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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  wanted it to be great only good - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By jarvis - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Nice styling... BMW influence.....roomy...sterile inside..harsher ride because of low profile tires..21 mph....too fast for front wheel drive...needs 4 wheel drive like Infinity..wait till 2007

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  5 Times not a Charm - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Lindagil - November 10 - 11:57 pm

  I traded my 2014 Sentra for a 2015 Altima SL in May 2015 and have had trouble with it starting 5 times now. The car is not reliable and I need something I can rely on when traveling to work, shopping, taking my Grandchildren places etc. We bought the Altima in May and in June the first incident occurred, we went to a party about 60 miles from our home, turned the car off and when we went to start it to go home, we could not depress the brake in order to get the car push button to engage. My Husband went to see if any of the guests could help and as I sat waiting, I kept trying to get it started and voila! after about 20 minutes the starter button engaged and it started. This happened again about 3 weeks later, then again in July after my Husband dropped me off at the airport he decided to do some shopping (again about 60 miles from home) and he called the dealership to report the problem, they told him to hold the keyfob next to the start button, that sometimes the fob and the starter button dont communicate when they are too far apart, huh, what???? This happened again about 3 weeks ago to me, I drove to work, got out of the car and the lock on the handle of the car did not work so I had to use my override key to lock the doors but I didnt think too much more about it until I went out to go to lunch and again, the brake pedal would not depress and the push starter did not work. I called the dealership then and they told me to call 1 800 NissanOne or something like that to get the car towed, I was calling them while sitting in the car and was playing around with the keyfob taking the override key in and out of the fob and decided to try to start the car and again, voila! the car started. This happened again today, August 12, 2015 and I did not have time to play, I called an had the car towed to the dealership. I read some reviews about the brake system but I am not sure when Nissan is going to do about the car. I feel like I really got a Lemon this time, I should have done some research.

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  Pros and cons - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Carter - November 10 - 11:33 pm

  Love the look and room of this car. We have 22" rimes and tires makes for a rough ride but looks so good. Very roomy we fit 7 adults and infant seat comfortable with bags and a stroller. I wish the AC was better in the front it is terrible! Overall we love this car and would probably purchase another if the fuel was better.

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  A Blast to drive - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Alex - November 10 - 2:06 pm

  The get up and go of the VQ37 engine is amazing, it oozes power. Very flat torque curve, keeps pulling harder as you shift. The car bleeds sex appeal, no matter who pulls up alongside you, heads are turning, men and women alike. By far one of the best looking sports cars out, especially for the money.

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  Fuel Gauge - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ron - November 10 - 10:13 am

  Great car, BUT, it has a 21 gallon fuel tank and after the little yellow fuel light goes on and the gauge reads dead "E" it only takes 14 gallons of gas... It is still 1/3rd full and Nissan says thats normal. I spend a lot of un-needed time in the gas station when I know I can drive another 100 miles before I run out of gas. VERY ANNOYING! Also the interior blower motor makes a high-pitched ticking noise on low speeds. You can here it over the wonderful Bose sound system. I find myself heating up the car and then turning off the fan to enjoy the music. Nissan says thatÂ’s normal also. I wish I could see the artist and song on the XM radio also. Fuel economy stinks. Im getting avg. 15 mpg.

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  nice, but not as good as a trail blazer - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By getting better - November 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought my son a pathfinder a few months ago, because he was set on it, and would not even look at anything else. It is a nice suv, and i like what they have done with the engine, but it does not measure up to trail blazer i bought for me. i have not ever been a chevy fan, but the TB runs circles around his pathfinder. it has more power, room, stnd. features, better build quality, rear a/c, and costs less. i would recommend test driving both before deciding.

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  xterra - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By nickker - November 10 - 6:46 am

  most dependable, comfy and fun to drive vehicle i ever owned...just wish it had a bigger fuel tank and better mileage...i admit it is the supercharged version and love to kick it at red lights but the overall economy is low to say the least....dont expect more than 13mpg city or highway....

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  2000 Nissan Desert Runner - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By 2000 Nissan Frontier - November 9 - 9:16 pm

  Bought this truck used in 2001, it had 36,000 on it. Paid $10,500. Its been a great truck very reliable I currently have 165,000 miles on it and runs great. Fuel economy not so good 17-18 mpg. Tires last a long time with no alignment needed, just rotate and balance. Ive used Amsoil Synthetics in it for years and change the oil every 15,000 miles. I use it as a service truck in my business and its been a good work horse.

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  Great Car to Own - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By David - November 9 - 9:40 am

  When I purchased this car I was not looking for anything specific. The great gas mileage caught my eye and after seeing the 300W stereo I was sold. I drive my car mostly around the city but have taken many trips out of town. It handles great on corners and has good acceleration for the engine size. The seats are very comfortable but the back seat could use a little more room. Overall the car is a little smaller than other 4 door sedans. For the price and the included features I thinks its the best value you can get.

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  Rusty but trusty - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By D-murray - November 6 - 12:30 pm

  I stopped taking care of this car about two years ago and cant kill it. It has <150K miles on it. Rust started as a couple small bubbles in paint and EXPLODED over the last 18months. Only thing I ever did to this thing in over five years and 70k miles is replace spark plug wires, and of course brakes and tires.