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 truthful review. - 2012 Nissan Quest
  By va24502 - December 8 - 6:05 am

  First, I like the styling of the Quest. Others cite 7 pass capacity as a fault. Nobody has 6 kids these days & if you need this capacity buy a bus.

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  Air compressor was frozen - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By newquestcustomer - December 7 - 11:16 pm

  This Quest was bought brand new. We took it on the first long trip vacation and the air compressor was frozen and belt was torn. We had to deal with Nissan service for the first time and it was a bad experience that I never had with a such low mileage (616 miles) and the air conditioning was being used the first time. I had another the chance I dont ever buy Nissan car again because of the service attitude.

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  Brand new and already needs repairs/replacements. - 2011 Nissan Armada
  By denverdan - December 5 - 3:16 am

  I traded in an Infiniti FX35 that I never had a single problem with. I needed a vehicle that would tow my new boat and since the Infiniti (Nissan) was so good, I figured that the Armada would be the perfect choice. So far the vehicle has 210 miles on it and I have made a horrible mistake. There is a terrible shake from the steering wheel when the vehicle hits 65mph (I never took it that fast during the test drive). The lift gate doesnt shut tight without slamming it and pushing hard at the same time. I feel like my rear window will shatter some day if I have to keep this up. The drivers side rear view mirror begins vibrating at 40+mph and only gets worse the faster I go.

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  Dont bother - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Madelin - December 2 - 8:50 pm

  I purchased this 4 cylinder car thinking that I was going to get decent mileage, however I barely get 17 MPG city 21 HWY. I cant start the car without pumping the gas pedal first. Ive had the car in twice for service and they tell me they dont find anything wrong with it.

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  Definitely not a real truck (Ford) - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Mike - December 1 - 1:03 pm

  I purchased my 2005 Nissan Titan at the end of the year for business the tax advantage and shortly found out that its not a working truck. I currently own four Fords and this Nissan cant hold a candle to them. It feels like the frame is stressing with 200 lbs in the box. Nissan and Toyota should stick to cars because they are in over their heads when it comes to trucks.

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  2004 NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By MIKEO - December 1 - 6:00 am

  I bought this car used last year with relatively low miles for an 04, 42K. Problems: gas cap wont open - I finally just broke off the piece that locks the cover. Window rattles when down and radios is on with bass. Half of the stereo channels go out when you hit a bump and are playing a CD. Cant push defrost button in cold weather, only option is floor & defrost. Rear caliper went bad, ruined rotor, brake job and rotor and caliper with a warranty still cost $500. Now its in the garage for problems with the front end when turning. Also have rear latch that works sometimes sticks most times. Very, very disappointed with the quality. Friends all said get the Nissan, should NOT have.

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  JUNK! Traded in after 9 months - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By raey12 - November 30 - 11:04 am

  In the past I heard nothing but good things about Nissan, so with the new Altima body style and the available 3.5 liter option I decided to give it a try. This car was junk since the day I drove it off the lot. There was an issue with bolts in the front wheel area being installed backwards. The brakes always had problems where they would stick. A really loud rattle in the roof near the sunroof which Nissan claimed they never heard. A broken air vent. The blinker would stick. The passenger airbag would deactivate while driving with a 160 pound passenger in the seat. The manufacturer would do nothing about any of it. Go buy a Lexus or Toyota they are more reliable.

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  Bad paint job - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Hugh mclean - November 29 - 6:36 am

  Overall I have been pleased with the car except for one thing. I have never owned a car that has such a poor paint job. There are paint chips all over the front end as well as on the sides. I really wonder if this is an inherent problem with the quality of paint or the workmanship.

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  Dont buy a Maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Moooo - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Nissan is not willing to work with you. It has left me on the side of the road several times. Has intermitent problems and not worth the money.

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  What was I thinking - 2007 Nissan Armada
  By Liz - November 25 - 7:16 am

  Wow this thing is a gas guzzler. What was I thinking when I purchased this thing. I always wanted an Armada, so I bought one but with big regrets. Too many blind spots. I have a hard time seeing when I am trying to back out of a parking space. While this thing is very powerful, the gas mileage is awful. I paid cash for mine. I am going to trade it in in about another month for something that gets better gas mileage. If you want good gas mileage, this is not the vehicle for you.