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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  A GREAT Sports Sedan - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Regg - October 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my 1st time buying a car and I am VERY impressed with the Maxima. I compared this car to the Acura TL, G35, IS 300, Saab 9-3 Aero, and the Maxima won! This car has every option to keep you comfortable while driving, and performace/handling to make anyone looking at sports sedans very satisified. I chose the Maxima b/c it has the performance of the BMW, the reliablilty of the Acura, the uniqueness of the Saab, and the luxury of a Lexus. This car is just as good any other entry level sports sedan but cost less then $30k.

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  Squeaky Brakes since i purchased 2015 Nissan Altim - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Zina - October 6 - 9:46 am

  The brakes seem to be an issue with this vehicle. I took it to Nissan and they said it was dirt, so they cleaned it and that was early on before my car even reached 15,000 miles. Now at 30,000 miles the brakes continually squeal when Im about to stop, when I reverse and its a constant sound. Again, Nissan said my brakes passed inspection and no need to change anything but they havent done anything to fix the noise. Now its more annoying then ever, the car is fairly new and its embarrassing that I can be heard backing out of my parking space or when Im at a drive thru and need to apply the brakes. After reading the reviews, I think I will attempt to take it to a mechanic and hopefully they can figure it out.

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  Off road ready, but still stock - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By petarvn1 - October 5 - 3:45 pm

  Bought certified 2 years ago, Our Xterra has seen dirt, water, and 110 on its speedometer. We had no problems driving it on light offroad courses, and its big enough to seat 4 in the back (please dont do it though!) The MPGs arent too good, but its good enough for what it is. Surprised at its speed, though, since it outsprints most family sedans to 60, and the 21+ gallon tank will last you 350-ish miles. Biggest problem are the rear seats. The front ones are soft, and big, but the rear bench feels just like that. a park bench. dont spend more than 4 hours in the back of it, or your back will hurt.

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  long term with third rogue - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By twowhldoug - October 4 - 8:44 pm

  We now have over 32000 miles on our third rogue.First two were problems.This one has been good till now.Fuel gauge stopped working,had to have sending unit.keyless is starting to not work in morning.I guess we are done with Nissans.Cant imagine dealing with these kinds of problems as warranty expires(36,000miles). It is ashamed because this would really be a nice vehicle if not for the problems.Nissan has got to get on the ball.Have you noticed how the Rogue never is included in tests in magazines? I have.We have averaged 27MPG WE dont know what to get next.Maybe if nissan had a longer warranty or an extended warranty but as things are now,by by Nissan.

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  Bad experience ! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By rw1020 - October 2 - 11:16 pm

  Traded in a 03 xterra, for the rogue. Thought I could save on gas. xterra was getting 16 - 18 mpg. rogue looked like a good choice, but after three fills mpg was 17 at best with 50/50 city/highway driving. long story short, I love my new 08 xterra and someone else will be getting a good deal on a USED rogue.

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  This is a nice car - 2013 Nissan Versa
  By dqdave - October 2 - 10:03 pm

  1) Comfortable. 2) Practical. 3) Good gas Mileage. 4) Nice Drive. 5) Not a lot of power. But, enough power.

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  Ready for New Car Already - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Emily - October 1 - 8:20 pm

  I dont know why I bought it in the first place - it just had everything I needed at the time (7 passenger and still had storage room). But Ive never been impressed with how it handles. Hit a pot hole and the thing feels like you could lose control. Lots of air bags and feels solid - think it would survive a crash okay. But there is something about hitting potholes. Its very roomy and I love the interior. Huge display screen is great! Only other bad thing is the gas mileage. A year ago that wasnt a problem for me. Now Im having second thoughts. At only 16 mpg, it certainly isnt cheap.

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  Runs good but cheap quality interior - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By daylight123 - October 1 - 1:56 pm

  We bought this van brand new in 2006. The tires that came with it needed replacing after one year. The driver and passendger sun visors keep breaking off. We have replaced them 3 times over the years. The interior light fixtures and air vents fall out regularly. Cup holders broke off. Seat folding handle is broken. C/D player broke after the 2nd year. The bearings needed to be replaced at around 75,000 miles. Right now at 94,000 miles the a/c is not working and the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. Also, the dashboard indicator lights are not reliable. Have recently replaced the alternator - $500.

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  Great reliable Car - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By frank3251 - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car with 22K on it. The car moves especially well for a V6 with only 190 hp. Engine is smooth and first rate, interior features are ok. Car is put together well. The clutch is mediocre if at all that much. Handling is ok, not really first class.

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  Smooth - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By JerryM - September 30 - 4:43 am

  Quick set up guide & dvd were well done & helpful. Significantly more room in the rear seat than the Toyota Corolla LE. Also more comfortable than the Civic sedan. Good visibility and ease of handling. Nice organization of controls. CVT was significantly more smooth than the Toyota version! Slightly bigger engine made a surprising difference in "merge on the highway" performance. Quiet. Nice trunk w/ false wall. Pass through back seats are easy to use.