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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  My Favorite car - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By B - June 28 - 8:53 am

  This is the perfect sports car! Its really fun to drive! Ford cant even reach half of the reliability of this car!

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  Great potential but far from Perfect - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Chase - June 28 - 8:44 am

  I bought this car from a car and kind of regretted it the dude that sold it to me had it all messed up. Starting off Radio and speaker system. I had 2 speakers missing from the front car, Radio connections for usb and aux were totaled, completely unusable. Around 1500 in repairs under the hood including engine mount struts. I will say the amp was still working real good powering the subs but later removed the rear speaker setup in favor of 3 way 6x9. I took a look to try and upgrade the exhaust system to borla and noticed a very big difference in power. The issue that the other se-r spec v owner was talking about power, I learned that rear part of the exhaust system did not have a gasket for the exhaust and likely was causing backpressure and making him lose power. I was having that issue as well and nearly got rid of the entire issue, there is a small sign of it still there. The engine. Boy that thing is quick for a 4 cylinder ive ran the thing near redline a couple of times and i never get sick of the torque that it pumps out once it gets going. But i will say my dads 2006 v6 mustang seems to get better gas mileage out of my car and i drive mixed between city and highway and normally get 24 to 25 MPG on the premium gas. Now for the interior. Hard annoying plastic. I will say it looks alright with the way its setup but the plastic part turns me off. The seats are nice and relatively comfortable. The seats themselves look pretty nice and sporty. The body style kind of turns me off, but with the small things here and there it certainly helps to get the car looking much better. The car itself is fairly spacious and roomy. I am 511" and i still have around 3-4 inches when sitting straight up. It had plenty of cargo but the seats do not roll down so you could ding it there. But the glove box is like a suitcase, So Roomy! Overall i enjoy the car more than i dont like it and it has a lot of potential. But, like every car you cant have it all.

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  Good car for the money - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By werdboy - June 28 - 3:53 am

  For a reasonably priced Nissan, the Altima gives you great bang for the buck. The 4cyl automatic is really fun to drive. Quick on its feet, good handling and a real sporty feel. Comes with great standard features, but no frills. Fairly dependable, but goes through brakes quickly, and watch the wheel bearings, as they tend to wear out at about 30K.

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  It keeps getting worse! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Dissapointing!!! - June 27 - 2:56 pm

  When I first bought my truck I loved it! The outside design was very appealing and it was a comfortable ride for being a full size truck. I put a lot of miles on my trucks for work and I was sure that this Nissan would be reliable. But after only 2 months I started having problems...first the brakes and rotors had to be replaced..then the drivers side door wont close on cold days..tires balded after only 7 months..side view mirrors cracked under cold conditions...harness recalled...now the 4 Wheel Drive jerks the car when taking turns in inclimate weather...every month there is another problem. I have been to the dealer service center 10 times since I bought this car 10 months ago!!!

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  love this car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By JIM CAVAGNARO - June 27 - 7:36 am

  I picked the se model for its stiffer suspension for better handling. The car is like a locomotive when you put your foot into it, especially above 4000 rpms. Mine is a 2002 model and has given exemplary service and reliability. With 45000 on the odo its as tight and quick as it was on day one. Top notch material quality. If the car has a shot coming its with the rear suspension which is not a real independant unit. I will probably buy another one after i pay this one off.For the money you cant go wrong with this model. Neck snapping speed, great brakes and all in a four door sedan package that looks great.

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  Great Commuter Car - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By mr_kq - June 27 - 6:29 am

  As long as you use this car within its range limitations it is wonderful. I am getting the EPA rated range without trouble (about 85 miles with 100% charge and 65 miles with 80% charge which is recommended to maximize battery life).

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  Solid car - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Bill - June 27 - 3:50 am

  Ive owned this pathfinder since it was new and have had very few problems. The alarm goes off for no reason fairly regularly and the rear latch isnt great...you really have to slam it to make it latch. Other than that all Ive done is changed fluids and brake pads. Overall I would say its the most reliable car Ive ever owned and it performs better than any other SUV Ive ever driven. The sound system is excellent as well. I dont love the car, but I would advise anyone to get one.

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  2014 Rogue SV FWD - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By tony250 - June 27 - 2:41 am

  I downsized from 2010 Buick Enclave because i dont need that big vehicle for my small family, but still i tried to compensate the ride comfort for the substitute vehicle. So the ride quality compared to enclave is the same other than Rogue is 1500 lbs lighter. It is fun to drive where as enclave was a chore to drive in city and locally. It has more technological features - electronics and trace control, ride control and engine braking. Ride comfort: it is quiet, smooth , less wind and tire noise, light steering on low speeds and precise on highway speeds, very little body role - you can drive this like a car other than the acceleration part.The only negative is NASA inspired seats.

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  Wish I looked around more - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By spits - June 27 - 1:20 am

  Had van before and wanted a suv but at 50 I didnt want huge. Love the look of the Pathfinder as it goes down the road but now that Im the one driving it Im disappointed. Once I got my kids in it I realized it wasnt going to be a vacation car. Well need to rent somethng more comfortable for vacations. Had the panel on the back of passenger seat fall off already and its in for transmission problems (doesnt want to drive in "drive"- feels like its in 3rd gear). Dealer doesnt care much. Has only 280 miles on it!! Should have gone with something else. Sportier than a minivan though and after 19 years of driving a van its a fun vehicle to have- just not as main family vehicle.

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  Nissan Pathfinder - Red, Grey leather!!! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Nick - June 26 - 10:40 pm

  This is a great car. Its definitly bigger than previous pathfinders and the design of the car is definitly different and better looking. My 2005 Pathfinder is red with the grey leather interior and it looks fabulous! It also drives great and handles very well.