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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  Poor - Body Problems - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Heather Friedline - July 30 - 12:36 pm

  My first experience with Nissan has been horrible. My car is 6 months old and is rusting on both sides, back panel, below the doors. Nissan will not cover the defect even though there are many of the same make and model with the same problem. It drives well and I enjoy the vehicle but the interior plastic is also a problem with scratches from just normal use.

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  Nice Looking, Lots of Problems - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Mikecnj - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Nice looking car but has lots of issues. Had to replace altenator at 6,000 miles (a common problem). After getting locked-out numerous times, dealer replaced door harness. Open sunroof makes unbearble interior noise. Currently heat is not adequate and bringing it back to dealer. Goto NissanMurano.org for more info./complaints.

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  Afraid to drive - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By prettylemon - July 26 - 5:57 pm

  I have a 2008 Nissan altima 4dr 2.5S. Ive taken by car in for many reasons including regular servicing. From the 1st month i have taken the car in for whinny noises, lack of power going up hill, engine working hard when AC is on and then some. These complaints have been with 3 dearlerships. One day while driving, I released the gas peddle to slow and press to speed up a bit and it stops. Car starts fine the problem is intermittent. problem did not show up in the diagnostic test. transmission problem was found the the day the shop was returning the car to me the first time. This time i am afraid to drive it. (what if it stops in an intersection)

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  2nd Max probably last - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Max2 - July 26 - 2:26 pm

  This is my 2nd Maxima. I had an 02 SE for over four years. This one soundly beats that one in terms of features, comfort and performance. There are some areas where this one falls way short in comparison though. Mainly, the build quality of the interior stinks. Very cheap. You can really tell where Nissan was pinching pennies. Ive had issues with the exterior finish as well. Due to all the squeaks and rattles Im planning on trading for an 07 Acura TL after keeping this car for only one year.

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  Not quite sure - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Ambivalent - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I have 1600 miles and it gets about 20mpg at best,not the 28 advertised. The inside is scratched up from who know what and when the dealer washed it for me water got under the clear coat in a few places. The interior has too many colors; gray, black and beige which I dont think match well. No rear leg room, but I dont sit in the rear.

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  Look before you leap! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By 48izhot - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Can you spell G A S ??? Own a country in the Middle East before you buy. EPA rating of 14/20 is a myth, who tested this vehicle? Unique design, great Fosgate stereo if you play CDs, forget the radio sound. Quirky color scheme - butterscotch and gray? Japanese build quality not as good as I expected, minor problems become a nuisance. Only headphones disguise the exhaust roar...

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  Truly Dissappointed - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By bigmixx - July 22 - 1:36 am

  I bought an 05 SE in Jan and now 8 mon. later Im looking to get rid of it. The build quality of this car is horrible. Im getting a clucking noise in the front everytime I take off, stop or turn. Dealer says they cant duplicate it but I hear it all the time. Entire dash squeaks, rattles, & cracks everytime the weight of the car shifts. Dealer wants to charge me to fix this as "adjustments" arent covered under warranty after 12,000 mi. Theres a vibration in the tranny when I shift from reverse to drive that the dealer says is normal (yeah right). Rotors have warped 3 times within 16,000 mi. wheel shimmies at 60 mph. Im in the process now of trading it in on an 07 Camry.

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  Never Again - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DL - July 21 - 8:56 pm

  Various sensors always seem to be burning out, especially O2 sensors. Ive gone thru 5 in the last 2 years. I also had the CD changer replaced 4 times. If youre going to buy one of these get the extended warranty! I wish I had splurged and bought the MDX. At 35,000 I got backed into by a dump truck and it has never ridden right since. Cant really blame the vehicle for this, but after 8 trips you would think the dealer could fix the horrible vibration. Ill keep this as a beater and buy a fun car to drive.

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  Affordable SportsCar ruined by Dealer - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By frans - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Besides the little problems, (Tire Noise, Bad window motor, bad, CV joint, all fixed under warrantry)This is a very good Sports car, If you are looking for a Luxury Sports car, go to BMW. I bought a Touring Z with the Nismo Exhaust and the sound this car makes is unbelieveable. Just watch out for the bad Dealers, I had to switch to different Dealers because my orginal dealer was charging me for things under warranrty (LEGEND NISSAN (LONG ISLAND)HAS THE WORST SERVICE DEPARTMENT)

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  All show - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By charles schell - July 16 - 2:30 am

  Poor handling at high speed. Car shakes at high speed. Car seems to float at 80 mph. Very top heavy in curves. Car tight into curves, loose in the center and loose out of curves. Car performance seems to go away during after being driven through out day. Low gear is too high, poor performance at start. A/C fan blower very low. Door locks should lock when car is in gear.