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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  Good, solid vehicle - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kagan - September 26 - 3:13 am

  Some of the reviewers really amaze me. Do people really feel maintenance items are a reflection of a cars quality? Having to replace tires, brakes, shocks, etc. These are not reliability issues. These are regular maintenance items for ALL vehicles. My PF now has 110K miles. Ive had to replace a bad Speed Sensor, and worn suspension bushings. The vehicle starts up without hesitation every day, runs great, and will get me wherever I need to be. Ive had many other vehicles that start falling apart at 50K with major mechanical issues. If these cars require some maintenance, its because they run an awfully long time. Id rather have the burden of maint. than another car junked.

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  Satisfied for the price - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By JET - September 25 - 11:03 pm

  Have just under 3,000 miles so far and just minor problems. Ive noticed a timing chain slap while starting every once in a while. Drivers sun visor bounces while driving and in stowed position and falls slightly when against windshield. Speedometer reads 2 miles fast. Brakes have strange hitch only at complete stop and just after acceleration. (Feels like loose wheel lug nuts.) Finish on chrome front bumper not that great. Turning radius too large.

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  Great all around car - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Tim - September 25 - 7:36 pm

  Traded in my 2004 BMW 530i as the repair bills were getting outrageous. Like everyone else, I looked at the Accord, Camry, and even the Malibu. Decided against Camry due to Toyotas recent disasters. Malibu was nice, but was still, a Malibu. Altima is near perfect. Steering feels a little light, but that is no big deal. Acceleration from both a stop and and at passing speeds is more than ample. Build, fit, and finish are all on par with my BMW, and in some cases nicer. The instrumentation is well laid out and very intuitive. Gas mileage has been a little less than hoped for - city driving has been about 20 to 21 MPG, and Highway has been about 30. Great car overall.

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  My first Z - 2010 Nissan 370Z
  By Wayne - September 25 - 12:36 pm

  I enjoyed it a lot and looking forward everyday to drive it. Very flashy and a head turner! Quick on the uptake and handles pretty well. Its a dream come true!

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  Did not want to like it. - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By purvelo - September 25 - 9:07 am

  I seriously did not want to like this truck. I had to purchase a truck for a new business I started. Decided on the Nissan Frontier V6 4x4 because of how well the test ride went against the other midsized trucks like the Tacoma. Solid ride,great handling for a truck, and much quieter interior compared to the noisy Tacoma. I liked the full size Ram but cost and MPG kept me away from it.So I have owned this truck for almost a year now and have to say, as much as I want to be pissed about driving a truck daily, this well made solid truck is growing on me. Nissan has built a reliable mid sized truck that feels like it can handle real truck work and yet drives rather nicely. 20.2 MPG with a 4x4!

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  Its okay, but I wish Id gotten a G35 - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By dlc - September 25 - 5:16 am

  Overall, a nice car - no mechanical issues whatsoever. Its powerful, especially as the horsepower takes over, and would really benefit from rear-wheel drive as torque-steer can be problematic. I find the gearbox and handling a bit squishy, but Im coming from a Miata. The trunks hinges extend into what would be usable space, reducing the trunks capacity. The back seats appear to be reasonably comfortable, but Ive never sat back there! Significant wind noise from the sunroof wind deflector. I would be a much bigger fan if the mileage were not so bad, and if the trip computer didnt lie about it, which it consistently does in most/all 02 Maximas (making me believe its intentional).

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  2013 Pathfinder - Navigation Monitor Black-Out In Less Than 24hrs. - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By beu5200 - September 24 - 10:48 am

  !!BUYERS BEWARE!! -I purchased/picked up a brand new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum on Friday, 02/22/2013 at about 8:30pm, thinking that it should be the best car for me and my family. On Saturday, 02/23/2013 at about 7:00pm the navigation monitor black-out. Meaning, all infotainment, entertainment, GPS, and many other computer controls are all non-operational. Im now very doubtful to continue to drive this car. Who knows what other problems will rise next. I even called up Nissan Consumer Affairs and they are helpless. Nissan corporate just dont care for their consumers. Im now without a car to drive for 3 days and another week in pending, or possibly longer. IM SCREWED by NISSAN!!

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  Not Happy w/my nissan 98 frontier - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By T.K - September 24 - 6:40 am

  Had mechanical difficulties w/ this truck since I bought it, not reliable. Bought with 30,000 miles in 2002. Fix oil leak of engine and axle (under warranty), the windshield wiper motor went out during a thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere and I had no windshield wiper use, clutch motor fixed twice w/in 6mos. clutch going out and expensive to fix due to location of clutch. Problem after problem w/ this truck.

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  The Perfect Truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By David Mock - September 24 - 5:54 am

  My grandfather bought this truck new from the dealership in 2004. The whole time he owned it through my childhood and teen years it was phenomenal, and still is today. Recently due to medical issues he had to give up driving and the truck went to me. It is still the the magnificent truck it was the day he brought it home. My wife and I own a small hobby farm and we use it frequently for hauling feed, supplies, produce, animals, and just about anything else you can think of. Its easy to maintain, very simplistic in that there is not a lot of electronics to fail and the gas mileage is unbelievable. We recently took a trip from our home in Western Maryland to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate NY and the truck averaged 34mpg for the trip, and that was with the bed loaded with camping gear. When my grandfather bought this truck he traded in a 1984 Nissan truck for it which had 483,000 miles on it an I expect that and so much more out of this beautiful piece of machinery. If you have the opportunity to purchase a 1st gen (1998-2004) Nissan Frontier with the bulletproof 2.4L KA24DE engine get it. It will be the best investment youll ever make.

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  Owner comments - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Carl Gaudiano - September 23 - 2:20 pm

  I recently purchased a Nissan Frontier after much research on similar vehicles. So far I like the vehicle. I agree with other owners in that the arm rest is too small. Also, when the driver/passenger door is fully extended,its difficult to reach it to close the door. It seems to be built for drivers with long arms. Fog lights should come as a standard feature, not an opion.