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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  Mixed results - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Lee - January 5 - 10:43 am

  Bought the car new (13 miles on it) from the dealer. For the most part the car performed well. 26,393 - driver side window stopped (warranty). 44,749 - engine warning light (catalytic converter replaced). 46,356 - engine warning light (catalytic converter replaced again). 56,784 - seat belt light (dealer convinced me I needed a new battery). Seat belt light came back on within 10 miles of leaving the dealership. Warranty expired 60,968 - replaced seat belt sensor. Later issues (after 5yrs, like clock work): back left tire bearing tie rod rear calipers struts. I should have gotten out between 4 and 5 yrs. After that things really started to fall apart.

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  Roomy, Powerful SUV - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By John - January 4 - 9:30 am

  The Good: roomy, powerful engine, smooth transmission, comfortable seats, good stereo system (if you can afford the audio upgrade, get it), AWD works great, CVT transmission works great (much better than the traditional Nissan transmissions which had many problems), seats 5, decent cargo space, good looking vehicle. The Bad: Wheel bearings went out ($800), catalytic converter issues ($1,500), interior plastic parts are cheap and scratch easy, rear seat handle release broke, could use a bluetooth upgrade. Overall... a great buy!

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  close one - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By seeme - January 4 - 3:01 am

  After taking the SUV home I was over joyed . After about 300 miles I noticed a a shutter when the gas pad was applied lightly and it disappeared as the suv s speed reached about 35 mph..My dealer Sutherlin Nissan was wonderful..They put a new converter as per the mother company"s policy and on the way home about 10 miles, the problem was still there.. I called them and they then took it to the next step and ordered a new tranny. Since then two long trips and 7000 miles on the Suv and now after owning this Suv for three mths,,I give it 4 1/2 stars overall..Sutherlin Nissan of fort myers fla gets 5 stars and they also give a lifetime warranty at no add.charge on the drivetrain. Very nice SUV.

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  The best in its category - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Venkat - January 4 - 2:40 am

  I researched Civic, Corolla and Sentra before deciding to buy the Sentra. I was impressed by its size and feel. Sentra was bigger, longer and wider then both Civic and Corolla. Even though I liked the looks of Civic more, I choose Sentra because of some key striking features. The gear shift knob was moved towards the dash to make more room in the drivers cabin. The CVT feature made the drive very smooth. I chose the intelligent key feature and the music system had an auxiliary jack which enabled me to play my iPod. All this combined with good looks convinced me to go for Sentra. I am very happy with the car.

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  2009 Altima Hybrid--disappointed - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By msginny - January 3 - 8:36 pm

  I really wanted to like this car. Even though it wasnt originally sold in the Midwest where I live, I had a dealer get one for me back in 2010. Over the weekend, my car stranded me with the infamous steering column issue. I couldnt get it started in the Mall parking lot...no prior warning lights, etc. Upon trying to start it, the red "key" light came on. Today they fixed it under the "extended warranty" which shouldve been a recall. The dealer did tell me the parts arent always in stock, and some customers had to wait a month for a part and repair. Bad job, Nissan. The romance is over, and Im kicking you to the curb.

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  Maxed OUT - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Rick - January 2 - 10:43 pm

  Fun car, but have never experienced significant repairs with previous Maximas. Have replaced air conditioning compressor, timing belt, and battery (3 times). What happened to the quality with which I was accustomed? Was considering another Maxima, or even an upgrade to Infinity. But, this is my last Nissan of any kind until the reliability comes back.

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  2006 2.5L Altima Alert - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Chang - January 2 - 3:20 pm

  Purchased vehicle in April 06 and found out about oil problem June 06. Vehicles are still being sold although Nissan has requested otherwise. Wrote letter to Nissan and receive prompt response...."They plan to do nothing." Bought for interior space. Engine too noisy, interior too bland, cd skips on the slightest bump. Hope the engine does not catch fire!!!

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  Never another Nissan - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By imeccentric - January 1 - 6:12 pm

  Not a well built vehicle. Safety issues that are well known and common with this vehicle. Electric door locks do not work (wouldnt open if in an accident and you had a child by one of those doors). Sun visors wont stay up and keep falling down. That is another safety issue that is well documented. They are also well know for cheap paint that peels after a few years (we have had to have our hood repainted and it sets in a garage when not used). Most of the plastic shields that guard the fender wells, and parts underneath have fallen off or had to be tied up. 4 expensive sensors have had to be replaced. On the up side, we havent had any drive train trouble as of yet.

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  Stalling issues - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By JT - December 31 - 8:56 pm

  The car looks great and is usually fun to drive. The 2.5 engine is really loud at high speeds. When driving on the freeway for an hour or more at a time, the transmission gets stuck and will try to idle in 3rd gear when it comes to a stop, causing the car to stall. The Nissan dealer could not find any problems and they didnt know what to do about it. The problem has gotten worse on each trip that Ive taken.

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  My New Baby - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By lovemynissan - December 31 - 8:40 pm

  Well, I finally broke down and purchased this sweet ride. It is an absolutely wonderful car and I cannot rave more about the CVT transmission. Just when I thought I wouldnt get any pep from a 4 cyl. engine and I would have to bite the gas mileage bullet and go with a 6, I drove this. Its fun, stylish, and sexy. The warranty leaves a bit to be desired, especially because of all the alternative out right now, but I purchased an extended in case.