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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  Long Term Review - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Mike - March 2 - 2:20 am

  As with most first generation models there are a few bugs that had to be ironed out. First were brakes. 3 sets inside 2 years with the last set finally doing the trick. Issue 2 was the serpentine belt/tensioner resulting in a squealing sound every 6 months. Was told Nissan changed belt supplier initially and then went back to their orig. supplier as this appears to of solved the problem. My 1990 version could go 400 hwy miles before topping off again, this one should of been given a larger tank capacity. Lastly, I have a squeak/rattle behind my sunroof. To be addressed when I get some free time. Power seats should have a lock to prevent accidental changes when entering/exiting truck.

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  A Bit Too Early - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Al in DE - March 1 - 11:36 pm

  We purchased this car for my wife and after only 1000 miles have been avg 33 mpg. Great space & comfort! Not a sports sedan, but wasnt looking for one. Nissan unfortunately goes for cheap tires which I will shortly change. Wheels could have a better design. The CVT makes a bit of unusual sound, but gets the job done. Rear suspension should have been of the independent variety as well, but I guess costs have to be cut somewhere. I would recommend the Sentra as a great commuter car and shes quiet and could go all day at that speed without any stress to car or driver. I would recommend giving this car a test drive!!

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  Very good SUV - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Anton - March 1 - 6:36 am

  Got a used one in 2006 in Ontario. Moved to BC, towed a small car to Florida and again to Ontario. I looked at competition of the same year and nothing really compares to it. I wish A/C lasted me longer

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  Nice Car - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Roger Chambers - February 27 - 10:00 am

  Well, this car is a good car. Two years and 60,000 miles later I can say this is a pretty sturdy car. If youre expecting BMW/Benz/Infiniti quality then youll be disappointed. This is one of the best cars one the more affordable side of the pocket. Pros: A lot of power, easy maintenance (oil change and big services). I enjoy the IntelliKey system. The turn illumination is also really nice. Cons: To experience the power is lose a lot of gas. The build seems flimsy (but is still deceptively sturdy). The car gets the job done and is a nicer way to get from point A to point B than many alternative.

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  Love the car, despise the battery! - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By kdk - February 27 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my 07 Nissan Sentra!! Lately, I have been having nonstop battery problems. In the past 2 weeks the battery has been jumped off a total of 6 times! That just did not seem like it should be happening to a car that is a little more than 3 years old. Apart from the less than impressive battery, my car hasnt given me many troubles. Ive had a few variations in my MPG. Sometimes I would get around 30 MPG. Then other times I would ONLY get about 12 MPG! Certain parts were tweaked and cleaned, and now the gas mileage is relatively normal. The car is cute and suits me (a college student)! It is also very spacious (very convenient for moving in and out of the dorms)!

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  2003/1 - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By flyer1 - February 23 - 10:56 pm

  This car has very very serious control problems on icy roads. Dealer no help. Changed tires, etc. but to no avail. This is our last Altima because it borders on dangerous to drive in icy conditions.

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  fun with $$ - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By scotto - February 23 - 7:43 pm

  had the maxima 2 weeks and its performed beyond my expectations. opted for the cloth interior SE and my only problem is with the velcro like seats that really hold you in place even at really slow speeds. seats are comfortable though and the engine is so sweet.

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  Really happy with my pre-owned Pathfinde - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By CW004 - February 23 - 12:26 pm

  Bought our 05 Pathfinder used in July 08 with about 40,000 miles on it. We are really liking it. PROs: Great performance with so-so gas mileage. I did get just over 20 miles/gal once on a 400 mile road trip though. Around town its getting between 15 and 16. I have also towed a heavy load (around 5000 lbs) a couple of times for a couple hundred miles and it still performed well. CONS: -At about 50,000 miles, our gas gauge is working only intermittently. Sometimes it reads fine, other times it sits on "E" after a fill up. -Only other con is a heat shield or 2 on the underbody has started rattling. Over all this is a great rig with great performance and lots of room.

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  LE Insights - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By btill1 - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I love the truck, it drives very nicely for this size of vehicle. The power is amazing although you pay for it with gas mileage (I knew that before the purchase). I am a little disappointed with wind noise and rattle from the moonroof, hopefully this will be corrected on first service.

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  Big, smooth, comfortable, Powerful - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By cjohannes - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Love it so far. Two things... it has awesome power and pick up (0 - 60 in around 7 seconds). This things rides very smooth and I risk getting a ticket because I cant tell how fast Im going. Great sound system (although missing a cassette - and no XM Radio option). Some interior storage issues (I like a place - ashtray? - to store coins. The center console is big enough to store an average laptop but I have a 16" screen and it doesnt really fit. It is comfortable though. Great for kids (tons of room in the back seat.