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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  Great daily driver with an appetite for fun - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Irvin Pinto - April 21 - 8:04 pm

  I bought the Altima as a daily commute to school. The car does extremely great in daily driving situations and manages to please out on the highway and on twisty county roads. The car handles great and has a comfortable ride at the same time. Has given me zero problems so far, Ive owned it for 7K miles. The interiors are good quality and the seats are really comfy

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  Big, powerful, looks great; nav. is junk - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By mm99 - April 21 - 1:53 pm

  This is my 3rd Altima and by far the best. Crashed my old one in part due to lack of VDC, so it was a must for me. Nissan offers it only on 3.5, and if you cant stand rear spoilers, a loaded 3.5SL is the only option. The car looks great and feels very powerful, all that 3.5-l torque is made instantly available by the very responsive CVT. Lots of front legroom; the interior feels plush. Dont care about push-button ignition, but unlocking doors/trunk by buttons on handles is nice. Nav system is a remarkably useless eye-candy though: street/highway names are missing from the map just when you need them; menus are extremely non-intuitive. NavTraffic is just a toy, doesnt have enough detail.

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  Good car still going strong - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Phred - April 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car new; no problems in 60,000 miles. Just had brakes replaced for first time at 60k miles - dealer said he never heard of them lasting that long (I dont race to red lights and stop signs). Speedometer has always read 3 MPH higher than actual. Nice highway cruiser. Drives well with all season tires in Rochester, NY winter snows.

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  Reliable So far, Easy to work on. - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By Pat Masole - April 20 - 8:56 pm

  I have the Sporty version and its not bad at all. Its easy to work on and reliable so far. It runs good, and cruses pretty solid at 80-90mph on the Interstate. Its a decent, solid, and sound lil car. I would be afraid to take off anywhere in it. Mine has 167k, and I feel 200k+ is very do- able. The have a that strong little 2.4 dohc that come in the legendary hardbody pick up.

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  NOISE IN THE FRONT END AT LOW SPEEDS - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By ginanurse - April 20 - 6:33 am

  I love this car, but it has been in the shop 6 times for this nosie in the left front end. They have replaced something different every time, but still no luck fixing it. The floor mat area where you are to put your left foot, the little plastic thing keeps falling off. Noise inside is the sunglass holder and the glove box. I have 62000 miles on mine.

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  Comfortable car - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By Mark Schofield - April 20 - 4:46 am

  I was looking to replace the wifes Scion xA. The car is a bit larger and MUCH more comfortable. Quieter, more legroom. Sound system is good. Visibility is very good. I tried the Yaris, xD, and Fit and got this one for the quieter more comfortable ride. The others were more like sports cars (to me). After 3000 miles, so far so good. Gas mileage is a bit lower (averaging 30 mpg mixed driving) than the Scion.Got the drop-in rear storage compartment for $120 and a $50 armrest/console from eBay. A nice little car. Im 66" and fit quite well.

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  Slight Problem - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By TSM1116 - April 18 - 9:16 pm

  I have had several Maximas in the past and have always been pleased but this one has me scratching my head. Love the car with a few exceptions. The front end squeaks like a 90-year old wooden wagon. Have taken it into the dealership 14 times for repair, cant pinpoint the problem even with the stethoscope. Have gone back now and tried to drive several other year models with the same body style and ALL have the same squeaking noise coming from the front end. Doesnt do it all the time only when the weight of the car is on that side. Very embarrassing going thru parking lots or areas where the ground is not level. Love the CVT - man this car will fly!!! Just cant get past the noise.

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  Excellent mileage - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By super9 - April 18 - 4:49 pm

  The versa manual 5 speed sedan is excellent on mileage. AT speeds of 55-to 60 miles per hour I am getting about 53-56 miles per gallon as indicated by the on board mileage computer. I did not know this is possible, but I guess, it is as the manufacture does not advertise this mileage on its window sticker. The ride is smooth at faster speeds. Mileage increases at 45 miles per hour, to 60 miles per gallon.

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  MAXDOUT - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Jon - April 18 - 3:46 am

  My 2004 Maxima now has 60,000 miles. This Maxima had alot of issues. Build quality should have been much much better. Performance holds this car together. But I would NOT buy this car used & I love Maximas.

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  Great Investment!!! - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Otis K. Dribbles - April 16 - 6:16 am

  I bought this vehicle in NC with 65K miles in 99 and I just traded it in for another SUV in early 08 with over 199K miles. The only problem I ever had with the Pathfinder was the transmission. It wouldnt shift to "reverse" so I had to replace it in 04. Other than that, I had absolutely NO problems with it - I never had to fix or replace anything (other than routine maintenance). My odometer and speedometer worked improperly beginning in late 05 (probably b/c I hit a light pole) but passed inspection anyway. The actual mileage was 200K+ due to an odometer malfunction b/c I hit a light pole. Traded it in b/c of long commute, harsh NY winter, and I didnt want to put more money into new tires.