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:

• 

  SER Review - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By nickyp - January 23 - 6:30 am

  The SER provides a nice alternative to the standard Sentra for those looking for a faster automatic shifter. If you add the spoiler and the bigger wheels you can transform the standard Sentra into a more sportier car. The upgraded audio package gives off loud, but very clear acoustics.

• 

  Performance on sale - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Andy from Atlanta - January 22 - 9:13 pm

  I am a previous Frontier owner (I got a 2001 crew cab as well) and Nissan did its homework with this one. A lot more power, more room and more fun to drive. I am getting 24+ miles per galon on regular unleaded. I tried Tacomas and Ridgelines and they are not even close. I got V8 power in a V6 package at a V4 price.

• 

  I cant give up my maxima!!!! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By maxlover - January 22 - 9:13 pm

  this is truly the best vehicle ever made. I bought mine in April 2000 with 39K miles now in Dec 2010 i have 237K miles and the car still drives like its new!!!! I have since finished college, finished medical school, gotten married and had two kids and the car is still running strong. The key to the cars success is regular maintenance. On average I have spent $2000/year since my extended warranty run out at 100K miles. In short, I would but the exact same car again if I could get it at 0miles. I hope my next nissan will be this good.

• 

  Love the car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By RJP - January 22 - 6:13 pm

  This is my third Altima and have been very pleased with each one, The cars rides very nice and I love the special edition package, and the alloy wheels give it an upgraded look, I am getting 29 mpg! I leased the car with the replaced engine and got the added warranty and the added rebate so it made it a heck of a deal!! All I ever do to these cars is just normal service, They have never let me down.

• 

  Dont wast your dough. Keep looking - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By rigner - January 22 - 5:53 pm

  Ive had my Versa since September and its been in the shop twice and its going back next week. ECU issues followed by a window that is not working at this time. Granted, this is one of the few cars where my 5 foot 9 inch son can comfortably sit in the back seat. However the build quality is suspect. The CVT is jerky and noisy. Road noise is a pain and lower and mid level models dont even have folding rear seats or variable speed wipers for mist etc. Also there is no arm rest. I would suggest getting nice used car rather than buying this thing new. Id sell it if I could. Keep looking. The Versa is OK for the most basic transportation, nothing else

• 

  Good But... - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Matt Pinkett - January 22 - 12:16 pm

  Overall this is an excellent automobile. I like the styling both outside and inside the car... BUT... I have had a terrible time with the gas mileage averaging only about 13.5- 14.2 MPG City, which have been calculated manually. I was told that there is a break in period of about 6000-6500 miles before you will see better mileage. I have 8000+ miles now and no improvement. This is where this car has really let me down. The only other complaint is that the ride is somewhat harsh over bumps and inconsistencies of the road surface.

• 

  my car will not stay inlane when driving over 50 - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By Wendy - January 21 - 9:31 pm

  I drive on the hyway everyday to work and back. I have NEVER had a car that drifts in and out of the lanes like this car does. Its truely scary to get on hyway. I am not the only one who has this problem. CAN WE NOT RECALL AND FIX THIS!!! You buy a car to be able to enjoy and drive safely. Not to get on hyway and worry if your going to get home in one piece.its so bad. One minute I am driving straight next I am drifting in next lane or very vedy closeto the gauradrail. PLEASE PLEASE call attention to this before someone dies!!!!!@

• 

  Great Car for the Money - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By KSichels - January 21 - 8:43 pm

  Couldnt be happier with my Altima purchase! Traded "up" from a 03 BMW 525. Got all the luxuries PLUS in the 2.5 SL (loaded except nav.) that I had in the Beemer... much more room, updated interior and accessories, better mpg, regular gas(yes!), etc. I loved the look when saw others on the road, and once I test drove and saw price, amenities, available options, colors, etc... I was sold!!! Already have over 10k miles (100+ mile commute each day) and still rides/looks/smells like new. Would definitely recommend to others. Love the look, ride (smooooooth), interior, trunk room, mpg (avg 30-32 combined! -- but mostly highway), Bluetooth, AUX input on Bose stereo.... and list goes on.

• 

  More good than bad - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Rob - January 21 - 1:23 pm

  We have loved driving this minivan. We have 2 children which the roominess and TV are great for. It really does drive like a car, and accelaration is great. Drive is VERY smooth. I do a lot of woodworking and have tested out putting 4x8 sheets of plywood in, and yes, they do fit, but it is pretty tight. Still amazing though. The bad has been new tires at 30,000 and new brakes already, which Nissan blames on the weight of the vehicle. Yes, the doors do rattle, and we were aware of this potential problem before buying. However, the power gate has been giving us problems. It currently does not work, and Nissan has had our vehicle for 2 weeks and still cant fix the problem.

• 

  Kinks that need to be worked out - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Mike - January 21 - 11:26 am

  Good car, quick yet fuel efficient. So far not too fond with the workmanship, little things like the driver side mirror missing interior insulation/causing a whistling noise when driving at 50+mph. Driver side seat (power) loose. Spoke to service department and was told that its a Nissan issue they have yet to figure out. Volume control on steering wheel activates the vehicles horn, must be very careful when using that feature. Unaligned hood fairly noticeable. Rear bench seat needs proper fastening (middle section is loose). Several issues with the braking system. Most recent that needs attention, squeak from rear brakes, in process of having fuel regulator replaced.