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:

• 

  Good car - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By tug - May 2 - 10:00 am

  The Nissan Snetra GXE Limitied edition is an excellent car and I have never had a mechanical problem save a sticky electric window. The drive from LA to SF is about a tank and a half and its gear is set to greatest acceleration in third gear.

• 

  5 years before 1st trip to the shop - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By happymister - May 2 - 10:00 am

  5 years after buying my 98 Altima SE, I finally took it to the shop when the check engine light came on. Looks like i needed a new evap emission control valve for $166 including parts and labor. Since it has been 5 years and this is the first problem with the car.. i thought it was the right time to write a review. The car has been the most reliable car i have ever owned. The only other things i have replaced on this car are the tires around 40k miles. I put 4 Goodyear Acqutread 3 tires and handling continues to be excellent.

• 

  Awsome Car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By redbandit - May 2 - 10:00 am

  What a great Ride. Very confort And great relaiablity. And for the price. Awsome

• 

  Great for most, perfect for me. - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Murano Matt - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Great looks, great ride, extraordinary CVT transmission. This is a drivers SUV, the first one I have ever driven, you can take a corner like a sports sedan without being pushed tward the outside door. Quality and refinedment inside the vehicle is top notch leather or cloth. But the real plus here is the transmission. The CVT is incredable, so smooth and powerful. The transmission does all the work so the engine never revs hard resulting in an overall quiet ride. The Murano is very functional with a ton of room inside. To sum it up the Murano is fast and functional for an SUV. Rather than being half car half truck IT IS HALF CAR HALF SUV.

• 

  UPDATE TO BEST MAX EVER - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By jerrymax - May 1 - 8:48 pm

  Just wanted to update the review I wrote back in March 2008 about my 1997 Maxima GLE. At that time I had 154k on the odometer. Last week the car turned 200k for another 46,000 miles worth of trouble-free driving. This car amazes me. Ive driven it up and down the East Coast from Maine to North Carolina in all kinds of weather, it is NEVER garaged, yet it still looks like new. It has not had a tune-up in 82,000 miles [had platinum plugs put in] but it always starts and still moves like a rocket when I tap the accelerator. Im really planning on getting another 200,000 miles out this car and will be happy to drive it the rest of my life if at all possible. I love my Maxima!

• 

  Great New Style - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By smudges - May 1 - 8:03 pm

  I love the way this SUV handles itself on the road. I find it easy to manuever even at higher speeds. It feels solid and stable. Living MN the 4 wheel drive helps a lot.

• 

  Oh Baby! Sweet Ride! - 2016 Nissan 370Z
  By brenda swan - April 30 - 11:34 am

  The first thing a shopper should know before buying this car, Nissan 370Z Sport Tech is that it is a sports car. Keep that in mind. It is not a huge luxury vehicle with tons of room. It IS a joy to drive. I got the stick shift model. It is a fast, "purty", little thing. I did my homework before I even stepped inside the dealership and would recommend you do the same. I drove 100 miles away to get nearly $7,000 off what the other dealers were selling her for. She only had 19 miles on her when I drove her off the lot. I used Edmunds.com and Truecar.com to get online estimates and made sure the Internet Rep of the dealerships honored their bid. Obviously, this car being a two seater sports car you are not going to have a lot of cargo storage space, but look, I don’t plan on using her to haul baggage. She does pick up alot of road noise via the tires and sitting so low to the ground but if you are listening to the BOSE stereo system or Sirrius XM you learn to love the sound. All in all, I am extremely pleased with this purchase. MPH is about the same as my last car G6, nothing stupendous to write home about. And she uses only premium gas (91) so consider how much you can afford for gas as in California we pay the highest amount for gasoline. By the way, I am a single female, with no minor children. I bought this car, not out of practicality, but because I wanted her. She is gorgeous to look at and people (men especially) stop to tell me so. This car hugs the turns and picks up speed fast. Step aside, boys. This little Red Hotrod is for Girls!

• 

  Excellent Commute Car - But Not for Everyone - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By A Used Leaf Owner - April 30 - 9:58 am

  Great deals for a used Leaf these days. Youll need to consider your driving range. For this car, range is limited. Im getting about 75-80 mile max range depending on the day, though Im too chicken to ever push it to the max. If you have a second car for longer distance travel, this serves as a great commute car. I live in Southern California and charging has never been an issue. Assuming a 50-miles daily commute, youll need to charge 50 miles on a daily basis since you wont deplete the charge fully. This can easily be done overnight at home even with a regular 110V outlet. The car has very little moving parts (no gas engine, no oil, no transmission, no fuel tank, no oil filter, no muffler, no belts). Its basically battery, electric motor, and wheels connected to motor, which makes maintenance very easy. And because of less moving parts, reliability for a used EV, in my opinion, would generally be better than an equivalent gas vehicle. All else equal, I would choose a Leaf over other used gas vehicle provided the range is within your tolerance.

• 

  Most Reliable Vehicle Ever - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Janet Love - April 30 - 6:56 am

  Bought my 2000 Pathfinder in 2001 used w/12K miles. Not one single problem ever. Of course, I do regular oil changes and suggested maintenance. Ive owned Toyotas, Hondas and Chevys. Very comfortable, love the Bose sound system, sunroof. Leather seats still like new.

• 

  Just Bought Dream Car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Big Bear - April 29 - 2:16 am

  I just bought my Altima today and love it. My wife preferred a Camry but she doesnt appreciate the better handling of the Altima like I do. It has a slight vibration at low speeds but the dealership assures me it is the tires having flat spots from sitting in the lot so long. It did seem to get better today as I drove 85 miles. I simply LOVE the car. I am 60 and it is the best all around car I have ever owned - quiet at all speeds, comfortable, very economical (if I can believe the instantaneous mileage readout) and gorgeous. Nissan hit a home run with this one. I got the Jade Green color with Blond interior and love it. The AC is superb and I absolutely LOVE the handling and CVT.