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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  You Will Not Be Disapointed - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Myron Massacre - April 7 - 3:06 am

  I have not had the vehicle for long but she is a dream. Previous to purchasing the Pathfinder, I had my sights set on a Montero Sport. I then discovered that the Pathfinder had a much more efficient engine. A 3.5 V6 that puts out 240HP and 265 lb-ft of torque.(although the new models have more power and better fuel economy) Its still a very strong engine for its class. The Gas bill isnt fun but its a solid, very safe vehicle and I would very much recommend it.

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  Lets hear it for entry level cars! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By PF FLyer - April 6 - 11:06 am

  Its about time that the market starts giving us cars that we dont need a second mortgage to own. The Versa is stylish and practical. Not a sports car by any stretch, but fun to drive. With over 1.5 million combined miles on our manual shift Nissans since 1979, Ill be very surpsied if any major issues crop up with the Versa. Feels very solid and positive on the road, and Im getting 31 MPG combined. The leg room, front and back, is very surprising to everyone who has taken a drive with me. You sacrifice a bit of trunk space, but the fold down rear seats let you expand your storage when you need to. If solid, economical transportation is what youre after, the Versa might fit your bill.

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  my sofa on wheels! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By clare simpson - April 6 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Murano LE since early January and I absolutely love it. I have previously driven a Ford Explorer and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Nothing compares to the smooth, quiet and luxurious ride of the Murano. The dashboard is arranged perfectly and the console has two cup holders plus a very useful oblong holder that is perfect to hold the cell phone open while using the Bluetooth, or any other item that you might need in a hurry. This car has it all- easy to pull down rear seats, lots of room in the back,auto lift gate is wonderful, the 6 cyl. engine has incredible power on the highway,especially for merging, and definitely is more powerful than my Jeep V-8 ever was! Awesome car!

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  Great SUV for the price! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By douknownam - April 6 - 9:46 am

  After 1000 miles, my only two complaints are no A/C vents for the backseats and that the recirculate button resets everytime the A/C is turned off. So you have to remember to press the recirculate button when you turn on the A/C. Overall a great SUV! Gas mileage could be better, but if you bought this vehicle worrying about gas mileage then you brought the wrong vehicle. Plus the power and abnormally good handling characteristics makes the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

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  On To My Next One... - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By caliguy1 - April 6 - 8:23 am

  I had a 2013 Altima 3.5 SL and it was a great car!! I never experienced a problem with it....perfect for over 24k miles. My lease was up and I turned it in for a 2015, black with beige and practically identical to my 2013. No other car in the Altimas category can compete with the Altimas driving experience. I drove an Accord (plastic feeling dash board), Passat (engine noise), Malibu and a Camry (both ho-hum). The Altima is at the top of the fun factor guage! Ive gotten so used to the CVT that driving a standard transmission bugs me. And, no other car company can compete with Nissans incentives, they make buying a Altima easy-breezy!

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  2004 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE 4dr Sedan - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Babulal - April 6 - 6:50 am

  I am experiencing problems since the first month I bought the car. It started Bose speakers, fog light. Speakers, rorets, check engine, head light keep blowing off few times and now they are saying that the wiring harness needs to be replaced which costs almost 450. Tire problems, the car stays at the dealer place more than my home. Now I am having auto gear problem. I pay another 400 to get fixed mounts. Now they are saying that the transmission is going out and needs to be replaced.

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  Falling for the Leaf - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By David G - April 5 - 8:42 pm

  Before I purchased my used Leaf I spent months handwringing over range, battery life, and resale value. I should not have wasted any of that time worry and should have purchased this long ago. The Leaf rocks! Once you drive an electric car for a few days, it is hard to go back to the noise, pollution, and rumble of an internal combustion engine. The Leaf has required very little change from our normal driving habits in order to have a nearly pollution and carbon free vehicle (our electricity is wind- and solar-generated). We typically charge the Leaf at night every two or three days so charging issue is not the inconvenience that I was anticipating. We have used just a 110-120 volt outlet and real charge times are usually way less than forecasted because we seldom charge from empty to 100 percent (more typically we are going from something like 30 percent up to 80 percent). One great feature with the 2013 Leaf is the long-life setting for charging--it shuts down the charge at 80 percent to preserve battery life. Using that 80 percent cap, our real world range typically runs between 55 to 80 miles (again, that is at 80 percent battery). The reason for the range has to do with temperature and destination, for example. The coldest part of winter will reduce your range and battery power noticeably (just like your cell phone when it is really cold). During the height of summer, battery life also diminishes some, as a result of the heat and AC use (at least, that is my understanding). We drive ours in Salt Lake City to give you and idea of temperature fluctuations. Also, you can expect changes in range based on whether you are driving at highway speeds, up mountain canyons, or in the rain. With just a little bit of experience, it becomes fairly easy to anticipate these fluctuations on the Leaf. I highly recommend this vehicle for those that understand the range limitations. Nissan has used great materials and put together an excellent car.

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  Happy Repeat Buyer - 2017 Nissan Armada
  By Josh Hooper - April 5 - 10:02 am

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  Solid Car - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Cabanna - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Altima used in 2001 with 51,000 miles and I havent had any major problems with it since besides normal upkeep and wear and tear. Im satisfied with this car for the most part. My complaint is that the Altima does shift a little hard. I took it to the mechanic and he told me that the transmission was okay though and that this version of the Altima tends to do that. The other thing I noticed is the brakes squeel when the car hasnt ran for a while, but as soon as the car warms up the squeeling stops. I did have this problem looked at as well and I was told this was okay for now.

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  Foreign is the only way to go. - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By jennerz20 - April 5 - 10:00 am

  After owning a Honda, then a Ford and now a Nissan, I have to say I will never own another domestic car. The options I got on my car are incredible for less than 15k and the reliability and depriciation was a major factor in my purchase.