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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  great SUV- horrible Service Dept @Dlrshp - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By robert - May 22 - 7:06 pm

  I have a Sequoia and just bought a new Armada. I really like this SUV. I think it rides slightly better than the Sequoia. Very comfortable and roomy. Unfortunately I have had to deal with a couple of warranty issues already. I ve owned it for only 2 weeks and I am already absolutely DISGUSTED with the Dealership and their maintenance department. It takes 2 appointments to balance a wheen properly. They have still not been able to order the right part or figure out what they are going to do to fix my A/C fan. I would give the SUV a thumbs up and give the Dealerships service Department a huge Zero (even a thumbs down would be giving them too much credit).

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  Great car, everything I need. - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By sirbikesalot - May 22 - 5:50 pm

  This is my fourth Nissan after having owned a Stanza, Maxima, and Xterra. I traded in my 2000 XTerra and bought the Rogue after test driving it. It handles great, very comfortable (I am 6-2"), and quiet inside. I got the AWD in wicked black with no other options. It meets all my needs, except for one that I need to wait for - a Class 3 tow hitch with the 2" receiver for my hitch-mounted bike rack. Its a little smaller than the Xterra but I wont miss it and I certainly wont miss the poor gas mileage of the Xterra. All my Nissans have been super reliable and I expect no less from this car.

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  Drive train failures. CVT and Xfer case issues. Dont buy Nissan! No Manufacturer Support! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By weightclub - May 22 - 11:51 am

  Its too bad Nissan wont stand behind THIER product. They did replace the CVT (now that they extended the factory warranty to 10yr/120K) but our transfer case was leaking too (as so many of them have) and we were told it couldnt be rebuilt since it was one that had been made with a bad part! What floored me was we got NO help from Nissan at all with the cost of the replacement part. I even contacted the executive offices in TN. $3K later, I still have a metallic rattle when the CVT is trying to kick out of the first "gear" and after reading about how many others had the same issue, I am VERY worried I will have to replace both drive train components again if we hang on to the car.

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  Great riding car - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By A very nice ride - May 22 - 12:36 am

  My wife and I just purchased the car today. I just wanted to say I didnt know what to expect with this car. Well, to my surprise so far on the first day it drives extremely quiet and has pretty good power for a 4 cylinder. The CVT works great. Just takes a little while to get used to. Overall, we both love the car and are impressed with all the features of the SL model. Its also very roomy inside and Im over 60" and have plenty of leg and head room. We were going to buy a Civic but Im glad we went with the Sentra. I would recommend test driving this car. You will like it.

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  Sold on Rogue - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By forevernissan - May 21 - 7:03 pm

  After owning a 2010 Murano SL for five years, I waited until the new body style to come out, convinced that was my next vehicle. After driving the new Murano SL, I realized it was bigger than the previous model and sat lower. As an empty nester, all the space didnt justify the high price. Drove the Rogue and realized it was the perfect fit for me. All the same bells and whistles for $10,000 less plus way better fuel economy than the V6 Murano - already averaging 28 mpg after two months.

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  Very Satisfied - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By T McCabe - May 21 - 2:30 pm

  First, I want to thank and recommend Edmunds to everyone. I shopped using their pricing quotes and I wasnt disappointed. I was able to get $1600 below the TMV, which at the time was below sticker just by using their price quote service. I bought the car back in August 04, I was switching from a full size SUV (Tahoe) to a car mainly for the gas mileage. I was looking for something economical but that still had some power like my truck. I found it in the Altima. This car is great. I love the power and the handling. It looks sleek both outside and in. I got the 3.5SL and its everything you would want in a car. I now drive an hour each way to work and I LOVE IT. Stereo really jams!

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  Love The Truckie - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By maxmilo01 - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Well I had the truck for Two and a half years, and have not had any mechanical problems.It is a comfortable ride,fuel economy is not bad either.Handles pretty well.I Get alot of compliments, I must say its a great looking truck.

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  Not Everyone Needs Third-Row Seating!!! - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By blackdog - May 21 - 10:00 am

  I was shopping for a 4Runner, but couldnt justify $6,000 more for the same features. This SUV rides like a Maxima and the 240 hp. V6 runs very smooth. I have already put 4,500 miles on it in 4 weeks and so far I am very pleased. I also dont understand the complaints about the rear seats. I put mine up and down on a daily basis..Very EasY!! If you are like me and want a true midsize SUV, than the Pathfinder is a great deal. Remember, not everyone needs a third- row of seats!!

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  Think hard before buying - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By graydonlarrabee - May 21 - 10:00 am

  This car went through make-ready and was delivered by the sales person with a defective computer-control-module for the interior lighting. It took the service deopartmet 2 hours to find what was wrong. The plasma display simply cannot be read in bright sunlight

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  Better Than I Imagined - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Keesu - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought my loaded Murano about two weeks ago. Its a dream in many ways: ride, stereo, seating comfort, controls. My first choice was the Lexus 330, but for the price, the Murano is a much better deal. Got mine for MSRP out the door. Buy one of these if you want a reasonably priced sporty SUV with the comfort of a sedan and the utility of an SUV.