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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  transmission,calipers,engine,Nissan Consumer Affairs - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By n06 - July 31 - 9:15 am

  I just sold my Pathfinder 06 with 73K miles on it.Did not want to waste more money.Ive driving Nissan since 1999.Definitely will not purches or recommend Nissan products at all.At 74k milles the car started falling apart:calipers ,brake switch,u joints,cd player ,tire air pressure sensor,radiator,transmission,timing chain ,all at once. Because of the extended warranty for the radiator I was told by Middletown Nissan dealer that I would have my radiator and the transmission replaced at no charge .Four days later my car had a major transmission leak.Brought it back to same dealer,got charged $190 ,because only front part of transmission was replaced.Invoice states replaced transmission.

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  i do not like it - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By clarkoii - July 23 - 9:48 pm

  my first car was a 98 maxima GLE, not a big fan. it had trans problems every 2 or three years. my ford now is the best car i have ever had. still have that maxima for some reason i cant throw it away

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  Review after owning car for one year - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By kitchen1 - July 20 - 7:56 pm

  I withheld judgment even after the numerous issues Ive had but now it needs a new transmission at 12,000 mi. Ive owned a 04 Altima and a 11 Murano. In a word, this 13 Altima is junk. Within the 1st mo of ownership I had a blinking navigation screen (replaced), leather trim on the center console backseat unfinished (replaced), heated seats wired wrong (new wiring harnesses both sides). Within 2 mos I developed the infamous "lugging" transmission (new torque converter and belts= no difference) Within 5 mos the driver/passenger windows = excessive wind noise (both outside mirrors replaced). Now clicking noise in transmission requiring new transmission. Im just a my 1 yr ownership.

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  Ridiculous Nissan and Baker Nissan Dealer - 2012 Nissan Armada
  By max77054 - July 5 - 5:44 am

  I bought a new Nissan Armada SV in 2012. It has been to the shop for 5 times. Within the first 5 month, the front wheel control arms were replaced due to pulling to the right. Before the dealer (Baker Nissan South Houston) found the real problem, the technician cheated me by inflating the right front tire from 35psi to 45psi instead of fixing the control arm. I found the problem shortly before the inflated tire may blow and cause a serious accident in the hot Houston summer. It is very bad for the Baker Nissan put his customer into a risky and dangerous situation.

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  Blown Head gasket Problem - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By jayfelix - June 25 - 7:44 am

  After 65,000 miles i got a blown head gasket and it seems that many people with the same model car had the same problem. No recall, no responsibility. Needless to say, this will be the last Nissan i will ever own. If you are reading this review, DONT BUY IT!! Unless its mine. After so much money i put into it, its running decently enough to sell it.

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  nissan exterra disposable - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By sadnissanowner - June 13 - 3:50 am

  after 5 yrs of maintenance, it now needs 5000$ worth of work just to be safe on the road. I have kept it maintained...costed more than my toyota tundra which is older and still like brand new

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  bad engines - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By GENE - May 10 - 5:03 pm

  I have a knocking / rattle when I step on the gas when the car is cold. I have had my car in and out of Nissan service about 10 times at this point. I finally got them to admit that the noise exists. They have changed the heat shield but the noise still occurs. Nissan is telling me that this is normal and there is no piston skirts on 2.5 engines

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  Disappointed - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Jason - May 6 - 11:06 pm

  The vehicle is noisy and the ride is rough. I have been back to the dealership and they told me that tire complaints are common. Nissan is using sub-standard tires trying to keep costs down!

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  Worst SUV Ive ever owned - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Chris - May 4 - 9:26 am

  I purchased the vehicle with 39k miles. At 55k miles, the fuel sensor broke and it had to be replaced with the fuel pump since its one unit. Cost $480. At 62k, the vehicle was vibrating and I had to spend $450 to replace the drive shaft joints. The mechanic now tells me that Pathfinders are notorious for timing chain problems which can run close to $2000. If you have a Pathfinder, sell it before it reaches 50k miles. After reading Nissan forums on the internet, I found that other owners have had the same problems. I called Nissan about the problems and they basically told me to go pound sand. I will not buy another Nissan SUV.

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  The CVT Is The Kiss of Death... - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Boston Fireguy - May 1 - 3:11 am

  I just put 500 miles on a 2016 S model rental in southwest Florida. It had just 3000 miles on the clock. The positive: The A/C provided plenty of cool, quiet cooling. The engine was smooth at idle, even with the A/C engaged. Plenty of room for 4 checked pieces of luggage. The doors provided easy entering and exiting. The satellite radio reception was very good. Wind noise was minimal. The dash layout was good, with easy to reach controls, easy to read gauges and easy to navigate trip computer & settings. The 12 volt outlets were powered with or without the ignition on. The LED daytime running lights are sharp looking. The leg room front & rear was very adequate. The minuses: The snowmobile transmission always caused the engine to drone loudly during normal acceleration. At around 40 mph the engine would bog down. The sport mode surprisingly made it worse, even with the driver only. The firm front & rear seats were uncomfortable after 25 miles. The space carved out of the dash by the ignition switch made inserting the key difficult. The outside temperature reading was always off 8-10 degrees. The speakers were very weak, even for a basic model. The passenger side wiper arc was small, missing about 25% of the right side windshield. With the cruise control engaged a slight incline caused the engine to drone loudly. The halogen headlights were just so so bright. When opening the front doors ones hand would hit the lock button, a potential problem if the key was still in the ignition. Did I mention that dreaded transmission? If this represents Nissans auto drivetrains I will never rent one again, let alone buy one. Just mine and my wifes 2 cents worth...