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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  Rattle Trap - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By notsogreat - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Compared to our2001 Expedition, it is much easier to get the children in and out of the vehicle. Power is good, gas mileage averages 17 MPG - not good. Ride is fine in the city. There is significant wind noise on highway at speeds above 65 mph - very annoying. One of the primary reasons for purchase was the ease of entry through the sliding doors.Car has been back to the dealership 6 times since 12/03 for rattling passenger doors. It is no minor rattle! It will drive you nuts. This is not the only rattle. Hit a small bump, the rest of the car rattles as well. This was our first Nissan,and it will be our last.

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  Starting Problems - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Gail - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Frequently this vehicle wont start in the AM. I have taken it to the dealer repeatedly and they claim they cant replicate the problem. I overhead some mechanics discussing that this is a common customer complaint with this vehicle, but when I questioned them on the comment, everyone denied having said it.

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  Premature Brake wear - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Sawilliams17 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  The brakes on my Altima have worn out at 22,000. I drive over 1/2 my miles on the freeway. This is totally unacceptable wear and not covered under warranty.

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  2010 Nissan Versa - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By Y M Yim - August 6 - 5:40 am

  Bought the 2010 1.8S Hatchback versa on the last day of September 2009. It is fun driving. The manipulation is good, although acceleration is a bit weak. Very spacious inside. So far have only one minor problem on the trunk door ajar light, but the dealer was able to take care of it very quickly. A car of good value.

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  Fun to drive and even better to look at! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Jvtexas - August 5 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for a almost four months now and Im still in love with it! It turns heads every where I go, and handles and drives great. Cant tell you how many people have stopped me and asked questions about the car and made comments about how great it looks and that they want one. I also love passing BMWs on the road. I also see more of them on the road everytime Im out driving.

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  Nissan Altima 2014 SL - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By jmaske@hotmail.com - August 4 - 6:25 pm

  Ive had this car for about a year, so far Ive been fairly happy. The transmission can be a bit sluggish at a dead stop, other than that, it performs well and I average 30mpg when driving for fun. I can hit 40+ mpg on the highway if driving conservatively. When on the highway, theres plenty of power to maneuver as needed.

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  mpg lousy for a small truck - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By fireguy - August 4 - 12:46 am

  like most things about the truck (the drive, how it handles, etc.). Interior controls are good, however mpg horrible for a small truck. less than 15 on the interstate, less than 12 in town. I bought the truck thinking fuel mileage would be reasonable (most small trucks are).

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  05 Frontier - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By WMacork - August 3 - 12:50 pm

  Body integrity needs work. Tailgate hinges have been replaced but tailgate is too heavy and has caused body damage to lower part of tailgate. Fosgate radio is good but two bands of AM and only 1 of FM doesnt make sense. Satellite from Nissan is too expensive even though convenient. My spouse doesnt like the passenger seat for trips but drivers seat is very comfy. Reliability has been very good except body integrity.

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  Replacement cost of xenon headlamps - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By creationsbyme - August 3 - 12:13 am

  First, the motor runs great at 140K. The trans has started making noise. Undrivable right now. When I replaced one of the xenon headlamps, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor, were not talking about the whole assembly, just the bulb itself. At the Nissan dealership in Victorville, CA $258.00 for the bulb!! Can you believe it? I went on line and found the cheapest to be $159.00 My suggestion for someone who may not want to pay that much is when the xenon goes out, run your brights instead of replace. Bright bulbs cost $8. Oh, the spark plugs are internal. Tune up costs $418.00 to replace 6 spark plugs.

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  Not Bad for the price - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Jay Solomon - August 2 - 1:23 pm

  The SE-R has plenty of pep and power on the highway (2.5) Everyone says that the car has a great look and it drives like a sports car. The seating is low to the ground which requires some adjustment since I also drive a 4- Runner. The sports package gives the car a bumpy ride on roads that are less that perfect. The stearing is highly responsive and overall, for the money it seems to be a great little car. I have about 700 miles on the car. The quality of the sound system is surprising. For my taste I wish I would have moved up to a Honda Accord or BMW 300 series just to have more car under me. The price, however, was just too tempting.