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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  Black Altima SE - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Ricefan - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Overall, a great car for the money. Fun to drive, fast, comfortable, roomy interior, and great looks outside. Catches a lot of attention!

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  Awesome car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By roushfan5 - September 29 - 2:27 am

  A lot of people are complaining about their cam shaft sensors. Well my check engine light came on for the exact same problem. Turned out I was just using the wrong type of oil. Make sure you are using 5-30W oil to avoid this problem. After a couple hundred miles with the correct oil in the car the problem went away. Our car is the V6 with a 152,400 miles on it and to date the only problem weve had to fix is replace the seals in the engine, oil cooler and the rear value gasket. The interior is a little cheap Ill admit. But the car def. makes up for it with that fantastic engine. A great car but it has to be maintained

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  Lots of Pep and Good Gas Mileage - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By JT - September 28 - 7:20 pm

  I purchased the 1.8S Special Edition package and received an excellent deal. I looked at everything from Scions, Focus, Hondas and Toyotas. One test drive and i was sold, not to mention the deal. This car has been very peppy so far. Not a squeak, rattle or a murmur so far. Im getting 36mpg, and i average about 65 to 70mph on my commute. The Rockford Fosgate stereo system is incredible. Backseat is a little, but i dont sit there. The dash layout is easy to read, all dials and buttons are where you would think they would be. Trunk is spacious for a small car. Also if youre so inclined this car has been very easy to service yourself.I would recommend this car if you want dependable transport

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  Disappointed - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By kim - September 27 - 9:20 pm

  I totally agree with Carolina (first page.) I had a Sentra in the 80s never changed the oil, did any maintenance or anything. Ran like crazy. Now, I totally maintain my 2006 that I bought new and it has had belt replacement, thermostat replacement, heat plate adjustment, and now until it warms up it sound like its going to fall apart under the hood. Also, the cup holder is too close to the stereo controls. It switches from radio to CD when you bump it. The gas mileage isnt the greatest either. I wont buy another Nissan.

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  Good for family - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By dsgtbfdsgb - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The reason I purchased the Pathfinder was that it had the best acceleration of all of the other SUVs I test-drove. Although I enjoy my Pathfinder, I miss the feeling of driving my old sports car. If I had a family, this would be the best thing to have if I was limited to buying an SUV or mini-van.

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  GOOD BUY - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Erskine - September 26 - 10:00 am

  We bought this for our family trips. It is incredibly spacious. I can fold the third row and the middle of the second row down and sleep fully stretched out. The ride is bouncy with the rancho shocks. I recommend the LE model. Off road performance is good for its size. Clearance is empressive. Low Range is a nice feature. I would recomend the Infiniti over this model. If you want it loaded, for five thousand more you will get better warranty and service. This vehicle will easily accomidate five 65" adults and three shorter passengers. Rear access is great unless you are using more than one car seat.

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  Good choice - 2011 Nissan Murano
  By miguel726 - September 26 - 1:40 am

  After testing several SUVs I found the Murano and Ford Edge at the top of the list. The Edge shows a nice screen with tons of options but after a test drive the Murano won over the Edge. More power, quiet transmission, more leg room on rear seats, very good radio. I use the Music Box to store my favorite songs. Rear visibility is not good, the rear view camera helps. At the end I bought the SL trim.

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  Great so far......... - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By kinger_111 - September 21 - 6:06 am

  Purchased a 2.5SL to replace a 97 Civic coupe and have been very happy thus far. Car looks great, is comfortable, gets good gas mileage (28 mixed through 800 miles...mostly freeway), is quiet and has good pep for a 4 cylinder engine.

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  It was just a rental - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By Eric - September 20 - 12:10 pm

  While on business in Fort Lauderdale, the rental company gave me a 2010 Xterra because they were out of Town Cars. I LOVE driving it. I have a Mercury Mountaineer back home and am considering trading it for an Xterra. Its high up (which helps in Miami traffic) and sporty and very comfortable. I would recommend it to any executive traveling. Definitely not your typical "soccer mom car".

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  Needs improvements!!! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Tough Critic Nicky - September 20 - 10:00 am

  The 2005 Altima looks smooth and luxurious. The things I dont like, its only because after driving this vehicle for a few months now. They are the display to the radio, when there is sun, you cant even see the radio station and numbers. Needs running daytime lights. The side mirrors needs to fold back, but dont. The temp controls are a bit outdated- I like the digital readout of the Toyota products, like the Camry, Lexus line. The radio reception is very static and poor. the passenger seat needs to be powered. I also dislike the horn sound of the keyless entry system as one review referred to. Thats my pet peeves on the Altima.