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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  Front Alignment and Fuel Usage Nightmare - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By Jumper011 - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Nissan should go back to the drawing board with this engine. Supercharger is good idea and helps make up for the wimpy-6. Really bad fuel economy - 16 city/20 hwy for a compact pickup. Have to align the front-end every 5,000 miles at $55 bucks a pop - one of the Nissan production techs told me this was a common problem with the "bigfoots" as he called it, referring to the large wheels and tires they put on the S/C models with no suspension modifications. Do not expect tires to last more than 25K mi.

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  Sentra GXE-The Jury is still out. - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By DLJ - March 30 - 10:00 am

  MPG is 20 which very poor. Perhaps it will improve with time, If not I will take it up with Nissan as defective and deceptive. Everything else about this car is fine. Its reasonably attractive inside and out, peppy, and comfortable.

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  Disappointed yet Xtatic - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By DisaptdYetXtatic - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Bot a 03 GLE. Felt great to ride until I heard terrible knocking sounds on every bump second day of driving. Dealer says the Rear Shocks are defective and requires replacement. Very disappointed!!!!:( For the money I am paying, I have spent more time at the dealer than in the car. I dono if I have a lemon in my hand. I expect Quality from Nissan and If I am not getting it for the price I paid, I should probably sue them. Should I demand the car to be replaced??

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  Love the car... hate the tires - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By phillipw - March 30 - 10:00 am

  I love the car I justwish there was more room in thebackseat and that the tire (Bridgestone Potenzas) were better in wet weather. I have slid into a curb causing the alloy wheel to be replaced and hydroplane quite often at such low mileage (4300) the tires are horrible but the car is great.

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  The little car with a surprise - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By weazer6511 - March 28 - 6:36 pm

  At first getting this car, I had very few expectations. An inline-4 and a car I had not heard of. Nearly a year later my view of the car has totally changed. It handles beautifully around fast corners and at high speeds is quite steady. The only drawback is that it is an automatic, but other than that I really enjoy the car. It is quite realiable and no problems. The car has 45K miles and looks to last me until 200K. Ive put a new muffler and air intake and its 2.4L engine pulls amazingly. It is a quick car and fun to drive

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  Always Love Getting Into My Quest! - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By sue - March 27 - 10:36 pm

  After six months of trying to repair a rattling coming from wheel housing in rear seat, I am finally 100% thrilled with my Quest. The car was in the shop quite a few times to try to figure out how to repair my rattling problem. This is quite common in first year models, so Nissan went back to drawing board and found a way to fix the rattling noise coming from rear seat. Even though it took quit awhile to fix, the dealership did everything possible to keep me happy. They provided great timely service. They also provided a courtesy car for me to use. I would highly recommend Fred Martin Nissan in Green, Ohio.

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  Smooth and Roomy - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By RJ - March 27 - 11:13 am

  I was quite impressed with room and comfort that the new Sentra provides. The CVT is awesome. The power is quite good for a 2.0 ltr engine and I have no problem with freeway or mountain driving. The headroom and shoulder room is very good. The Rockford Fosgate radio is quite good and the trip computer is a must. Why buy an Altima when you can get nearly the same thing in a Sentra.

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  Think twice -- hybrid? - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Mary Brennan - March 26 - 11:23 pm

  I like the car overall but am extremely disappointed with the gas mileage - 26 mpg in the city. When I took it in for the six month oil change, the service tech told me if the mileage didnt improve by the next change he would look into it. Today, a different service tech tells me that those numbers (29 to 41 mpg) are only estimates. Given that Im averaging more than 10% less than the low side of the estimate, I consider my car a gas "lemon."

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  Its just OK - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Mike G - March 26 - 9:36 pm

  Nice looks, powerful engine, roomy interior.6,000 miles and cant get comfortable behind the wheel. Gas mileage is dissapointing. Idles roughly when stopped at a light. Dealer cant find anything wrong, I say I shouldnt get a seat massage at every light!

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  Fair Trade - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jfunk - March 26 - 6:03 pm

  I dont mind the typical 14MPG because the Finder of Paths makes it worth it. I live where the snow comes heavy from Nov-Feb (sometimes into April), so the heavy Pathfinder and its hardcore 4WD make driving in six or more inches of snow less difficult, and on the roads I know well, downright fun. The interior is flexible and can hold a very good amount of stuff. The engine sounds great and runs very well and has just enough power for a vehicle this size. Im glad I didnt get the 1999 with the 3.3 litre engine. I have, however, had problems with my stock stereo and the exhaust fell apart at 79,000 miles (consider the snow/salt where I live, though).