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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  Big Letdown - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By irisp - August 7 - 9:25 pm

  I had a 1994 Nissan Maxima for 10 years with minimum problems,then got the 2004 and it has been a headache ever since. Got it in 2004 and by 2009 the transmission went out!The front end has every problem in the book.Struts, rack and pinion,shocks,..you name it its bad.I get new tires every 2 years,no matter what I have done it still sucks.Corporate will not help.Has to be the worst car ever!The CD player wont play unless you are sitting still,the power windows get stuck,just a horrible car. I will NEVER buy another Nissan.

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  DO NOT buy the Xterra: known major issues with transmission. - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By dmbstl - August 7 - 6:54 pm

  I was generally satisfied with my Xterra up until about a year ago. The problems started rolling in with major cash outlays for numerous issues. Fuel level sensor and fuel pump issues along with numerous electrical problems. Then the worst recently hit where the transmission fluid leaked into the coolant system. The dealership estimated a repair cost of almost $10,000 for the cooling system and transmission replacement. Apparently this is a known issue as Nissan has recently extended the warranty somewhat, but not enough to cover most drivers. If you search online, Xterra transmission system issues is a top result. (I worked hard to use other sources and get the cost to $5000.)

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  Looks good... rides bad - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By quag_grenade - August 4 - 5:02 pm

  I bought the xterra with high hopes. I fell in love with its looks and was hooked. I knew going into it that it would get bad mpg and require premium gas but even then was surprised. I had heard 18-21 mpg or so... i was lucky if I got 15 average (and I drive 80% highway and very conservatively). However I was even willing to look past this fact were it not for the absolutely terrible reliability. In the six months I owned the car it cost me over $4000 in repairs! Twice it died on me on the road (once was camping in the woods 3 hrs from home). Bottom line is, only get one if you have a lot of extra money for gas and high priced, frequent repairs.

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  Huge disappointment - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Disapointed - July 21 - 11:23 am

  IÂ’d like to say that I love this vehicle; unfortunately, itÂ’s turning into a lemon. Multiple problems have arisen. Two clutches in 52k, fuel pump and sensor bad, chipping paint. Ive taken good care of her too! Mileage is pretty good, 18 city, up to 24 hwy, 19-20 avg. Accelerates well, fun to drive, good visibility. Like the plastic cargo area, easy to clean. Upgrades necessary for serious 4x4. After market parts lacking. IÂ’m told by Nissan service guys that they kept the truck less expensive by using lower quality parts. It shows. IÂ’ve taken good care of this truck, but itÂ’s time to move on. Back to Toyota.

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  Disappointment - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Joe - July 21 - 1:33 am

  The 4X2 V6 Frontier has limited power and handles poorly. Dont try to go up hill in 5th gear with the A/C on. After 8,000 miles the A/C compressor pulley started squealing and then broke off. this truck will get stuck in HARD PACKED sand with all season tires so get the All Terrain. The stock speakers blew out twice on both sides and the cd deck always froze up. I just replaced them with aftermarket due to the warranty expiration. The # 4 and #6 spark plugs are very hard to get to and the alignment has never been correct. Even after getting new tires and having an ajustment kit added it pulls. The clutch pedal squeaks after every rain so keep WD40 in the garage. Generic fender flares fade!!

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  2004 Maxima Quality Problems - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By paulfromfl - July 19 - 6:50 am

  I am writing this to confirm other Quality Issues. 1. My transmission failed after 86,000 miles and was replaced by the dealer at a cost of $3,400. Coroporate Nissan would do nothing for me or the dealer although this was my second Maxima. I am shocked at how bad they treat loyal owners of their brand. 2. The chrome accent strips along the roof are peeling and Corporate Nissan will do nothing. 3. The dealer now wants me to replace the valve cover gasket at 95,000 miles due to it leaking at a cost of $690. The gasket cost is around $40 on line. 4. The leather steering wheel is coming apart and this is the second one, as the original was replaced for the same problem.

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  Agree.........the A/C is Pathetic - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By fossilhunter - July 18 - 2:41 pm

  I refrained from writing a review on my Rogue as Ive only had it 4 months but having read the previous reviewers gripe with the A/C, I decided to add my two cents. I live in Virginia and although this has been a mild summer in terms of heat, the A/C in my Rogue takes about 15 minutes to cool the cabin to a comfortable temperature. I took the car to the dealership and had them investigate. They said the A/C was cooling to 40 degrees as it was supposed to and by the service writers own admission, on a really hot day, it could take 20 minutes for the cabin to cool. In addition, I cant dial back the blower speed because the cabin never gets that cold.

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  Poor Radio Reception - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By TOM - July 12 - 7:23 am

  If you buy a 2016 Altima SV with the Navigation package be aware that the radio has terrible, non-existent reception in the upper AM frequencies. Nissan is aware of the problem and it affects ALL SV,s with the Navigation Radio, and they say that this is NORMAL for this car and they will not do anything about it. Nissan states that there is no other manufacturer for the radio that will fit into the SV and there is NO fix for the problem. Update: July 7 2016. Nissan is sending the Regional Tech Support to meet with me next week to listen to the radio and determine if there is anything that can be done to fix it.

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  2004 nissan opinions - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By CARL BURT - July 10 - 10:00 am

  It is entirely to rough for me. performance is there but I would like a car with a much better ride. It just dont smooth out the small imperfections in the road. The low profile tire is most of the problem.

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  Cat Converter Break Down-NEW ENGINE 2.5 - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By BUYER BEWARE - July 8 - 6:00 pm

  Loved when car when I 1st bought it. Owned for 18 months and now they will not back their products. My oil has been changed every 2500 miles all necessary maintenance. Now my check engine light went on 2 weeks ago. I take 2 Auto Zone and receive the infamous P0420 Code! I change spark plugs thinking its minor. Nope I need an entire new engine for 4500.00. Catalytic broke down & as this happened the pieces were sucked into the engine and it ruined the rings inside the engine. SERVICE ENGINE SOON light came on 2 weeks ago! Also causing the oil consumption Problem. "Regional Specialist" NO HELP. I take care of my car.