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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  2002 Spec-v - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Ed Wheat - March 15 - 10:00 am

  I must say this car hits the spot for bang for the buck. I just replaced my first spec-v after it was totaled from a head on collision at 35+mph. I walked away with only sore muscles and nothing else. The whole front end was smashed in but there was not damage done to the interior. I must hand it to Nissan for building such a safe car.

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  Mom , Pa & Childrens Minivan - 1999 Nissan Quest
  By Fraedna - March 14 - 8:50 pm

  My 1999 Nissan Quest has good power, decent fuel economy, great interior and comfort (with a great leather quality), and lots of neat features. My kids love the video system. I have not experienced any major problems. I just hit 40,000 miles and my Questr still rides like a sedan. I also own a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder and provides the same performance and quality. I plan on purchasing a Nissan as my next vehicle as well.

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  No Doubt About It - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By David - March 14 - 4:46 am

  I was torn between the Tacoma and the Frontier. After driving the Frontier I knew it was the truck for me. I had one in the late 90s and it was the best vehicle I ever had. The new Frontier is leaps and bounds better. It is bigger more powerful and fun to drive. And Carmax was the BEST buying experience I ever had.

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  Not good as expected - 2011 Nissan Sentra
  By stevenzhuli - March 13 - 8:08 pm

  Like CVT acceleration, smooth. but not as expected as a new car feeling. especially low speed, don feel smooth move. Dealer said ABS is working. But I should not feel that thing is working.

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  Not the car Nissan claims it to be - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By jessefrank - March 13 - 7:43 pm

  If you are looking of a performance sedan Id look elsewhere. Not bad, but the interior build quality steered me away after owning for 2.5 years. Also all that power isnt of any use if it cant get to the road. Despite my tire choices I still lost traction not only in the winter, but durning the summer with wet roads. Roads only have to be slightly wet to lose traction especaially on take-off. Car developed a harsh ride despite not handling all that well.

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  Too many defects - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By blair - March 13 - 9:16 am

  This was my 2nd Sentra and our familys 6th Nissan since 1988. I also purchased the same model/year for my daughter, which was clearly a mistake. This will be my last Nissan as both the quality and reliability have decreased tremendously! My daughter and I both have problems with the fuel pumps needing replaced multiple times because of a defect. We are getting ready to take our vehicles back to the dealership for the 3rd time for fuel pump issues. Belts had to be replaced at 20k miles, because as dealership said, "theyre inferior". Back window jammed due to defective part in door (back window was hardly used). These arent quality cars anymore.

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  Shes a rogue - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By K K - March 13 - 2:16 am

  Ive had the car only a few weeks. I am enjoying driving it. This is personally my first SUV. However not the first one I have had experienced with. It is comfortable but not super peppy (which I obviously knew prior to my purchase). It isnt the most important thing to me, but I know it is with some people. The most disappointing thing about the car is that I had to bring it in. The repairs are under warranty and in no way were caused by me. But it is still annoying! And having to deal with the dealership is even more annoying. Many...not all....of the individuals I have come across there (mainly in the service department) are unprofessional. But that is all I will say about the dealership here, as this review is for the car.

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  OK but leaves one wanting more - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Ken - March 12 - 11:40 pm

  This is a pretty good car overall. Not sure I would pay again for the same model. The 07 re-design is not bad but the 09 is far better.

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  2011 Altima w/ SL package - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By altimaowner6 - March 12 - 7:14 pm

  I recently purchased a 4-cyl. 2011 Altima with the SL package and the Bose premium sound package w/ backup camera. I love this car and I am very happy with my decision after putting about 500 miles on it. I was on the fence between the Sonata and the Altima for a while, but ultimately decided I liked the styling and smooth ride of the Altima better. A small part of me wishes I went with the V6 but it was signifiantly more money and I wouldnt be averaging 26 miles per gallon as I am with the 4 cylinder. The 4-cyl. offers plenty of power 95% of the time. I recommend the SL package and Bose system which produces outstanding sound quality, and I would also add a spoiler.

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  My SL Altima - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Carol Neugebauer - March 12 - 5:30 pm

  Since 1984, only owned SUVs..love my Altima SL. Performance and dependable all of the time.