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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  Bad Rear Struts - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By frank - March 14 - 9:50 pm

  We bought this car for a teenaged daughter, it had a very rough first sixty thousand miles. The woman who owned it hit everything in her way. We bought her cheap, replaced 3 bent wheels, a bent back axle, light body work, lots was already done. I replaced an alternator at 98 thousand, and just replaced my third set of rear struts also replacing the springs this time. Hopefully to change my luck. The car runs nice for what it is.

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  First one a lemon - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By 5194556927 - March 14 - 6:47 pm

  Purchased new 2014. Problem with drain hose in roof missing. Interior full of water. Problems with electrical. In for repair to many times to count. Put in complaint to Nissan and no help. It was the dealer that eventually put me into a brand new 2015 because car could not be repaired.I fought with Nissan for over a year with little results. They did offer me an extended warranty which I refused. The repair was well over $10,000.00 so they would have been better off to have exchanged the car long ago. Nissan will not admit to any faults. They will try to repair your car until warranty runs out and you are on your own. Lets hope the 2015 is not a lemon.

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  Great car with a few improvements needed - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By tmac - March 14 - 6:40 pm

  Researched everything in its class. Liked the sports car handling of the Accords, luxurious and quiet ride of Camry, but the Altima was a combination of both. Biggest trunk for my work stuff, most comfortable driving position (armrests, steering wheel position awesome). Drivers legroom amazing. SL/Connection package great! CVT very odd but it works well. Pushbutton start is really cool. Only things need to be addressed are better rim/tire sizes. "T" rated 60 series tire gives great ride but mushy handling. Should come with "H" rating. Steering feedback is way to light, car wonders a little a speed. Trunk hinges are for cheap domestic cars not imports. Im very picky and very happy.

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  Cool Soccer Mom - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Melissa - March 13 - 8:06 am

  Love the ride; the steering is solid and handles curves well. Have it had for almost 1 year now. Traded 01 Nissan Quest; still wanted the room without the low to ground vehicle. Even though this is not 4WD, it does well on loose gravel and low clearance areas. Pulls trailer with 4 wheeler extremely well.

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  good car! - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By vananali - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Exellent SUV choice. Good power, nice, if dated ergonomics, pure exterior design, nice leather. Very quiet interior at highway speeds. Everything about this rig instills quality, solid feel. My only complaint is the numb, no feel steering - my wifes 2001Mazda Tribute, although not nearly as refined-feeling as the Pathfinder, is much more fun to drive. That car has also excellent power (200 hp), which it uses well since the Mazda is substantially lighter. I think they are equal off the line, seat-of- the-pants assesment. Anyway, the Pathfinder is roomier than Toyota 4-Runner and probably the best value for the $$$. Go try one, you will like it.

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  Good overall except!!! - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By rvcbiomed - March 12 - 10:00 am

  The only problem I have run into is the suspension being ponderous. Still working with Nissan to figure out if this a one vehicle problem or are all crew cabs experiencing this problem.

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  Great Compromise - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By FoggyKnight - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Didnt want a big SUV, and didnt want a little 2 seater, but wanted something in between. This fits the requirements very nicely. Fine acceleration and yet very roomy. Has some of the handling capabilities of my previous 2 seater and much of the load carrying ability of my P/U truck. Overall, a good choice, I think.

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  Great Starter Truck - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By George - March 12 - 9:56 am

  Purchased this truck brand new and have little to no problems with it to date. Over all this a good reliable truck. No complaints.

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Sandra - March 11 - 12:30 pm

  Update to 9-17-06 review when new. I have now driven the car for 6 months, and still have low miles on it. Car was rated for 21 city & 28 hwy. This car struggles to get 19 mpg under any situation and with cruise control. The stated gas mileage was a big factor in my decision to buy this car, and I do not appreciate the misrepresentation by Nissan. I like the looks of the car, and the handling is fine. The fact of the matter is, that if the estimated MPG would have been stated factually, I probably would not have bought the 2007 Maxima.

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  It was great...at first - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By mwahlgren7 - March 11 - 4:28 am

  No doubt the Armada is cool. Step on the gas and it pounces forward, and it looks aggressive. All the pillars are annoyingly thick however. For the first 100000 miles we were pretty happy with it but at that point it kind of started to disintegrate. 6,000 dollars in one year on things that shouldnt go wrong like diffs and suspension components. Also, theres significant rust coming in around the rear wiper and the rear wheel arches. This is unacceptable on a 5 yr old car that is garaged every night. Every time weve used it to do real work, its broken. I like it but I sure wouldnt buy another.