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:

• 

  Great car, great price - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Jay from Chicago - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Bought the 2003 3.5 SE, and have been just completely blown away by how improved the interior is over the 2002, as well as how comfortable and fun to drive this car is. Ive never owned a Nissan before (Honda & Toyotas mostly), but this Altima has me won over!! And, best of all, due to an error by the dealership, I got this one at slightly over Invoice!!! ;) The only downer is that Nissan doesnt run any financing specials on Altimas, so the Rate is a little higher than I would have liked, but I can live with it!

• 

  2003 Altima is terrific. - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Altima Fan - September 20 - 10:00 am

  What a great car! My fiance happily dropped off her lemon (a 2000 Olds Alero) and picked up one of the nicest cars on the market. We fell in love with this car after test driving many others in its class. The styling and build quality were unmatched.

• 

  Nice, but... - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By mattyj - September 19 - 9:56 pm

  I traded a 2006 Honda Civic LX 4dr for the Altima Hybrid. The Civic got great MPG and drove well but the seat was just too uncomfortable. I wanted a 4 door with some comfort and about 35 MPG, When you look around there are not that many comfortable cars that get 35+. I hope that changes in the future. But for now the Altima Hybrid fits the bill. The car drives great, it is hard to keep out of the gas, the CVT and engine make this car feel like a V6, but if you drive it like that the mileage suffers. If you drive a little more reserved the car rewards with great mileage. The drivers seat is comfortable so far with 11,000 miles on it.

• 

  Girly suv to manly suv - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By LEIZ - September 19 - 8:40 am

  Husband was too tall for the Lexus RX300, so we traded it for the Armada. Took some time to get use to, but I am finally loving this BEAST. Its a big SUV that deserves a bow. It handles well and has a lot of power when I need it. Nav needs help, did send me to the wrong location. It carries all of my shopping with no problems, along w/ husband, toddler and dog in tow. I get compliments on this SUV everywhere I go. I feel safe, but I pay for the safety and the looks at the pump.. This beast is always hungry for more gas, what SUV isnt? Overall, I am very happy with our purchase. You get alot for what you pay on this SUV.

• 

  Great SUV for the money. - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Daniel - September 19 - 8:00 am

  I have had my Pathfinder for a little more than 2 weeks. Absolutley love it. The engine is a monster, just plain fun to drive! Gas mileage is whats expected. If people are concerned about gas mileage, then stay away from higher displacement engines... nuff said. If people want to complain about the legroom in the third row, upgrade to a bigger car. I have yet to sit in the third row of any midsize SUV and feel comfortable. It just comes with the territory. I am more than satisfied with my purchase, and hope to have this car for years to come.

• 

  Almost There - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Solid - September 18 - 7:10 am

  Good car for the money. The car drives great and the looks turn heads all the time. The car is well rounded and always fun. The only thing that would keep me from buying another one is Nissans service. Nissan does not service or support this product very well.

• 

  Excellent truck, now with great gadgets - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Marc - September 18 - 6:33 am

  I traded up from a 2005 Pathfinder, which I was always impressed with. I wanted the new features (Bluetooth, Intelligent Key, backup camera, Music Box, better navigation with touch screen, voice commands and traffic) added in the 2008 model. The powerful V6 has always been my favorite feature, and my last Pathfinder proved very reliable and versatile. The gadgets are great, but Im disappointed that MP3s cant be loaded into the Music Box. Otherwise, I find the Pathfinder to be perfect vehicle.

• 

  2011 Nissan Juke Timing Chain issue - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By caprisun - September 18 - 6:13 am

  I have a 2011 Nissan Juke 37k miles. I heard a ticking noise coming from the engine so took it to the dealership this morning. I called them back this afternoon to find out the diagnosis. All they said was there is a noise coming from the motor, so we need all your maintenance records before we will touch it. First of all I dropped it off and was told they would diagnose the problem and call me. 7 hours later I called them only to be told that if I wanted them to break down the motor then I would owe them a huge bill. I asked the technician what was wrong with the juke. He says sounds like timing chain and they are not wanting to fix the problem. Any suggestions out there???????

• 

  Love it! - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By GC - September 17 - 11:20 pm

  Ive owned it about 6 months and put 16,000 miles on it. It has been an excellent ride and problem free. I got the loaded version and it has been totally worth it. The voice recognition works really well and the navigation system is excellent. I didnt realize that I would like the keyless feature as much as I have. Ive gotten so lazy that it now irritates me to have to get my key out when I drive my other car. It has a lot of nice touches both inside and out and I have absolutely no buyer remorse!

• 

  This Is The Best - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By dwalz - September 17 - 9:50 pm

  Ive owned Hondas, Toyotas, Jaguars, Fords and Volvos during the past 10- years. My new Nissan Altima 2.5 S is by far and away the best car Ive ever driven. I dont have any idea of where some of the negative reviews come from. I can only guess its from another car maker owner that wants to "dis" Nissan to help raise the re- sale value of their car. This is a great car and a great value for the price.