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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  Update to original review - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By erichards - September 12 - 10:55 pm

  Just wanted to update my original review & revise some of the ratings (which you cant do to the original review for some reason). In the original review (@29k miles) I said the only issues were the lower-than-expected mileage, and the brake rotors that were starting to glaze. Now with 64k miles on the car (in 25 months) I can report that aside from those things the car has been perfect. I just replaced the brake pads at 63k miles, and am about to put a new set of tires on at 64k. The mileage continues to average 27-28 mpg, although I have experienced outstanding (36-37 mpg) mileage on a few long highway trips (I got 625 miles out of one tank of gas in one instance). Overall very satisfied.

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  140K and kicking along - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Solar Star - September 12 - 1:13 pm

  Bought in 10/2002 with 36k. Not much by way of maintenance to report until the last couple of yrs. Pretty reliable. I did get stranded early on with the Ignition, but then NOTHING out of the ordinary until 125k. Maintenance: @ 60K replaced Ignition Key Switch-$100 @ 75K minor brake work and tires-$600 (including the cost of tires) @ 125K replaced timing belt, hoses water pump etc.-$1200 Now at 140K and the exhaust needs replacing & steering is jacked up. Mechanic says the rack and pinion bushings are deteriorated. Rear shocks need to be replaced--$18-2000. Only going to bring a couple grand in trade-in, so probably going to pay the $2k with hopes of a couple more yrs of life!

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  As Advertised - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Ironhead in CT - September 10 - 8:23 am

  Just turned 5K on the odometer and overall I am satisfied though not thrilled with this vehicle. I did get exactly "as advertised" however. After much research, I went with the Xterra for two main reasons: I needed a vehicle that would handle New England winters and could also tow at least 5K lbs. It does both very well. At 61", the drivers seating is cramped. Rear seating is also cramped for anyone 510"+, with the front seats back. They should have added 6" of leg room in front and back. Running board is useless to me. Very tough for kids to get in/out without help. Drives more like a truck than car. Should have gone with SE model. S model=no frills. MPG is "as advertised", 14/17

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  No major complaints - 1997 Nissan Altima
  By Marylander975 - September 10 - 2:00 am

  I dont have any major complaints with this Altima, though I cant say I love the car. It has been dependable, but doesnt have enough cargo room for me. I would have preferred a car with rear seats that go down to extend cargo room. One thing - the paint job is the worst. It didnt take long for the paint to start peeling and chipping and for it to become oxidized. I have had to replace the alternator, windshielf wiper motor and have had a problem with the rear brakes.

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  No Problems - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Speed Bump - September 9 - 7:10 pm

  I bought my Spec V with 400 miles. Now at 15,300 running premium gas as recommended and synthetic fuel. I average 25.8 mpg. Incredible little car thats extremely pleased me after owning a twin turbo Volvo and an 88 Supra n/a.

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  Beware - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By BS 2K - September 9 - 12:36 pm

  What a fun car! It goes fast, looks good and it attracts attention. However: 1. The paint is poor quality. Faded quickly and had a few "stains" that the dealer couldnt get out. 2. The brakes and rotors needed to be replace at 30k miles (mostly hiway and hardly used) My Lexus coupe had 130k on the original brakes and still had 40% left on the front when I got rid of it. 3. Electronics: 3a-The auto transmission stopped shifting after a heavy rain. 3b-The auto-up windows go back down rather than stay up. 3c-The airbag sensor went out. 4. Tire wear is only fair. You can expect only 25-30k if you drive the car easy. But, it sure is fun to drive!

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By CB1973 - September 8 - 2:40 am

  Exterior looks are great, but the car feels cheap. Too much plastic inside, alignment issues (ALWAYS pulls in one direction, my 2002 accord drives better), seat seems to be loose, shift knob gets loose, poorly designed electronics system, monochrome screen for onboard display (kind of like an old DOS PC).

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  My Murano - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Ray - September 7 - 12:33 pm

  I have owned this Murano now almost 1 year and I must say I have had trouble! the interior back door panels had to be stuffed with foam @ the dealer to prevent rattle noise. The car has had 1 recall (altenator) and now just today I had a breakdown defective transmission. I probably will not see my car for a week, but I guess that can be a good thing. What else can go wrong? I will be going back to Honda or Toyota maybe even American. When this car drives it is nice, I like to say it feels like riding on glass, and it is comfortable but I do not tolerate breakdowns. Good luck I hope my narrative helps.

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  Poor Fuel Economy - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By C. Townshend - September 6 - 9:40 pm

  I bought this car because I was persuaded by the dealer that the CVT sedan would get far better fuel economy than my Honda Civic. Having driven this car for almost a year and averaged little more than 21 miles per gallon, I feel cheated by both the dealership, and by Nissan who make the original claim in conjunction with the EPA. With gas prices as they are I cannot afford a vehicle that does not even come close to the advertized MPG, and I would warn anybody against buying a Nissan Versa if its fuel economy youre after. I am not an aggressive driver and yet this car seems to drink gas like an SUV. I have a complaint in with Nissan and it has still not been resolved after 7 months!

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  Love this car - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By brandon1031 - September 6 - 5:31 am

  Bought this car with 120k, and now just hit 161k in a year and a half I can only say one thing-this car is awesome. Ive driven brand new cars that dont drive as great as this. Normal things had to have been replaced but nothing that its to expensive. Love this cars power, reliability, roomy interior, and the bose stereo is phenomonal. Not completely crazy about the outside looks, thats the least of my problems. Would reccommend this car to anyone!