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:

• 

  2005 Frontier Crew Cab - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By sberry - August 9 - 6:46 am

  The most leg room in the back of the crew cab Ive ever experienced. Good design, tight and stought. The engine belt did squeak which was embarrassing until dealer replaced, the brakes still squeak when applied while backing up. Turning radius too wide and I dont like gearing due to fact that when automatic kicks into passing, rpms reve up to high in comparison to acceleration. Have not towed anything. 1 recall on tow hitch electrical. As good as to better that any truck Ive ever owned.

• 

  Faithful Nissan Owner - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By rdelrusso - August 7 - 6:06 am

  I love it. Its the perfect car for the city goer by week, adventurer by weekend. Great mileage, easy to move in and out of lanes in NYC, super smooth ride, etc. I couldnt ask for anything more!

• 

  Great gas mileage - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Great Summer vehicle - August 4 - 7:56 am

  When I first saw this vehicle I fell in love with its body style. The interior is great and I love how spacious it is. This vehicle gives great gas mileage. However,I live on Long Island and during the winter months it is very difficult to drive on ice and snow. It is also hard to control on windy days. It is a great vehicle for long summer drives.

• 

  Transmission Problems with no fix - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mpom - August 3 - 9:05 am

  I purchased my 2013 Pathfinder in Nov of 2012, it began having the "shudder" fairly shortly after but I didnt acknowledge it for a while. As it continued to worsen, I brought it to the dealers attention. I was told they were aware but did not have a fix for it. I continued to mention it every time I brought the car in for service. I was finally told to call Nissan which is a joke. They sent me back to the dealer who has told me that for their protection they must be very careful with how they handle it. What about the $45,000 I spent. Where is my protection? I am considering hiring a lawyer....

• 

  A Jaunty Truck - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By igopogo - August 3 - 1:25 am

  Purchased new, currently at 16 months and 13,000 miles. The size of the KC truck is ideal for my purposes; roomy enough to accommodate two people (good sized) with luggage inside. Its dimensions are not too big to handle todayÂ’s traffic and parking situations, but are large enough to provide a comfortable ride. I wish it were quieter but will try to improve this area with future tire selection. I prefer the FrontierÂ’s more upright chair-like seating position over the Tacoma (the only other truck I considered).

• 

  Its all good, except.... - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By barakoutie - August 2 - 6:13 pm

  Overall, a great vehicle for my needs and preferences (more trucky than car- like, lots of power, all the amenities, etc.). Only knocks (mostly minor, in no order): cannot adjust seats to perfectly suit me, left wiper chatters, interior car panels are cheap and easy to mar, rear shocks bottom easily, can not raise 2nd row drivers side window from drivers seat (switch broken), gas mileage brutal around town, OEM tires not good, running boards too narrow (cant fit foot on them), heater heats ankles not feet, carpet is cheap, rear wheel noise invades cabin, climate control either 60 degrees (too cold) or 65 (too warm) with no in-between, hard to lift 3rd row seats from rear hatch.

• 

  Fun, but bumpy - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By chris - August 1 - 9:03 pm

  This is a very nice sport car dont get me wrong. It looks fast, it is fast, it takes off so quick I almost get whiplash everytime. It is a head turner too. But I have never had anything that is this bumpy and the rattles drive me insane. Ive had an S2000 and it wasnt this bad, and that thing had a super tight suspension. My Z rattles like it is falling apart, all along the dash, the center console, and if I am talking while driving it sounds like someone is thumping my chest. I have crammed things into seams and cracks to stop them, but its no use. But man is it fast.

• 

  Its alright for the price - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Spiel - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Recall for faulty rims.No other prob.Accel ok for 126hp after broken in. Good mileage. Ride/noise ok when tank full. Instrument average, funct, nothing fancy.Corolla/Civic/VW better. Room ok when seats back. Seats short but comfortable, even on long drives.Trunk space ok.After ~10,000 miles,minor rattling from glove compartment and door.Stereo ok.Brakes BAD!Skidded many times,esp when raining.Get ABS option! Steering/handling good;steering wheel stiff.Cheap rubber/"duct tape" seals on door;tape peeling already.Inconsistent accelerator pedal from complete stop;makes me nervous. Design/styling "old lady." Cant accessorize.

• 

  A Little Dissapointed... - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By bparks89834 - July 31 - 1:58 am

  I traded in my 2009 MINI S hardtop for a 2011 Juke SV. Main motivation: my daily commute includes 15 miles of gravel road and frequent snowy winter conditions. The Cooper had issues--it rattled on the gravel, and never liked snow over 2" deep. It had virtues--consistently 36 mpg, and a blast to drive. The Juke sounded great--greater ground clearance, AWD, turbo-charged with HP to match the S, and an MPG rated at 25 city, 30 hwy. If only... Currently, Im getting 24.2 mpg on mostly highways, driving like a pansy in ECO, staying in 2 wheel drive the vast majority of the time, and holding my mouth right. Nissan: how did you get this wrong?

• 

  Good Car - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By D Scott - July 30 - 4:36 am

  Purchased this car used with 31,000 miles on it. Have had it for 3 months now and am really happy with the car. Great styling inside and out. Rides very smooth and no wind noise. I stand 6 foot and I am very comfortable in this car, my knees are not pressed into the dash. The only complaint I have is the stereo, the sound quality is awful. I assume its the base stereo option. Im thinking about upgrading the whole stereo system because of the sound quality.