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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  When I can drive it, its great - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By SentraDriver - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Nissan Sentra Spec-V on July 16, 2002. It has been a pleasure to drive … ample power, handles great, stylish, fun to drive. Love the six speed stick, the interior is very cool and it is the best car in its class for the money. However, it only has 318 miles on it and it has been to the service department 2 times already! Currently it is in the shop to repair the clutch noise and because the engine is knocking. Sounds like a diesel truck when I start and turn off the car. Other complaints – gear shift takes some getting used to (a little stiff and plasticy) and the rear end styling could use a touch up to match the ultra- hip front.

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  Only 1000 miles so far, but: - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By gixxerjim - September 3 - 9:53 pm

  This van is by far the most fun to drive van available. Test drive consisted of a twisty stretch of two lane I regularly hit on my GSXR. This van handles wonderfully, has good power and is comfortable for the entire family, even the rearmost seat.

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  Could be better - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By ladytee - September 3 - 4:16 pm

  Ive had this car 9 months and so far its been very reliable. If I had it to do over again, Id probably buy a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry instead.

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  Bad Transmission - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Jesse - September 2 - 3:23 pm

  My transmission died at only 76,000 miles. I bought it used so i assume it was driven hard by the previous owner. I do still love the car though, its faster than most other cars and looks good too.

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  Crew cab - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By organic - September 1 - 10:00 am

  My crewcab has over 140000 miles on it and it still looks and drives like new. It had provides fuel mileage of 19 mpg since it was new and this never varies. It tows heavy trailers well and is okay on snow and ice. I would advise tires with a smaller contact patch in the winter snow. The service manual is way overpriced and one of the plugs is a bear to change.

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  Honest 2008 Altima coupe 2.5 automatic review. - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Kyle Garrison - September 1 - 8:28 am

  This is the first car I bought. Im not gonna talk much about my story, just stick to what you wanna hear. The pros and the cons. Im going to start out with saying Im very happy with this car and Im happy I bought it. I first bought it fully stock except with a nice spoiler on it which is a great touch to the already nice look the car has. Its a nice quiet car but not anything worth racing with. The interior is very nice looking and I have 0 complaints about it. There isnt any cool tech but thats okay to me. The exterior is very nice and slick. What I like about it the most is I find it unique looking, something not everyone has. It tops out at 111mph wont go any fastester. Here are the cons i have with the car. It tends to over heat easily which had me worried. Also the stock tires are awful. And It does not handle turns well. Those are my only complaints. Besides that its a smooth riding car with a nice exterior/interior and a very smooth shifting transmission. If you want to make the car extra nice, loud, and worth racing with, put a stillen air intake, header, and exhaust system on. Runs great, sounds great, and doesnt over heat anymore. Definitely will be turning heads when you drive by!

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  Torture Chamber for Bad Backs - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By ann - August 31 - 7:50 pm

  Minus side: If you have spine, back, or neck problems, this is not the car for you. The seats are unbelievably hard, do not conform to the body and poorly designed headrests do not allow driver to sit straight & lean against the back of the seat. Even with power seat adjustments, this car is very uncomfortable, although it may not be a problem for younger folks without back problems who seem to be the majority favoring this car and its "sporty" drive. The headrests also present a safety issue because they are difficult to see around, increasing strain on the neck. On the plus side, it is a beautiful car with lots of power. It simply depends upon the individual and their priorities.

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  Reliable and fun to drive - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Alex - August 30 - 11:10 pm

  I just bought one with 46k miles on it. I was happy to find that it still has plenty of power. I took it on a 7 hour road trip and enjoyed how easily I could pass other cars on the highway. It also gets pretty decent gas mileage for the size of the engine. The handling could be better, it feels heavy in turns. A little disappointed with the sound system. Overall a comfortable and capable vehicle.

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  own 2 NAH - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By steve - August 30 - 2:10 pm

  This is my second report.... One NAH 7 weeks old, 1300 miles got 35.8 actual mpg on second fill up (trip computer had 38.3, but they are always higher than actual) More stop and go & suburban miles. Other NAH 6 weeks old, over 5000 miles, mostly highway driving getting between 33 and 35 mpg.

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  2 Dr SE Desert Runner XCab - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By mattsmith20 - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Good overall truck for the money. Mechanically superb. Styling is unique.