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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  Im Not Disappointed But .... - 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
  By jpw56 - April 1 - 8:38 am

  I traded in an SUV and a hard top convertible in the hopes I would be able to have just one car that had the attributes of both. This does, for the most part. As others say, its either love it or hate it. It clearly is a looker and folks either think its cool or ugly. Its definitely not a performance vehicle, but it doesnt claim to be. Its a very heavy vehicle and back seat access can be a pain, but the good seems to outweigh the bad, so far. It has memory seating so if you set your preferences, it will revert back with a touch of a button. The nav and leather upgraded interior is lovely and comfortable and to me, the only downside is that it requires premium petrol.

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  Nissan wont warranty Known Axle Issue. - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By brad100 - April 1 - 8:22 am

  I took it in for brake service at about 56,000 miles and learned it had a leak in the rear axle seal on the passenger side. Nissan replaced the seal under warranty. I questioned if the axle was bad and was informed it was fine. 12,000 miles later it leaked again. This time I was informed of a Technical Bulletin stating the axle, bearing and seal should have been replaced as a unit. I complained all the way to Nissan Corporate and was informed they would not warranty it outside of the 60,000 mile warranty. Even though this was a pre existing problem and was not fixed right the first time. I will never buy another Nissan product because of this. They did not care!

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  My Nissan Sentra - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By Yaasika - April 1 - 2:00 am

  For a little car, it does really well. Ive owned it for about 4.5 years and my car has treated me more than great. I bought the car used from a dealer with almost 17K miles. I kept up routine maintenance, but I didnt get my first tune up until 106K miles. I just put in a new alternator at about 120K miles. I still have the same muffler, all the power windows/locks still work. I havent had any major repairs. Driving this car has been a joy & surprisingly low maintenence. I would definately buy another Nissan product (Ive out grown the Sentra). All in all, I love my little car!

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  No Longer Loyal to Nissan - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Salukifan - March 30 - 2:53 pm

  My dealership just told me we need to replace timing chain for $1300.00 (71,000 mile). 1997 Maxima has 210,000 miles. Quality now not better than other brands. Will replace with Sequoia or GM/Ford product. Appears to be a problem they wont fix. Lost my loyalty!

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  a lot of car for under 16k - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Ayrton - March 30 - 9:33 am

  I have a SER with a 5 speed and bought it because it is the fastest car for the money. If you notice all these reviews are comparing the SER with RSX Type S and the Suburu WSX, these cars cost almost 10k more than the SER, and while I will concede it is slower its not that much slower for 10k less

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  170,000 miles list replacement list - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Benjamin Rickett - March 30 - 5:46 am

  This is an incredibly reliable car but I have had to replace several things so far. 1. Both front CV joints the seals were all cracked and they were clicking very loudly when I turned. 2. Replaced the alternator 3 times so far; they were aftermarket refurbished. Dealership will not give core refund if it is not a factory alternator 3. I have a slow oil leak and some oil burning. 4. Power steering leaks in numerous places which the dealership said will eventually involve replacing the pump and all valves. 5. Steering wheel rubber has completely crumbled down to the steel core so I have had to replace the cover. and Seatbelt on drivers side doesnt pull in so it gets slammed in door

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  Been there for me for over 10 years - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Lura - March 29 - 5:20 pm

  Like an old friend, my trusty Altima has been with me through a lot of my young adulthood. When I first got her, I remember being very happy with the swift acceleration. Over the years, I have have had a few problems, but not unusual based on the number of miles these problems occurred at.

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  DC fast charger not needed, but 6.6KW is a must! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By frugaldave1298 - March 29 - 5:10 pm

  Had the car for 1300 miles and 1 month. Great car. Purchased after I got tired of waiting for the new Smart ED which had repeated delays. We got the base S model with the $1300 DC Fast Charge option. SL, SV models come with the 6.6KW onboard charger that charges your car at about 30% per hour. The old 3.3KW charger (still standard on the S) gives you about half that charging rate meaning youll be forced to wait longer when charging out in town. This is a huge deal! The fast charge option adds the high speed DC charge 30 mins 0-80% and upgrades the 3.3kw to the 6.6kw onboard. That is a big deal! In hindsight, prob should have just gotten the mid-grade Leaf with the 6.6w charger.

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  gimme some mpg - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By heygary - March 27 - 6:43 pm

  Ive had the 07 for about four months and have put six k miles on it, and have not gotten over 23 mpg. Ive bumped the tire pressure to near forty pounds, went with synthetic oil, and still average about 21-22 mpg city or highway, doesnt matter. I do really enjoy the ride; starts are indeed less than stellar, but on the highway the car performs admirably. Hard acceleration gets you lots of torque steering issues. Love the keyless entry and rear sonar. CVT is super cool driving up and down mountains, as you dont feel the car downshift.

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  was good, now bad - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By dee - March 27 - 3:20 pm

  Bought this car almost 4 years ago. Ran fine until the warranty came off, then suddenly started having problems. Note: if you hear loud humming when you do hard turns or in cold weather, do NOT let Nissan tell you thats "normal". I now have a power steering rack that is toast, and will cost $1100 Canadian to replace. Apparently, the humming was warning me there were problems, but the dealership told me there werent, UNTIL the manufacturers warranty came off. I had purchased the extended warranty, but guess what - they say it doesnt cover it either! It seems I am not alone - there are several reports of this problem, but Nissan just says, too bad, you bought it, we dont care.