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 My Pathfinder - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DJ Arrington - July 21 - 10:00 am

  I love my pathfinder. I just wish that it got better gas mileage and with the prices of rising gas i would consider trading it in on something more economic but it was my first car and i love it. I would highly recommend this car to someone that was looking for a very reliable SUV that looks good and drives good and has the reputation that nissans have.

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  A Distinctive Car Worth the Quirks and Shortcomings - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By thos - July 20 - 5:17 pm

  I have an 02 Maxima automatic with 70,000 miles bought almost 3 years ago with 45,000 miles. Mine burns oil, one to two quarts between changes every 4,000 miles. I also bought an 03 Altima V6 and it does the same thing, leading me to believe that this is a very common problem. However, the cars are cheap to buy used and a quart or two of oil between changes is less than $10, so why bother putting in new rings? I ran regular gas for the first 2 1/2 years--a mistake. The drivetrain, including the transmission, works better with premium. The solid rear axle in this car makes for inferior handling compared to the Altima, but the latter lacks the "elan" of the older Maxima in my view

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  Ok - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By bobby steels - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car for 2 years now, It worked well for almost 1 year. I ended up getting in a fender bender, the dealer fixed it, it never ran the same since. The Brakes have sucked since the beginning, the acceleration is poor, love the dashboard console, radio is poor, overall I liked it for the first year, but began to worry about breaking down just from the way it sounded and the way it ran, made alot of noises. I drive alot and have put 67,000 in the last 2 years on it, all highway miles, I think the car is solid, but not meant for hardcore long distance driving on a consistent basis.

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  99 Maxima GLE - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By kari - July 18 - 5:16 pm

  I bought the car in 06 with 54k on it. It was perfect for two years. Now there is 90k miles on it, and all of my coils need to be replaced, along with all spark plugs. At the dealer they charged $1400.

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  Our Marshmallow Car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By MITZI - July 18 - 9:43 am

  My grandkids call this the marshmallow car, because its white & looks like a big marshmallow. Ive replaced the CV joints on it and thats about it. I have fun driving my car, it has got me out of some scary jams on the freeway. It accelerates rapidly & is easy to speed in. I got my last ticket in it about 3 years ago going over 100 mph as I had neglected to set the cruise control. I hadnt even noticed. I have 128,000 miles on it & almost feel like its a pet. Ive never been one to attach to material objects but this one has inspired emotional attachment. Ill keep it until its ready for the scrap heap. Ill never trade it off. I willing to paint it or whatever, its a keeper.

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  I like it! - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Ron Parker - July 17 - 11:46 pm

  Great fun to drive, leaving Hemis in the dust! Corners like a sports coupe. Five speed transmission is perfect. Load or trailer doesnt even change anything. Lots of room inside.

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  Why cant I get options without sunroof - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By NewAltima - July 17 - 9:06 pm

  I am tall, need to sit upright, need a 6 cylinder car and thus value headroom (eg no sunroof). Since the Altima has the most headroom of 6 cylinder sedans, why oh why do they require the sunroof (sports package) before I could order the premium package (leather seats, backup camera, auto climate control..things that I wanted) Strong suggestion: Please do not mandate sunroofs before other options can be added!!! Otherwise, this is a nice car for a tall driver (first 100 miles).. I find modest road noise and a more US car-like ride than the "harsh" ride in some reviews (less harsh than my 2003 Maxima)

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  Reliable--just keeps on going - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Patricia - July 17 - 8:03 am

  I have had few problems. The air bag light had to be repaired;luckily, it was still under warranty. Also, there was a gasket something-or-other which was repaired also under warranty. Otherwise, it has been super--extremely reliable. The manual is great, too. The yummy grey velvet upholstery is still in excellent condition as are the dashboard and all the compartments. Still running great at 65,000 miles!

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  Maximum Driving Fun, Minimum Reliability - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By davidcohen1969 - July 16 - 1:44 pm

  Bought My Max in 2005 w/118K (now 214K). I have averaged about 1000-1500K a year in repairs. The exceptional VQ V6 and transmission combo in these older model maximas is even better then the 2004 Avalon legendary V6 I recently purchased to replace it. Problem is everything around it is falling apart. Id fix one probem and two more show up. Id fix two problems and four more show up. You get the idea. Whats more, I got tired of having to feed it premium gas-tried regular, but the knocking sounded like someone was trying to break in to my house. Despite my gripes, I still own her. Im hooked on the powertrain. Ill keep it through winter and then its good bye.

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  Sentra getra - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Jay ramsey - July 16 - 6:42 am

  Cheaper than the competition; a good value. 72,000 miles, extended warranty. Problem limited to CV. Solonoids wouldnt activate after being overheated in long turnpike leg. Wouldnt shift back to low upon stopping, necessitating sart up in high. Nissan dragged their feet admitting they had a problem. Otherwise, gearless transmission works great, very smooth.