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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  GXE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 4A) - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Gonzo24 - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have no complaints with this vehicle. I traveled across country in it going an average of 65mph (following a moving truck) with the AC on and got over 40mpg. Doesnt handle well in the snow or on ice, but has been a terrific little car. Not much leg room in the rear, but fairly comfortable in front.

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  Worthy of the name - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Zyprexa - March 9 - 10:00 am

  This has been a very good truck so far. Ive only put 1000mi on it, the gas prices are too high. Overall Im not very pleased with the gas mileage so far. The power of this truck is unbelievable, it is fun to put your foot into it, (this could explain the gas mileage). Ergonomics and attention to detail is excellent in this truck. Overall a wise purchase on my part.

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  Maxima- Great bang for the buck - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Chris Osbeck - March 7 - 10:03 pm

  Great Car- Why would anyone buy a BMW 5 series before driving this car!! Great engine- terrible Bose stereo- very muddy sound. Only problem was tranny had to be replaced at 26000 miles. All covered under warranty. My 4th Maxima cant beat them for the money.

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  So far we like it - 2014 Nissan Sentra
  By steveh552 - March 6 - 9:38 pm

  This is my first brand new car so maybe I am biased but we like our 2014 Sentra. I bought the car April 29 2014 and have driven nearly 2500 miles in a month. Not much road noise, it gets up to speed and cruises just fine, great MPG and I find it comfortable. I have read people complain about the car being underpowered but if you test drove it before buying it, you knew what you were getting. Driving around 100 miles round trip per day all highway and its great.

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  2012 SL AWD with Navigation - 2012 Nissan Murano
  By vancouver83 - March 6 - 5:29 pm

  I really enjoy the ride of this car. We went to upstate NY in a snow storm and the car did very well. Overall driving is very smooth. I miss the additional power my Maxima had eventhough they share the same engine.

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  Quest - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By connorkate - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I think it is a great family car, has VCR and movies as standard.

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  Nissan Altima - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Brenda Martin - March 5 - 2:00 am

  An excellent vehicle with no mechanical problems. We are going to trade it in for a new one.

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By K Turner - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy driving this car. Pure and simple. It is just so much fun to drive. I have also never received so may compliments from strangers on how great the car looks. That was definitely unexpected. It responds quickly and smoothly to whatever I ask it to do. The sunglass holder started sticking twice. The entire unit was replaced by dealer after the second time. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone.

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  Anyone else with WIND problems?? - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Snowflake - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Great car, really euphoric to drive. Would improve the interior quality, as others have stated. Little dissapointed in the wind noise, but its still fun to drive. Havent read this complaint anywhere, but the car handles EXTREMELY poorly in windy conditions, almost dangerously difficult to handle. also, sometimes the transmission seems to stick.

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  135000 and going strong - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By mike inmentor - March 4 - 12:33 am

  after 135,000 my car runs good and looks good. I also have replaced coils and 02 sensor. Rust on rear wheel wells. The top of one of my keys broke too. I wonder if Nissan reads these comments since so many of these problems are common and have everything to do with quality.