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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  Nissan does not care....AT ALL - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By duckboy29 - February 17 - 2:00 am

  I have had the Z now for a little under a year now,my car has tirehop,intermittent powerloss at 4-5k rpm from engine sensor,the drivetrain is making noise and the car needs its 2nd alignment(tire hop issue), There is a smell of mold coming out of the A/C vents,dash + interior rattles and I had to call nissans consumer affair division because there service centers do not seem to want to take ANY responsibilty. Service reps have the audacity to tell you these problems are NORMAL on a car less than 1 year old, Shame on Nissan. I am so fed up with my car that i am going to get rid of it.

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  Reliable transportation - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Bryan S - February 17 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had the car for 5 months but it has performed very well for me. The gas mileage is pretty mediocre and I did some preventative maintenance by replacing the starter even though it hadnt broken down yet. Other than that, its been exactly what I expected it to be. No surprises - which is pretty good for a car that cost me less than $7k.

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  zowie - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By alababa - February 17 - 2:00 am

  much improve quietness in the interior

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  Just bought it - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bfallingstar - February 16 - 10:00 am

  The interior options sold us. Excellent sound system and leather interior. Very well thought out displays. Very powerful 6 cylinder engine. Larger body than I expected, but still manageable. Not much price negotiation, (I guess its popular enough that the dealer doesnt have to negotiate much.)

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  Outstanding - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Tarzan - February 16 - 10:00 am

  This is the most wonderfull car i never had. Since 1 bought it may 2002, i had No problems. The car is very fast, lost of style and very well equiped for the price. Its is a sport sedan that beats up very easly, the Honda accord, pontiac Grand Am, Grand prix GT, toyota camry and others.

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  Beware of rotor problems - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Duane - February 16 - 9:56 am

  1. This is an excellent performance car, but I did not take enough time test driving to realize the ride with the low profile tires was going to be too hard. 2. I just spent $400 with the dealership to have the brake rotors turned to eliminate serve brake chatter at high speeds. With 30,000 miles and my prior experience, this is an unacceptable reliability issue. No coverage on the brakes even with the extended warranty. Bummer and the last Nissan I buy!

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  Good value for money - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By Bergolive - February 13 - 11:50 pm

  We drive that car on horrible northern Canada roads and up to now (2 years of ownership) absolutely no problem with it. We knew the Odyssey reliability is better than the Quests, but the price and style of the Quest finally got us, and we do not regret at all. The front seats are not very comfortable, but the rest is good. Good value for the money.

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  Still solid at 194k miles - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By kismet1113 - February 13 - 10:36 pm

  I have the 06 S "Special Edition" model. I bought it used with around 30k miles and at 194k Ive not had one mechanical issue. The single cd player in the car started eating cds and cant be used and the 6 disc Rockford Fosgate changer likes to eat them as well...so I dont use them. I think the entire Rockford system is junk and just a cheap version of their normal products. The backseat is not meant for adults at all, it is miserable for hauling adult passengers or anyone over about 54" tall. I used my Sentra to commute 3 hrs a day for work and it never let me sit and never broke down. Keep up with maintenance and its a good car.

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  2009 Maxima - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By goddale - February 13 - 3:33 pm

  No major drawbacks about NissanÂ’s best Maxima yet. These are minor inconveniences and as a result, I would recommend this car. I wish sunglasses cases actually fit todayÂ’s sunglasses.

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  Traditional Midsize SUV - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By creepers - February 12 - 8:08 am

  If you like the traditional SUV then you will love the 2011 Pro-4X. 4.0 liter V6 is high output engine is more than enough power. Great ride with they Bilstein performance shocks. Good looking tires (had the car a month - do not know how the tires will wear yet). Traditional SUV exterior styling. Leather seats are super comfortable. Rockford Fosgate head unit sounds great. The auxillary interface is nice. The IPOD interface is also a major plus. Nice big side back windows. Looked at a new FJ and used H3 but decided agains because the size and or lack of windows.