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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  2.5 Automatic / Special Edition is Great - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By KerryC - November 17 - 11:13 am

  My wife and I love the vehicle. It drives nicely, handles nicely and has plenty of room for 4 adults. The Altima is sporty looking.

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  The smooth ride sold me. - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By brad - November 16 - 3:06 pm

  I got the 2.0 S model. I was very impressed with the smooth and quiet ride. I traded in my Dodge pick-up. I had set out to double my gas mileage and lower my monthly payment without having to settle for a bumpy ride. This car fulfilled all of that. I got the 6 speed manual because the cvt model was a little pricey for me. Both transmissions are sluggish, especially at low end, but I have more control over that with the 6 speed. The shifting is somewhat awkward. I am not happy with 29 mpg. The dash design is stylish along with the position of the shifter. I am impressed with how much room this car has. My advice: test drive this car and others to find out which aspects matter most to you.

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  Love the car, disappointing gas mileage - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Drivingmom - November 16 - 2:36 pm

  Purchased the car new in May 2007, mainly for the comfort and the projected gas mileage. However, we have seen the gas mileage drop from a high of 31 MPG to present low of 25 MPG. The sticker advertised 29-38 MPG. Big disappoinment since I do mostly highway driving during the week, errands on weekends. The horn button is hard to find quickly - I usually end up changing the CD instead of getting the horn.

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  Good car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Tom - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I put about 25,000 miles a year on this car and I have had one engine problem, a sensor that the dealership said was a recall on the 03 but not a recall on my VIN number. Considering it was a $300 repair, I wasnt happy but over all has been very reliable.

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  2013 Nissan Murano, SL AWD Like it a lot so far! - 2013 Nissan Murano
  By jeep53 - November 16 - 4:14 am

  Ive only the this SUV for a couple months now and have put on about 3,500 miles. I love the way it handles. The V-6 has enough power for my liking, along with the CVT. It is a very quiet and smooth drive compared to the 2011 Rogue I had before. Love the techology package and the panoramic sunroof. The manual says to use premium fuel but weve been fine with regular. Overall, I have no regrets with this vehicle. I like the exterior style, although I know its not for everyones taste. The fit and finish inside is excellent. I will write another review after six months.

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  Solid Truck for the Money - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jmac - November 15 - 10:33 pm

  Purchased in 6/04 with 20K for half of original sticker. Fully loaded with every option besides navigation. Have been pleased with the overall performance, very reliable. Gas mileage is terrible like most SUVs. Styling is great, fit and finish has held up nicely. Back seat is not the best for entry or overall room. Some scratches on fender flares from automatic car wash. Only issues: drivers power seat broke around 40K, they wanted $600 for repair. 2 oxygen sensors replaced and tailpipe joint cracked. Had sleeved at meineke for $25. Original bridgestones wear quickly, replaced with Pirelli scorpions.

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  Miss my Sentra =( - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Renee - November 14 - 7:50 pm

  Bought this Sentra, my first car, certified-used at a dealer. Aside from the fact that I paid way too much for it because of the financing, this is a solid car! Dont let anyone tell you its bottom of the line! Not a whole ton of horsepower but it gets it done. Gave me no problems until just before 100K, then a couple little things popped up. (Spark plugs, fuel flush, nothing you cant do yourself) I drove this car everywhere. Florida and Canada were no problem! Kept up with oil changes and changed the brakes once. She never failed me. Got totaled just before Halloween, she might be the best car Ill ever have!

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  Great First Car - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Lonewolf - November 13 - 8:40 pm

  My first car and I love it. Bought it with 113,000 miles and no problems so far. Everything in the car is solid. When shifting, 1st gear has a distinctive lack in power, but after that, it pulls like crazy. Fuel economy isnt as good as I expected, but the performance makes up for it. One thing I wasnt expecting is using premium fuel. I tried regular for a while and I ended up getting worst fuel economy and performance. Now I always use premium.

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  Its an OK car - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By gavincd - November 12 - 7:20 pm

  I bought new in April, 2007 and drove it every day until it was totaled in a near head-on crash in October 2008. Safety-wise it was great - lots of exterior damage but passenger and I remained very safe considering. Over the 18+ months and 38,000 miles of ownership it averaged 29.34 mpg. (I drive careful - about 80% highway and 20% city.) It was mechanically sound and dependable. My biggest complaint was that its gas mileage was oversold at time of purchase. We were told it would average 33-34 mpg with our type of driving. While our mileage was OK, it fell short of promises. Im not sure if I will buy another, but I have to consider it when weighing the known- proven crash safety, etc.

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  Quality???? - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By deb1823 - November 12 - 2:00 am

  My Quest has been into the dealer 6 times for warranty repairs. The dealer had to replace the heater motor. It took 3 visits before they had the right part, then it took two days to repair as no one was familiar with tearing the dash apart. Now I am waiting for another trim part to arrive as it was broken when the dash was put back together. Power sliding doors constantly made clunking noise. Immediately fixed one door, but other door took 3 tries. Also had sunroof trim replaced as it was coming off. I am extremely concerned about the long term quality of my vehicle. I believe I should have waited until they worked the kinks out to purchase this vehicle.