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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  A WINNER - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By dale ewasiuk - August 3 - 10:00 am

  The Altima 2.5S is a very roomy and elegant car. Power is better than most other 4s that I have driven and gas milage is above average for a car this size. Even though the interior is plane, it is functional with controls in very good locations. Ride is very good and evey though I was told there would be a lot of wind noise, I have found that to be untrue. I have the Bose 6-disk system and the sound is far above average, controls for the systems are well thought out.

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  1st SUV - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bill Woods - August 3 - 9:36 am

  Bought this Nissan used in early 2002 with 42000 miles on vehicle. Had only one unscheduled maintenance problem, a computer chip in the polution controls, (check engine light stayed on). Have used for all types of occasions including some medium towing 3500-4000 lbs. It did and excellent job towing. At 7100 miles invested in a set in Michelins LT tires. Its like buying a new car for under$500. Milage has improved about 1 MPG.

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  Better than expected - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By prich - August 3 - 8:38 am

  I looked at all comparable cars similar to a Camry SE I owned except the Nissan Altima! When bringing my wifes Rogue in for routine maintenance I happened to see the dealer had a 2015 6cyl Altima with 4K miles on the internet. This car is above and beyond what I had expected, including the cost.

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  The best car - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By dede - August 3 - 7:43 am

  I love my new Nissan. I purchased the Nissan Altima 3.5Se with the premium package. The car is super fast. The pickup is amazing. The seats are comfortable. The backseat is huge. Enough room for 3 adult size kids. The car is quiet. The controls are easy to handle. The gas mileage could be better. The car still rides like a dream and worth the extra in premium gas.

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  Loved it for 5 days! - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Jim Warrick - August 2 - 9:56 pm

  I had been researching different vehicles to buy for some time with particular interest in hybrid technology. I enjoy driving but wanted to save gas, I didnt necessarily care if it cost me more to save gas. I would rather spend the money on the car than give it to OPEC and contribute to the myriad of problems we have in the world today. Test driving the car was great, first few days of ownership, great! Now the service engine light is on, not great. Im told I have to take a day off and possibly leave it overnight. Really not great. So much for Nissan reliability!

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  worst bumpers ever - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By vadim - August 2 - 9:26 pm

  Cheap plastic inside and outside - everything inside breaks - plastic covers on the side of the seat broke, central storage bin in between passenger seat and driver’s seat also broke. But the worst things is the bumpers - for a car of this class - a big suv, these bumpers are very flimsy.. Minor things will cause them to break, crack, tea and lose paint. Horrible. Cd player broke - cds get stuck. Also the whole car makes noises - squeaking and rattling everywhere. Dealer said its normal and couldn’t fix it. Horrible gas mileage – 12 mpg city / 16 highway, made no difference if putting super, premium or regular gas.

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  Nissan Sentra Great Car - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Art Grandizio - August 2 - 8:56 pm

  Great sporty looking commuter car. Its not a sports car so dont expect it to perform like one but it does have very good performance.

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  Quality not there - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Wildwest - August 2 - 3:43 pm

  Bought Murano after many GMs. Like looks and performance, at 34000 miles rear brakes, completely worn out, metal to metal, too small for vehicle. Gas filler neck very rusty, very early, poor galvanization. In 4th year,at 40000 miles, chrome on Grill peeled and muffler broke off (rusted off) at inlet pipe. $400. just for muffler, from dealer. Poor quality on Grill chrome and muffler. Bought wife used Toyota RAV4, absolutely no problems. Phoned Nissan about quality problems, they said out of warranty, too bad. I believe some of these problems are due to Cleveland winters,but other cars dont have these problems.

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  I love this car! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By scott121671 - August 2 - 4:43 am

  I must admit. I was a little compulsive when buying this car but I do not regret it. After reading all the reviews and having owned it for a few days now I can say that this car is fantastic. It handles with such precision and the ride is fantastic. I can not see anyone disappointed. The rear seats have a lot of room. This is a great car and I highly recommend it to anyone that wants serious sport in a classy looking mid size sedan.

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  Better Than Expected..! - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By RSchools - August 1 - 8:40 am

  I have been test driving Xterras every year since their inception (2000?) and have always wanted one. When gas went to over $4.00 a gallon in Aug 08 I knew that it was a buyers market and purchased a new 08 for $18K even, or more than 9k off the sticker price -- WHAT A STEAL..!! Overall, I am exceptionally pleased with my Xterra. It gets 17+ mpg around town and just over 21 on the hwy. It is a very comfortable vehicle, even on long trips, and the versatility of the rear cargo area is wonderful. Some folks have complained about its interior plastic, but I luv it, as all it takes is a wet cloth to clean it in a snap. The only negative is that I didnt buy two of them when they were CHEAP!