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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  My 1st Nissan - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Gomey - February 14 - 4:03 am

  After driving Toyotas for the last 20 years I was a bit apprehensive about buying a car that didnt say Toyota on it. But after driving my new 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5S I am totally impressed. It handles great, has tons of power, looks beautiful and gets an avg of over 28 mpg. Not bad considering I have been driving rather heavy footed. The seats take a little getting use to and the plastic on the inside of the car has an inexpensive feel to it. Not cheap but not too good either. The CVT is amazing. I think it and the engine are a great match. Nice job Nissan.

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  Juke - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By terri25 - February 14 - 3:10 am

  I have had the juke for 3 months ,I bought it new ,it has 5,300 miles on it ,air went out ,its in the shop now because there is black stuff inside the tail pipe and it would not crank.what to do ,what to do ,i have cried for 3 days

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  What a Car! - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By Bret Bowman - February 14 - 12:13 am

  Im preparing to put 185,000 miles on my 97 Sentra and it still drives like almost new. I do need to change the struts, tie rod ends, and a few other minor things, but after 185,000 miles you expect to need to do that. Its been the most reliable car Ive ever owned and was cheap to purchase when it was one year old. I installed a remote start alarm with windows roll up modules, a decent stereo and its now a fun car to drive. I love this car and how reliable it is. I especially love that it has a timing CHAIN (not belt). Not sure why any auto maker is still using timing belts. Thank you Nissan for quality vehicle that lasts and lasts!

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  Very good car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By happy owner - February 13 - 11:13 pm

  I have my Nissan Altima for almost 4 years now. A very good V6 engine that gives you a nice feeling driving it. It stays good on the road and reacts and can be handled well in various weather conditions. Didnt have any problems with it.The only one was changing the battery in the first 8 months. A good and robust car that gives you what you ask for!

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  Too many issues - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By gayrand - February 13 - 12:20 pm

  Ive liked driving this vehicle for the past 5 years, but the issues Ive had with it are enough that I wouldnt buy another. I had to replace all six ignition coils. When the first 1 went, I took it to a dealer who wanted a lot of money to replace all 6 - when only 1 was faulty. I took it to an independent repair facility, and got another year out of the vehicle before a 2nd coil needed replacement. Slightly less than a year after that and a 3rd went, at which point I replaced the remainder. Top that off with the failure of the CD player at about 60k & finding that was a "known issue". Next time around Ill be going Honda or Toyota - and that will be soon.

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  V-6. Sl - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By BRUCE LOESER - February 13 - 12:31 am

  Good value, runs great so far

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  not your everyday looks - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By kevin - February 12 - 11:40 pm

  I like most everthing. Rides good for what it is. low end insides. 300 h p gas with 180 hp. Does not even get 18 on the freeway. Like all cars you only get the low number. Over all for the price its all good.

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  Versa Info - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Bruce - February 12 - 4:43 am

  At 64" & 240 lbs, I actually fit in the Versa. The seat is a bit short for my long legs & not quite wide enough to accomodate my wide hips. My wife is 6 & the seats fit her fine. You can haul 2 six footers in the back without them feeling cramped. The Versa handles fine but the suspension is a bit choppy on rough roads. The Versa feels underbraked but Ive been driving 1 ton & 3/4 ton trucks for 25 years so I am used to strong brakes. My first tank of fuel in all city driving yielded 27 mpg. At 2,000+ miles I am up to 29 mpg in the city. On a recent trip with a 700 lb payload & running 75 mph, I averaged 31.5 mpg. Versas my first compact car & I would buy another. Lots of room for a compact!!

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  Best SUV - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jsail - February 12 - 4:33 am

  I am very happy with my new Pathfinder. I too came off of a very BAD experinece with my Honda Odyssey tranny problem and numerous problems. So far I love the truck and the room is great. Have had several problems in the first 500 miles. Had a bad O2 sensor that was not clear the first time. My gas mileage is real low, 13 mpg. Towing is great and so is off road. Not the normal roll that you get in other SUVs. Overall would go down and get 10 more if I could.

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  2006 Armada - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By andy - February 12 - 2:10 am

  Bought 2006 Armada LE Tech package sirius and DVD. Love the performance and comfort. The 3rd row split is great for cargo and kids. Pulls our boat like there is nothing behind it! Yes it gets low gas mileage but we have 4 kids and a boat and their is nothing that compares to this SUV!