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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  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 steering 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.

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  A little disappointed with this truck - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By stonemedal - August 2 - 10:00 am

  The truck looks nice, rides nice, but two things are driving me crazy.....when the A/C is on low it sounds like someone is breathing with an iron lung under my dashboard. The second thing, when driving at 55, the exhaust note is annoying, too loud and constant. I wonder if anyone out there is experiencing that?

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  Great ride - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By kwonchoe@yahoo.com - August 2 - 10:00 am

  Great car overall. However, a few gripes: Grinding driver window not repaired properly. A tweeter that came from the factory already blown. A loose footrest. Not what youd expect from a $42K vehicle. A bit heavy for this segment. Still, for a car with this level of performance, it would be tough to beat 350Zs combo of power, handling, and price.

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  Great looking car, handling not so great - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By mick7can - July 30 - 1:13 am

  This car looked great on the lot and was a good test drive in warm/dry weather. The CVT was wonderful, but thats where the positives end. In windy weather or passing transports the car is buffetted horribly and handling in snowy or icy conditions is extremely poor. If I lived in a warm weather locale, perhaps my experience would be better. We are presently upgrading to an Altima as my wife doesnt feel safe driving our Sentra over long distances or on major highways. We are both experienced compact car drivers and this Sentra has been a horrible disappointment.

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  Used Altima - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By doug - July 29 - 3:16 am

  I was looking for an affordable and reliable car in the $3500 range to serve as my daily commuter. My 2000 Ford F-150 doesnt compare when it comes to fuel consumption. I am happy about my purchase. Fuel consumption, comfort and so far reliability are all great, not to mention the looks. The turning radius is a little wide but thats ok. I had to replace the 2 stock door speakers and the 2 rear deck speakers because they were blown. These are all 6 1/2 cheap 1 way spkrs. They are rated 30w max/15w nom. I replaced them with Pioneer 6 1/2 260w 4-way spkrs (model TS-G671M). Great upgrade. I recommend anyone looking for a good commuter vehicle consider this car. Cant go wrong.

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  A good car with some kinks - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Glenn J. darro - July 27 - 11:35 am

  I bought my 03, 2.5 Altima with 38,000 miles on it. I now have driven it another 75,000 miles ( odometer reads113,000 miles). In that time my car has never failed. however, there were repairs. following is a list of those repairs: 2 motor mounts at about 60K Coil at about 75K Crankshaft position sensor at about 60K Radiator replacement at about 60K Fuel pump at about 90K Pre-catalytic converter at 110K I love the way this car handles. The engine is peppy for a 4cyl. but sometimes I wish it was faster off the line. It is definitely a drivers car, though. It handles winding roads like a sports car, and the braking is excellent The ride is not cushy, but thats ok. The seating is quite comfortable.

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  this is number 7 nissian - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By bobby - July 27 - 8:36 am

  wow its real fast. i had a 04 and gladly got rid and upgraded to the 05 the smartest thing i have ever done. i am in slc utah and definitley be going to moab this summer. look out jeeps theres another bad boy now

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  Fun and Dependable! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Desiree - July 26 - 2:00 pm

  I never owned a vehicle more than 1 yr prior to the x-terra. The X-terra has lasted me more than 5 years & its been a fun ride. I recently got in a car accident and totaled my x-terra. I was barely scratched & it kept me safe during the ordeal. My next car... an 2009 x-terra!

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  Beware - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Nomore Nissan - July 25 - 5:20 am

  At 4700 miles car developed oil leak. Also hard start problem. Dealer had to practically disassemble upper engine to cure oil leak. He messed up the timing and had to redo the whole thing. Apparently the engines are not quality checked at the factory, or the leak would have been found. Fuel regulator was replaced to correct the hard start. I am very wary of this car now. I know something will go bad down the road.

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  My expensive Altima - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Cookie Monster - July 24 - 2:00 am

  After 7 years of ownership, at 26,000 miles and 2 weeks out of warranty, an O2 sensor goes out ($90) , 4 weeks later, my camshaft positioner died ($500)and left me on the side of the road, then another week later, another but different O2 sensor goes out ( another $90)- all within 27,500 miles but just over 3 years old. Informed Nisson but no help. A number of little things went out for the next 4 years ( unknown $$$$) and at 73,000 the alternator quit ($335), then a month later, the car left me on the side of the road with a major electrical problem that killed the battery & alternator due to wiring shorts under the dash.