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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  No regrets whatsoever - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By fronteeer - April 28 - 5:06 pm

  I bought my 05 Frontier in October 2005, and Im still in love with it. Its a great truck for taking your friends to pick up replacement parts for their Fords, Chevys and Dodges when they break down every week. It has about 30,000Km (~18,600 miles) on it and everything is still as tight as new. I put an ARE hinged tonneau cover on it, which is disappointing because the bed is short so you cant reach anything in the back without climbing in, so get a rolling cover and youll be much happier. Definitely get the step bars too, because the front tires zing rocks at the rear fender flares. You can get great fuel economy if you drive this truck very gently, but... why would you do that? :)

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  Fast, Quiet, Functional, and Tough! - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Pete Dant - April 28 - 3:46 pm

  Amazing vehicle for the money. I traded a 2003 V8 Silverado for this more sensible vehicle. The turning radius is amazing, U-turns are no problem, parking is easy. Silent interior, yet firm suspension for taking turns. Effortless acceleration, plenty of power with instant throtle response. The Xterra looks tough, and stands out from the crowded SUV market. You can smack the dealers around all day and the deals keep coming, so be firm and ask them to add dealer accessories at no charge like step bars, hitch, etc.

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  Great Little Car! - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By TIMBEDET - April 28 - 12:46 pm

  The Versa has better acceleration than I anticipated, and does great both in traffic and on the highway. The engine is extremely quiet and does sound labored at all. Nissan did a great job ensuring the driver has great vision and awareness of surroundings. If you live in the city and have to parallel park, you are going to be in heaven with this car. I find this car to be quite comfortable to drive, much more so than the FIT. The standard sound system provides a clean, crisp, full sound that I am very happy with.

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  great car, too bad has been redisigned - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By florian - April 28 - 8:26 am

  I got my 99 GXE altima in 2002 with 32000 on it. Changed tires and brakes right after that. aside from regular oil changes there are no cost of use. Great car overall. it now has 70,000 miles and I havent changed a thing. Just put some snow tires on it for these MA winters. It drives great during summer and handels the winter(especially now) like a 4wd car. recommanded to anyone

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  Good Commuter - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By DJ - April 28 - 3:36 am

  Bought brand new with only 6 miles on the odometer. Havent had a single major problem. Had the belts replaced at 57000 miles. Other than that, oil changes and gas fill-ups. It doesnt have very much power and the A/C drains even more from the already struggling engine. However, my 5spd manual gets pretty good gas mileage (as much as 28.5 hwy).

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  Great Car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By bscanlan - April 27 - 4:23 pm

  Just sold my 2007 Versa after 39000 miles and 38 months. I am sad to see it go as it was a great car. Inexpensive to buy, great mileage (32 mpg), reliable, and fun. I have never had a car with as good a drivers position and/or visibility. As a fun and well-built people mover, it has no equal; certainly not the Fit or Yaris; it is in a class by itself. It served me well and never complained. Good job Nissan. Thanks Versa.

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  Good to Go! - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By stinglover - April 27 - 12:06 pm

  Love it. Ride is smooth and quiet. Very roomy interior. Has a very high priced car look, is great to drive. I always had a Honda-went for a change. Much nicer to drive, though the side mirors are too small and driver seat could be more comfortable.

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  2 separate wheel bearing replacements - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By Lori Harmon Burns - April 27 - 8:03 am

  I loved this car the first year. However, the wheel bearings have had to be replaced on two separate occasions. One around 46,000 miles the next 4000 miles later. Passenger sliding door does not stop when I am in door frame. Pushes hard and I have to work to stand up against it before it reverses if it does. Worried about if kids are in frame and potential for fingers or even worse torso or head getting crushed in door shutting.

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  New owner 2013 Nissan Quest LE - 2013 Nissan Quest
  By jay24 - April 27 - 4:46 am

  Purchased may 2013. Like many features and would buy again. The biggest complaint is mileage but maybe its because it has less than 1k on odo. I drive like a dead person because I want to see a decent mileage number to get my wife off my back. She thinks I made a bad decision because I am only getting 13.1 mpg. I traded in my 2008 Yukon Hybrid getting 16.4 because it was stalling in traffic and dealer could not fix after three attempts.

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  Excellent Value - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Its Great - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 2.5 Limited Edition one month ago. The major selling point for me was the engine. It only takes 1/2 throttle to merge into freeway traffic. It is really great to know that the car will respond immediately when you want to accelerate, even when its competition wont (even in the 40- 45 mph where most cars take some time to really get going. I have had no problems (so far) and am very pleased. Do yourself a favor and test drive one before you buy any other car in the same class/type.