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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  A good car at a great price - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By bstern92 - November 10 - 4:03 pm

  I bought the Versa from the original owner and it now has 84,000 miles on it. All in all it was a great buy. You cant beat the price of the Versa. Since I have a bad back it was hard to find a car with a seat that was super comfortable besides my friends Volvo, but obviously I couldnt afford that and the Versa is the only other car that gives me complete pain relief. Has more interior room than my dads Acura TSX. Gas mileage is great, but the gas tank is small so dont let the gas gauge fool you. Some negatives are the acceleration and has lots of body roll. The thing I hate the most is not having a middle armrest. Cup holders are awkward. Cruise control isnt standard. No trunk button

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  Bad auto mechanic - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Hi - November 10 - 12:20 pm

  This van is huge. It has a lot amount of space for all seven people. then theres the problems. Fist two days after buying the van the service light went on. We take it to the dealership and the catalytic converter is bad. We leave for a ten hour trip the next day. They gave us a rental for a month! Then just couldnt fix the van. When we got it back it was making some weird noise. Take it to the shop, They cant here it. Thats only the start. This vans been in the shop over 13 times, in 9 months. The next problem is the cheap booty materials. The worst part is how low it is. We live in the boondocks and we always bottom out. Although it has a smooth ride when its not broke.

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  Disappointing Fuel Mileage - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By jimbo - November 10 - 7:10 am

  Most of my driving is around town. The fuel mileage I am getting is very disappointing. On average I drive 270 miles on 17 gallons of gas. The equates to 15/16 miles to the gallon. Whether I drive the car manual or automatic I get the same results. The manufacture states 23 miles around town. Highway I am not sure of. I bought the car thinking the milage around would be good. Disappointed.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Henry - November 10 - 2:49 am

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  Solid - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Brandon64 - November 9 - 8:06 am

  Purchased my Xterra in the summer of 01. It has been a reliable and durable truck. Its suffered the scorching summers of Phoenix, Az and the freezing winters of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and has never left us stranded. All parts still work. With regular maintenance itll last forever. At 110K still runs strong no big repairs except for a high hose leak in the air conditioner, the power steering pump leaks but was fixed with a $10 additive and the rear main seal (common amongst Nissan trucks) is leaking oil but was fixed with another $10 additive I picked up. Overall been a fantastic vehicle. You can always depend on your Xterra

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  Hoping for the best - Beware of catalytic converter - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By ams5db - November 8 - 10:31 pm

  I bought a 2007 Altima 2.5S 4-cyl from a private seller in July 2011. It had 117,000 miles on it, mostly highway. The car was in great condition and I even had it inspected at a shop before buying it. About five days after driving it, the check engine light came on. I thought there couldnt possibly be something wrong with it already, so I manually turned the light off and waited...two weeks later, it was on again. The catalytic converter was the problem and I had it cleaned out, but was told that it still may need to be replaced. Everything was fine for about 3 months, but the CE light just came on again at 121,000 miles. I dont want the engine to get ruined, so Ill have to fix it asap.

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  Manufactuing defect. - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Carl Carlson - November 8 - 7:03 am

  My wife and I really enjoyed our Altima, we had 92000 on it and planed on another 100000. But to our dismay we found that the passenger floor board had nearly completely rusted out, shades of the 50s. It was so bad that when you put your hand on it it felt like a sponge. The dealer and the company did not care about this and would do noting that had to be a manufacturing defect. We will never buy another car from that dealer or company. We have bought a 2009 Mazda6 and love it.

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  Very reliable car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Joe D - November 7 - 10:36 am

  A spacious, reliable, and economical car. I bought it pre-owned with 25k, it now has 90k and has cost me next to nothing to maintain beside mandatory maintenance (oil changes, tires, etc.).

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  Titan Impresses Thus Far - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By kenitzer - November 6 - 11:56 pm

  We purchased our 05 Titan 4x4 3 mo. ago with 72K miles from a local used car lot. I looked at over 40 4x4 trucks and had trouble finding one that was well cared for and had reasonable mileage. When I saw this truck I was impressed, but some online reviews made me worry about quality and reliability. Since correcting a CEL issue and doing some minor deferred maintenance, it has been a great truck. We only use it for hauling and towing so its not a daily driver - good thing at only 13 mpg. So far so good. We pulled a 12 UHaul trailer moving my son to OH a few wks ago and the trip was great. I am loving this truck more and more each day. I hope it provides years of reliable service.

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  Reliable, economical and not bad looking - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By silverelan - November 6 - 9:35 pm

  Wife and I bought our Sentra new and have been very happy with it after 85000 miles. Just change the oil, follow the maintenance schedule and slap on some new tires as needed. I love the smooth CVT with no shift points, the engine power wont win any drag races but gets the job done. I have taken the Sentra on several West Coast road trips over mountain passes and even fully loaded we make it thru just fine. Good gas mileage on the freeway though I struggle around 23-25mpg in the city. Newer cars will do better in town but thats to be expected. Plenty roomy inside and the interior has held up well over the years. Overall we have been happy with the vehicle.