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 - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By julie - March 28 - 5:20 am

  I just traded in my 2004 Expedition for the Sentra. It broke my heart. But you have to do what you have to do. For not being a "car" person, so far I love it. The outside is sporty the inside is comfy. A lot of great features for the money. My only complaint is that I am not crazy about the mileage yet. The car only has 600 miles on it so far. I guess you have to "break in" the engine. Or so I have read. And I dont drive like a nut either so I was expecting more miles than I am getting. From just about empty it costs $52 to fill up at $3.97 a gallon where I live. Overall, I am happy.

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  Made in January 2013 - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By mickeywoz - March 27 - 9:29 pm

  After reading all the negative posts I was hesitant in waiting for my car to arrive in February. So far I have not had any issues with CVT shudder, and the heated seats worked as they should. There is a very slight power steering whine but for me it is not noticeable unless everything is off and you are listening for it at low speeds. I have really enjoyed this car, I have taken it on two long distance trips (have 6,000 miles on it) and the ride was quite and comfortable. The crazy thing is, the car is rated for 31 miles mpg on the highway and I had gotten 33mpg, 35mpg and a whopping 37.5 mpg on three different fillups, the lowest being through the mountains.

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  Pathfinder 05 - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Rich - March 27 - 2:33 pm

  Overall the truck is great. The interior presents itself like a top tier model but the rear seat is a bit tight, especially for child seats. Performance is fantastic and the braking is comparable to a high end sports car. Gas milage around town is poor, as low as 12.5 mpg. On the highway, I can get as high as 21mpg. Overall the truck is comfortable to drive.

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  Pathfinder 05 - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Rich - March 27 - 2:33 pm

  Overall the truck is great. The interior presents itself like a top tier model but the rear seat is a bit tight, especially for child seats. Performance is fantastic and the braking is comparable to a high end sports car. Gas milage around town is poor, as low as 12.5 mpg. On the highway, I can get as high as 21mpg. Overall the truck is comfortable to drive.

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  Almost missed this beauty - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By paul - March 27 - 12:53 pm

  I was all set to buy the Passat (also a lot of car for the money) and decided last minute to drive the Nissans. Drove both the Maxima and Altima and it was clear as day that I preferred the Altima, much more fun to drive for me and newer technology throughout. Slightly less luxurious than Maxima though. So far, I love this car. Pure pleasure to drive and I hate when I arrive at work and have to get out of this thing. I think it is the right combination of size, comfort, sport and economy to win the category hands down. I can say this after having driven the Passat, Accord, Camry, A4 and countless others. My second choice would have been the Passat.

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  Super SUV with One Exception - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By H Gonzalez - March 27 - 12:46 pm

  Traded in 2004 Toyota 4Runner for 2005 Pathy LE. Nissan Pathfinder wins hands down having outstanding engine power and handling with all the bells and whistles compared to their competitors. The only thing Im not happy with is the rattles in the interior cabin. For the amount of money spent on a vehicle and type of technology used there is no reason for the rattles.

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  New Transmission - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Nels - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Hey everyone Im an owner of a 6 speed 2007 Nissan Altima that is on its second transmission. I noticed the problem when I couldnt shift out of 2nd gear. I called the dealer and they give you the runaround as if I never drove a manual before. So I let it go for a week until I said enough is enough. I called and told them I had a wedding to go to in West Virginia and I need my car looked at and Im not leaving until I know whats wrong. 4 hours of waiting and they say, It looks like you need a new transmission. My stomach dropped. Well it was covered so they had to eat that 4500 dollar bill, but I noticed again that shifting into second is harder then ever. So it looks like its going back.

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  Well worth it - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Jake Young - March 27 - 6:36 am

  With 255 horsepower (33 more than the 01 model) this "family sedan" is a blast! The SE handles like a fine sports car thanks to the suspension and 17" wheels. Ive driven with verve for three years and the engine, suspension, tires, everything is still in great shape. The only problem I ever had was with the 7-spkr Bose 6-CD player that needed a spkr wire fixed the first year --- the dealer replaced the whole system in less than one day with no cost to me because of the warranty. The car flat-out outperforms all its competition and is more comfortable to boot! (I tried Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Acura, VW, and Mazda.) Did I mention its a great car? . . .

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  Mileage not what is promised! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By cakid1 - March 27 - 6:22 am

  Bought the car 3 months ago...nice car but very disappointed with the mileage. I am getting a solid 27 mpg with about half of my driving being freeway.

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  2007 nissan altima - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Dolly - March 27 - 2:06 am

  I am very excited about this my car and loook forward to driving it everyday. This is my third Altima and I do appreciate the upgraded features e.g. 6 airbags, low tire pressure and gas signals etc.