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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  Brand New Rogue - McLovin this car! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By wmson2000 - April 3 - 1:26 am

  Tested the CRV and the Rav4. Both were nice but not as good of a value as the Rogue. CRV was close but didnt handle as well. Rogue is slightly smaller. Much better feature list. Quieter than the competition. Sportier feel. Interior looks like a lux car. First 100 miles, 28mpg! Handled nicely in the rain. Zenon headlights are awesome in the dark. This is my 4th Nissan. Big fan of value and reliability of Nissan.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By dsw - April 1 - 10:40 pm

  I have had this car for three years. The only problem I have had with it was the tire misalignment that they had with the first year vehicles. Nissan replaced the tires and corrected the alignment after two years of driving for no charge. It is very fun to drive with ample power. Mountain roads are a blast, if traffic cooperates.

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  Its been fun, but.... - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Z_Owner - April 1 - 10:16 pm

  Ive had my manual 2006 350Z Touring Convertible for 4 years, been fun but expected higher quality & reliability for $40k. Good-Fun car to drive, great styling, always turns heads. Good power, good mileage. I dont drive it very hard, its a commute vehicle, but have pushed the speed and cornering a few times and had a blast. Bad-The stock tires had to be replaced after 26k miles ($700). Constant reliability problems (not including small items under $50), in a short 4 years, Ive experienced a cracked drive shaft, cracked convertible top, bubbled coating on both door handles, failed convertible top mechanism, belt replacement after 2.5 years, interior paint degrading & peeling off

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  Titan Turd - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Kevin - April 1 - 3:46 pm

  My Titan was great for about the first 6000 miles. Still looks and rides great and plenty of power but,I have had brake problems twice,radio problems,water in the floorboard,window switches,squeaks, rattles,paint rubbing off, mudguards came off.You know I can only take this thing in for repairs so often. Its like having another kid. Plus a $600 a month note. Thats my Titan 4x4 LE good luck!

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  Love My Car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Noah - April 1 - 1:50 pm

  Had my mid-life crisis a bit early and opted to trade-in my Saturn VUE for something more sporty. I saw a few of the Altima Coupes on the road and decided I needed to drive one. 53,000 miles later, its still a great car to drive. I wanted all black, V6, fully loaded and after waiting patiently a few days, my dealer was able to get one. The look of the vehicle is great. Sometimes I think there is a bit too much hesitation when I go from reverse to drive. However, overall, it is just a great car with great acceleration and handling and very good gas mileage. While not the ideal family vehicle, I can fit all 3 kiddos in the backseat.

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  Great car - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By deathryder - April 1 - 1:33 pm

  its a great car , that all what i can say. the interior was awesome. the outlook was special .

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  2003 Nissan Maxima GLE - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By MrT - April 1 - 12:30 pm

  I really like this car. It has plenty of power, a roomy, comfortable interior, handles reasonably well, and does well in the snow. I bought this car used in 2006 with ~60k miles. It now has 95k. In that time, besides routine maintenance, Ive only had to replace the interior fan assembly which started making an annoying noise shortly after I bought it. It cost approximately $400 to replace. My friend has an Xterra which had a similar problem. The previous owner had taken out the stereo system so I got whatever the dealer put in. Im not an audiophile, but would say its got an adequate sound system. My wifes 2006 Toyota 4- runner has a better sounding system.

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  My Xterra - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By cbw - March 31 - 10:26 pm

  I was looking around for a new truck. I was waiting on the new F-150, but Ford make them so big now, it wouldnt fit in the garage. So, I went the SUV route. The Xterra is one of the few built on a fully boxed truck frame for better strength. Sure it may use a little more gas than the others but its a rock and it will run when you need it. I only have 800 miles on it and so far very impressed. I just hope it will get better when its broken in. I tossed in a K&N panel filter and I am getting 19 in town. For those who dont know, Nissan rates it @ 15 in town.

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  worst car ever - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By RobD - March 31 - 9:53 pm

  had car in shop over 26 times have had replaced:Steering column, struts, strut mount assembly, a pin in the steering column, steering rack, and an inner cv boot (which came torn from the factory). Along with the front end issue which has never been fixed we have had replaced: brake relay, AC blower motor (2x), Engine block (@ 25k miles), radiator and cvt transmission (both @50k mi somehow radiator fluid got in trans and trans fluid in radiator..go figure), ac relay (2x), fuel pump, fuel sending unit, and assorted interior plastic pieces which broke off. This car is a piece of crap, and so is Nissan customer service. I have had to retain an attorney because they will not fix my car.

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By bfleshner - March 31 - 5:06 pm

  Bought new in Jan. 2005, now have 80,000 and have had no problems whatsoever! Power is great, gas mileage is consistent at 22.5 in town and 29.0 on the freeway using 89 octane. Ive only had to do the regular maintenance, replaced tires and brakes at 68,000 with no surprises. Ride is on the firm side but thats why it handles so great.