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:

• 

  more quality please - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By professor - May 11 - 6:43 am

  I drove a 1994 Sentra for 200,000 miles-great car, so I purchased another. My 2004 model seems like the same car. It must have been built by the same people. Ive had it in the shop twice. Once to replace steering system due to a leak and the belts are loud (which are not covered under warranty). A speaker is busted and the fuel mileage is low (32mpg).

• 

  Great value economy car - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By gregoron - May 11 - 3:16 am

  I have the 2009 1.8S hatchback model with a 4sp auto trans, and no pwr door locks and pwr windows. Overall, its a good daily commuter car with a roomy and elegant interior for its class. I think this car delivers more value than its competitors the Honda Fit, Suzuki SX4, Hyundai Accent, and Scion xD. I get around 20 mpg in town so far. But at 500 miles, I did have a faulty evap valve on the catalytic converter replaced by the dealer under warranty. Its a world car - aka Tiida in Europe/Japan. The US Versa is put together in Mexico with the engine and transmission assembled in Japan. Im pleased with the car. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish and frugal daily commuter.

• 

  Superb aside from hot start - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By thehawk - May 9 - 10:33 am

  Supremely comfortable and powerful car. Brilliant interior design features. Quiet on the road. Factory fault is loss of one cylinder intermittently on hot start - before buying one make sure you hot start it ten times and drive a short distance each time. The cylinder loss is shown by engine vibration especially up hills or on throttle. It can last up to 30 minutes and is the ONLY fault I have had in 120,000 miles.

• 

  1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ZoHootie - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car with 35,000 miles. The pathfinder is the smoothest riding SUV I have ever been. The ride comfort is second to none. At 60,000 miles had to have the brakes replaced, front & rear shocks replaced. At 68,000 miles there was a funny noise in the front end. Had to replace the sway-bar link. Now at 76,000 miles I have to have the brakes replaced again. Overall the car runs well and I would recommend it to anyone else, but the brakes and struts/shocks need to be replaced more frequently than normal. Also, the engine has very poor acceleration but is reliable.

• 

  Lovin it! - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Migman - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I have always wanted to own a Nissan Maxima. My dream came true the day I sold my "yuck" Ford sedan. The minute I got in to test drive the car I knew that this car was for me. With 255 horse powers this car has great acceleration. No longer do I struggle to merge onto the highway. Not with this baby! When you start out there can be a slight spinning of the front tires when the roads are wet, so care is needed here. With the stiff sports tuned suspension, the SE model feels well grounded, and hugs the road nicely on the curves. Overall Id have to say that this car rules!

• 

  frontier - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By loser - May 8 - 10:00 am

  very reliable truck with good power.base model has all the features you would expect and then some. not quite enough leg room in the back seat for adults but plenty for children. much better ride than older model

• 

  Best Second Car Ever - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By carlsbad2 - May 8 - 1:46 am

  We were tired of paying $ 80 per tank to run around town getting 16 MPG running errands etc. This Leaf is fun to drive and has lots of room I am 6.4 and do not fit with comfort in many cars but the headroom in this is great. After 2.5 months of ownership very happy get 90 mile range on a full charge. Able to charge for free at many Nissan dealers . Fast charger at dealers will get you a full charge in 40 minutes. Electric bill has gone up about $ 50 per month charging up almost every night. I did not purchase the level 2 charger as I can charge overnight in about 12 hours with the 6.6 KW on board charger. Our utility company gives better rates for EV owners if you use off peak power

• 

  good economy car - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By gman - May 7 - 8:10 am

  This car is a good economy car that is reliable.Its doesnt have alot of room inside but it gets the job done.

• 

  Another enjoyable Nissan - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Mr. P - May 6 - 2:06 am

  This 2007 Murano SL AWD is our 8th Nissan in a row as our 3rd car. It was purchased for week-end trips to our lake house, but ends up being driven much more.We have had 4 Pathfinders and when they changed the style in 2007 (too boxy)we switched to the Murano.Although we have owned 6 BMWs and 5 Mercedes, my wife enjoys driving the Murano (especially in bad weather.It is fully loaded and offers good comfort and convenience for the price. The CVT takes a while getting used to, but averages approx. 23 mpg with cruise control ant 75 mph. It is used for hauling small loads between our houses, but is great for daily use as well.Although its time to change cars again, she says lets just keep it.

• 

  Solid Car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Rob - May 4 - 9:03 am

  Great fuel mileage, and great reliability, have not had a single problem with it. The car is responsive, but on the highways an extra oof is needed.