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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  Very Dissapointed - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Corey - May 17 - 5:06 pm

  I never thought I would write a bad review for a Maxima. I bought this car as a certified used car with 60k and 2 years old. As soon as the warranty ran out the lights on the Bose stereo as well as the component lights went out. The passenger window will not roll up. The leather is tearing in the front seats. The steering makes a turkey noise. The front and rear brakes and shocks went out at the same time but probably was due for service. Great engine I have had no problems with it. The power is great as long as you dont have 4 people in there. This is my 3rd maxima and the others lasted to 200k miles, this one will not.

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  Gotta Love That Nissan - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By lovemynissan - May 17 - 2:40 pm

  I bought my Maxima after months of research. This would be my 3rd Nissan, 2nd Maxima and I havent been disappointed yet. Kudos to the design team for producing yet another eye- catching slick machine. The CVT is smooth and pretty responsive although a manual tranny option would be nice. The ergonomics are great as is the feel of the car on the road. Ive read many reviews about the cabin noise, and the factory tires are the culprit. I replaced the Continentals with a set of Sumitomos and cabin noise/road noise is greatly reduced. The funky orange temp/radio display whites out in direct sunlight. I purchased the car new and 56k mi later, no major mechanical issues.

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  2 years down the road - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Daytona - May 16 - 9:00 pm

  Well, Ive had this car now for 2.5 years now so I think I know it pretty well. First, second and third gear rubber, not bad. Torque steer can get very bad and out of control. Looks are excellent. Reverse lockout is very poor. Hitting reverse while shifting to 6th gear is possible with little effort (Ive done it several times). Front seats are poor design. Put something flat on it and it ends up in the back on the floor. Turning radius is also poor, Fuel average for city is 20 mpg. I have the black one, paint quality is poor but looks great. Nicks or scratches with little effort. Still, I like this car. Sound system is fine, for me anyway. This car will hold a tight turn like no other.

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  2008 replacement of 2005 - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Spunoffandaway - May 15 - 2:33 pm

  Another great car! The 2008 may be the last in this series, so I had to buy before they change it into a cross-over! I drive a lot of interstate miles, and feel safe with higher assurance of returning if hit. Sort of a small tank. No fear of muddy country roads with the great 4wd. Did have to give up a power plug for the MP3 plug-in (bummer)!The 08 has added XM radio and does offer some good entertainment while on trips. Almost same as 05, slight loss of build quality. Noticeable looseness in rear torque conversion around 35 mph or so, not in 05. Maybe it will go away with time. Still could not get side airbag option, must be a myth, like GPS. Not an economy car. Feels secure on the road.

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  Wind or design flaw? - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By lruthers - May 14 - 11:53 pm

  On February 19, 2013, when I pressed the button to open the trunk from inside the car, the lid came up with enough force to make the corners of the trunk lid shatter the rear window. The dealership maintains that a gust of wind must have caused this, although I and another witness told them that it wasnÂ’t unusually windy. I pressed the release button and *CRASH*. There was no pause or delay. If it was a gust of wind, it would have had to come up just as I pressed that button and in just the exact location to fling that lid open. Thats a heck of a coincidence, and I dont believe in coincidences that illogical.

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  So Far So Good - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Pat - May 14 - 5:14 pm

  Update#2. Car is driven daily. Things have been good so far. No mechanical break downs or problems. Rotate the tires. Change the oil. Thats about it. Update: Car has been reliable so far. Has 75k miles now. Has adequate power and decent fuel economy. The versa is not a freeway car, its for around town and commuting. Yes it can be driven 75 mph but its uncomfortable. Even the loaded SL feels cheap but thats what it is....a cheap car. Once you get over that and appreciate its real quality (inexpensive transportation) you will feel good about driving it. Would I buy this car over a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic (?) probably not but you can buy one cheap. If this car lasts us 5 more years and/or 75k more miles Ill not regret it. Car is now 7 years old w/65k miles. Purchased one year ago from an elderly family member who bought it new. Versa reliability a mixed bag from what Ive read. Im more into Toyota quality but this car came available at a great price. So far no major issues. Had to change out one strut. Still on the original set of brakes. Seems to be easy on tires. Averages about 30 MPG. Drives out pretty good. No speed demon but adequate. My impression is this is a decent economy car that does everything well. Time will tell if it lasts. Pros: Great visibility, decent MPG, fold down rear seats. Cons: Electronic steering, jittery on the highway, engine noisy when pushed.

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  great car, some squeaks and creaks - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By guyincity - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car, I have no regrets but the persistant creaking coming from the pillars between the front and rear doors could be a sign of poor structural design or poor build quality. We will see. The center console is really confusing, I need to study the manual. Aside from that its an all around great car giving me good utility ,looks, speed and handling. I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has had this problem.

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  Nissan Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By L-Lucy - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Not a bad car when you consider the excellent interior design. Very comfortable and powerful. Turning is pretty good and the suspensions keep the car glued to the road on high turns.

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  nice car,but - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By jack norman - May 13 - 8:46 pm

  rides good, does not turn as tight as i would like, has a lot of get up and go, need to work on gas mileage

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  Not Reliable! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By achilles5433 - May 12 - 5:57 am

  I bought my 2009 Murano new and within the first year my battery died listening to music in my car for 10 mins. I had battery checked and they said its fine. After that I made sure no interior lights or seat warmers were left on and still got stuck 4 more times!! Cant get rid of this car fast enough. Reliability is everything!! Even though its awd, its not that good in snow compared to my other vehicles. I replaced tires to snow tires and helped a little. But after they changed tires, the tire maintance light went on and wont go off. Hate the start button feature. Both my key batteries are low already. Have to go to dealership to replace. Also costs over $200 to replace if lost.