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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  Stay Away from the Tech Pkg. - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By rtinaglia - March 25 - 6:05 pm

  After reading all of the pros we drove the car and opted for the V6SL with the Nav pkg. Dont do it. Yes the saftey stuff is OK, but the nav pkg is circa 1990. Very poor graphics, & everything requires 2 or 3 steps to do. Its a Bosch system - & is tied into the radio & other electronics. All in all its a terrible system, brand new, never used by Nissan before. Had we dug into the nav system we wouldnt have bought the car.

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  So far, So good - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By John - March 25 - 4:23 pm

  My 2002 Nissan Altima is the first new car that I have purchased since 1985. It is the first car I have purchased at all since 1990 (have had an SUV until now). It is fun to drive and has decent interior roomm though interior has too much plastic (cheap feel). The amber backlight of the controls can disappear if the sunlight is in the right spot.

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  Think Twice - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By cal - March 25 - 3:40 pm

  I bought this car in 2003 (model year) and I have had alot of problems with this vehicle. the throw out bearing was bad as was the rear main seal, the cd player is scratching my cds and the left side speakers of the car dont work, due to the cd deck.cant wait to get rid of it!

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  Overall ok car - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By JENSRQ - March 24 - 6:30 pm

  I drive mainly in city and on the interstate and have averaged 24.9 mpg since Ive owned it. It doesnt handle well in rain - tires spin. The trunk always seems to bonk me on the head when Im putting stuff in the trunk. Both side mirrors have had the trim fall off - once by closing the door and once in a car wash! I had a big piece of trim fly off the underside of the car too. Every time I pull into a parking spot with a curb, the underside is so low it scrapes. The brakes have whistled since shortly after purchase and I had the "dust" removed once at the dealership for $300 (not covered by warranty!) and within a month it was happening again - doesnt seem to affect performance.

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  Shift_Excitement - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By brian - March 23 - 10:33 am

  Only driven a few months but power and styling is what sold me on the altima. Looking back I would have gone with manual for ultimate control. Tons of power to get in and around traffic on highways.

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  first sentra - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By cams - March 21 - 6:30 pm

  Ive had bad experiences with cars, and so far this is a winner. I love the way it handles, except they need to make the body a little heavier(those windy days watch out) im all over the road. The audio is good for manufactured speakers.

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  Happy Pathfinder - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Happy Pathfinder - March 20 - 10:03 pm

  I just bought my Pathfinder. Had been Looking for a used SUV that was a good deal. Found this w/ 58,000 local, verified miles. Handles great! Runs well! Gas mileage could be better. Driver legroom could be better. Wish I could have gotten a different color. (its black) Feel like I got a great deal. I think it will last me for the next 5 years and help keep the car payments away. Very happy so far.

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  I Love It - 2008 Nissan 350Z
  By Chyo - March 20 - 2:30 pm

  I believe this is the best value for your money if youre looking for some performance. If youre looking for practicality, dont get this car. The trunk can be useless. If those are not an issue, get this car! The engine is fabulous and handles spectacularly. The ride is bearable enough for a long road trip, but the clutch is not to my liking (try it and you will see). Gas mileage can be good if sticking it in 6th gear (26 mpg is my best), and it can obviously drain your wallet fast if driven hard.

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  Best car ive owned so far - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Pukestorm82 - March 20 - 2:23 am

  I purchased my car exactly 1 year ago with 72k miles, now it has 90k and have had no problems at all besides general maintenance. After reading all the bad reviews about transmission problems I bought a 3 year extended warranty and have yet to use it.

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  150,000 Miles with no major problems - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Paul - March 19 - 7:00 am

  This truck has served me well. The only problem I had was the carpet coming loose on the drivers side floor Nissan fixed that. The gas mileage isnt great...maybe 17.5 or so on average. I cared for this truck with regular maintenance and drove it gently...synthetic oil around 70,000 miles, kept good tires on it, and did not abuse it. No trouble with the 4wd yet...knock on wood. Use the 4wd at least a few times every year in the snow for 9 years now, and occasionally on back roads. I am keeping this truck.