually prefer driving it over my husbands Lexus. The power is awesome and I like that its bigger than the old PF but not as big as the Armada. This truck seems very heavy & steady when driving. And the auto/4WD is great in snow, sleet & ice. I used to think the Jeep GC had the best 4WD but Ive now changed my mind. Definitely worth turning in my lease early.

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  Cramped Front Seat - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Jamell - October 22 - 11:00 am

  This would be a great car except for the front seat. Its cramped & you have to been your leg sideways to reach the accelerator pedal. The middle front section is way too wide & the pedals are too far offset to the right. I recently rented one & my right leg was hurting after about 30 minutes. Its hard to get in & out as well. The front seat needs to be redesigned.

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  good car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By christ - October 22 - 10:00 am

  nice car, good motor, good stability

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  Got To Get This One - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By reemer - October 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Altima used. It was coming in off of a lease. It stills runs good and sounds quite. I would recommend this car to anyone. It handles wonderful and has great pickup. I got everything I wanted and more love the fog lights especially in the mountains at night. Great gas mileage also. Easy to handle. Fun to drive. I feel like a race care driver at the INDY 500.

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  Dr. Nismos Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Pete1234 - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Love the car, 2003 Titanium edition Maxima SE. Fast, handles decent. Real power isnt until 3-5k RPM. Car has some much torque its an upper body workout. Only 1 problem, my left front Bose speaker keeps going in and out, dealer said they will replace it. Also Bose Subwoofer is distorted. Dealer said there is a "bulletin" out about this problem and can be fixed in a few hours. Apparently there add some foam or something. Not happy w/ the Bose. The 6 CD in dash works fine, speakers sound like Kmart audio. Car is nice and big inside. Dash is a little weird, the clock is deep into the windshield. The SE handles like a shopping cart over bumps.

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  2002 Nissan Altima (Ultima) 3.5 SE V6 - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Ultima - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Lets see... Theres the Camry (boring), Accord (boring), Passat (small, over priced, a little boring), and just about any American mid-size (boring and unreliable). Hmmm... Not a tough choice here. 2002 Altima 3.5 SE V6 : - Best Horsepower & Torque for its class - Most Room in its class - Nissan Reliability - Best Exterior for its class - Acceptable Interior (could have done better here guys) - Fair priced if you negotiate a little - Fun, fun, fun to drive

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  Sweet ride! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Platinum - October 22 - 10:00 am

  The car has power. I love the the way it handles. The car even seems to have the same power with the air conditioner at full blast in the middle of the summer. The ride is nice, even with the standard 17" in wheels on the 3.5 SE. The trunk is very spacy and the inside of the car has tons of rear passenger room. The car has yet to have any problems, it was driven off the lot with 8 miles on it and hasnt skipped a beat yet at roughly 900 miles. Overall, I like the smooth ride, the slick look and the overall power/feel for the car. I am entirely satisfied and give the car my top recommendation.

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  2016 Nissan Frontier Pro4x - 2016 Nissan Frontier
  By S K - October 21 - 11:18 pm

  Traded my 2009 dodge ram in for the 2016 Nissan frontier pro4x. I AM LOVE ! I have been looking for a new vehicle because my dodge literally was crumbling in front of me. Thought about going for the new Tacoma, but I didnt like that it was the first run of the " completely renewed Tacoma " so I went for the frontier. The thought of it not being changed since 2004 really grabbed my attention as they hold their value so well. I owned a 2006 jeep wrangler before my dodge and I would say the frontier drives super similar to how the older jeeps drove, which is why I fell in love with the pro4x. If you want a solid riding, reliable truck, then I say go for the frontier.