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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  Love It!! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By LL - December 30 - 2:00 am

  I am on my second Xterra (owned a 2000 first). Upgraded to the 2003 S/C. Had one factory suspension problem with the 2003 model and was given a new vehicle (very pleased with the way the situation was handled). Little disappointed with the sunroof, not usable with cargo net installed. I have become a devoted Xterra owner.

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  So far so Good - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By figgi01 - December 30 - 2:00 am

  So far I think I made a good purchase. The power is good for a I4, the interior room is great, the standard sound system actually uses Clarion speakers but wish the reciever wasnt so oddly shapped so it could be replaced with an aftermaket. Squeaks and rattles are my main concern with the car. The front suspension makes a squeaking noise when stopping down a hill and the rear suspension seems to rattle over bumpy roads. We will see how it holds up in the long run.

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  Love My Altima - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By jbjr - December 30 - 2:00 am

  With the exception of the interior (Nissan could of done better), I love my car and would recommend it to anyone in the market. The car has lots of potent power that takes on the some of the fastest cars out there. The exterior is well put together and the car has quiet smooth ride.

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  Poor Build Quality Means Failing Parts - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Disapointed - December 26 - 3:13 pm

  Good mechanicals and style have been offset by lots of design and quality problems. Defective power passenger window, power outlet in front, broken drivers seat motor (big $1,000 problem, Nissan wants to replace full seat for plastic gear in motor, universal failure), grille chrome plating bubbling off, lots of squeaks and rattles. Im only putting 2,800 miles a year on a $40,000+ car, and is already showing lots of problems. What will happen at 15,000 or 20,000 miles?

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  fun with some issues - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By nissan owner - December 26 - 1:16 pm

  It has the power you would expect from a V6. The four wheel drive is great. Has good clearance. Has good strong wheels and big tires so it is capable of going of the beaten path if needed. The only problems so far are that we needed to change the alternator when I first got it and the front upper control arms needed the bushings replaced to fix negative camber on the both sides of the front. The most recent issue this truck has is it makes a grinding or scraping noise like metal on metal on the passengers side right before the transmission shifts up. When the tranny shifts the sound goes away. Hasnt effected the performance but sounds horrible. 1,2,3, on fan motor dont work,dont mind

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  Love the car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By bobjeeps - December 26 - 5:07 am

  Love the car after 60,000 miles 5 & 1/2 years. Im still amazed how smooth it runs with the CVT transmission. Ive had to replaced the a/c heater blower motor, OAD alternator wheel pulley. I had a condensation leak inside the car. It cost me $560 to fix it. They needed to extend the condensation pipe to draw out the condensation. This is the only item, I feel was no fault of mine, that Nissan should have fixed it for free.

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  Initial Quality Disappointments - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Steve Kuzma - December 25 - 9:00 am

  I went from an 02 Pathfinder to a new 05. I love the styling, the interior improvements, the performance and even the gas mileage (15-20mpg). Im extremely disappointed,however,in initial quality. It first started with a rattle somewhere in the dashboard which I have finally located. Then another spring like rattle under the dash which to date Ive been unable to find. About one week after taking delivery, a loud whine from underneath the hood developed. Sounded like a loose belt or even a bad waterpump. I finally called the dealer today to get the car in for all these nagging problems and it will be about 10 days before they can look at it. Hopefully the bugs can be knocked out!

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  best vehicle Ive ever had - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By roger - December 24 - 6:23 pm

  Just gas it up an go, it will get you there. A set of tires,1 brake job and 2 headlights is my maintenance repairs in 10 years. It will need to be totaled before I sell this truck.

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  Dodge Ram no match for the Titan - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Rob Word - December 22 - 9:40 pm

  I recently purchased a new 2005 Nissan Titan King Cab, and I truly love it. After ditching my 2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab, the Titan is a breath of fresh air compared to the bucket of bolts of the 4.7 V8 of the Ram. The power of the truck is amazing and the gas mileage is already better than the Ram, althought it is nothing to get excited about. Averaging 15-17 so far. Comfort is nice, but the controls are a little weird to get used to. I love the way the back doors open out to 180 degrees. The tailgate feature is a real plus also, taking only one hand to open and shut it. It rides like a cloud on the highway and has NO problem when it is time to make a pass. Nissan quality is all I ask.

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  Excellent Car - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By lcplorbinati - December 21 - 5:34 pm

  I have had this vehicle for 5 years and since over 102,000 and after owning this one I would buy a Nissan again. No problems up to about 136k but I take responsibility for the major problems that could of been prevented with good preventative maintenance. The car has 141,800+ miles and has been through CA and driven from CA to NM and to few destinations in NM. I trust this vehicle to roll with me anywhere and I will even drive my family around in it. It also survived several big accidents with minimal cost and big damage. One big problem is the stock cd changer, no problem swapping out for aftermarket radio