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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  Altima nears ultimate for my driving needs - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By Tyler Aberle - September 5 - 11:49 pm

  great car, feels solid on the road, surprising performance, very comfortable, good space and comfort for passengers, remarkable gas mileage--hit near 40 mpg on first highway trip after purchase!! only had the car a short time so cannot evaluate repair frequency or a few other "length of ownership" details; my only complaint--I do not like the range of headlight beam in rainy conditions; would definitely purchase again --and will be a standard for future car buys. --Warning: buy from a reputable dealer or carefully explored other --almost got stuck with a badly hacked repair --that looked good on the surface.

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  Best Maxima Ever - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Bruce - September 5 - 11:06 pm

  Absolutely the best Maxima Nissan has built! I have owned 10 Nissan/Datsuns, this being the 4th Max and I love it. Its got luxury, sport, speed, handling and style. I could afford the higher end nameplates (I looked at a Jag S- type & E-class Benz), but choose to stick with the Maxima. Not only did I save a little money, but in my opinion, got a better car. I will continue to buy Nissan (maybe Infiniti, too) for many years. I recommend Nissan to anyone who is in the market for a new or used vehicle.

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  Great Little Car - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Dave Thomas - September 5 - 6:46 am

  Im an Insurance appraiser, covering East Texas, Waco and Houston areas, so I run a lot of miles. For my purposes, my Special Edition Sentra fits the bill very well. Im 61", it could use a tad more leg room. Fuel economy has been in the 31 to 33 mpg range. At 51,450 miles, Im still on the original rubber. I only hope this little car will see 300,000 miles.

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  It has been through it all - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By dt22191 - September 5 - 2:26 am

  Okay so I purchased this car when I got a job as a client manager. This required me to drive the vehicle roughly 200-300 miles per day. That lasted for one year. I was expecting with a vehicle this old, to have to put some money back into it in the form of repairs...but with just over 200k miles (25,000 of which is mine) the only problem I have had to repair was a broken starter. It has an oil leak but nothing that is not impossible to live with. I love this car and it has been incredibly reliable.

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  Uber-econobox - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By Nissan believer - September 4 - 7:23 am

  Bought it new and have used it in many roles including commuter, truck and family transport. Have driven it hard with very little problems (clutch, alternator, O2 sensor) and now have 200,000 miles on it. Has plenty of zip with a 5-speed and still gets 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Ive tried to get rid of it before but just cant part with it as it continues to provide outstanding service.

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  High Price, all-electric - 2012 Nissan Leaf
  By east_coast - September 3 - 3:14 pm

  I bought a Nissan Leaf SL and this review tells the pros and cons. The dealer, Koon’s Nissan in Virginia, would not disclose the costs. Here they are: Standard MSRP = $38,100. Processing fee = $499. Tax = $1,157.97. Filing Fee $10. Business License tax = $72.40. Plates = $105.50. Total Price = $39,944.88, not including floor mats. Honestly, you have to pay an extra $175 for floor mats. The Federal E.Car subsidy of up to $7,500 will come in April (tax return) if you buy or is taken off immediately if you lease. I regret waiting 16 months to pay way too much for all-electric. It seems worth about $20-22k. Other than the price, Nissan proprietary GPS, and no floor mats, it is fun to drive.

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  Love it! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By TJ - September 3 - 3:06 pm

  Love everything about the car! The CVT takes some getting used to but is very fuel efficient while surprisingly powerful for the mpg.

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  Front end noise - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By cjenk - September 3 - 11:00 am

  Overall, tne maxima is the best car since I traded in the 06 Altima SE. Quality of the car is a plus.

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  40 Thousand and going - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By SEChpman - September 3 - 8:30 am

  Use this car as my get to work car( 60 miles) and tight parking car. Have a Nissan Quest also. Have driven this car hard, and at 40,000 miles it is going great. I got it at a good price, just like my other Nissan. This car is designed to be left alone( except for fluid changes) for a long time. Oh, and if you lose a hubcap it will cost you over 60 dollars ( rip)!

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  This car is GREAT! - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By ES - September 3 - 4:10 am

  The 2009 Nissan 1.8 SL Hatchback was not even in my radar when I started doing my research for a new car. 48 hours after test driving one, though, I ordered it with all the available packages. This car is very fun to drive and has enough zip to not disappoint. CVT makes the ride so much smoother and quieter than the 2009 Honda Fit (I test drove both cars back to back on the same day). Edmunds.com may think its a plain car, but I love it. Nothing complicated; just sound Nissan engineering.