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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  Overall great car... - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By suel99 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new in 1995 and still like it. Very reliable. Replaced tires at 48K. Replaced brakes for the first time at 60K. Easy to drive and park since its not too large.

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  Pretty.....But Noisy Car! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Buzz1957 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  At test drive, we loved the car. Great looking car..hard to beat in its class! On the other hand, the car is very noisy; engine sound is high and road noise is higher! The rear end is light, and the trunk floor and jack bounce around. On a smooth highway, ride is nice, but once you get on the regular roads, you become conscious of the noise and the ride.It takes away from the sound system also. The steering does not feel like you are in real control!

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  Real nice suv - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BIGRON - May 19 - 11:20 pm

  I purchased this vehicle in july of 1999. It has been the most reliable automobile I have ever owned. After breaking it in I changed to Mobil 1 motor oil, got two more MPG and it has been and outstanding dependable SUV. The car has never seen the dealership for any warrantee or recalls. That is how much you can count on this car everyday. Just turn the key and no matter the weather (4X4) your on you way. Now some six years old, these SUVs are great for college students. Offering plenty of room, not bad MPG 18-20, and a strong truck frame & body to protect your young drivers. What would you like to see you student driving? A small Civic or a REAL SOLID TRUCK? Sometimes bigger is better.

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  Awesome Car! - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Todd - May 19 - 5:30 pm

  Proud owner for a little more than a year (24k miles). This car is a great car. Instant engine response and acceleration. Fast car that bites off the line for a non-turbo charged car. Feels extremely secure and no rattles with very little body roll in tight curves. Awesome summer driver but strongly recommend winter tires for winter driving and get ABS brakes/side airbags if you buy this car. Build quality is definitely Nissan and would definitely buy the next model :) Stock radio is above avg at 7 speakers but dont bother with the fosgate package (go aftermarket)..

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  Unique and Capable - 2011 Nissan Juke
  By nicholasr - May 19 - 8:00 am

  I recently traded my 2004 Jeep Liberty in for a silver SV AWD Juke. After 300 miles or so, initial impressions are that the Juke is fun to drive, very capable on icy roads and seems bigger on the inside than it actually is. The ride is smooth for a small car and road noise is minimal. I seem to be averaging 23 mpg right now while using AWD-V most of the time.

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  jimbokoe - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Jim Koehler - May 17 - 8:43 pm

  Write down every option you want on your car,it is easy to forget items like home link mirror, rear bumper protector,etc,this will cost you later. This is a great car for the price,I am happy of my choice

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  Great Family SUV - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By Dallas - May 17 - 6:03 pm

  We purchased our Armada for traveling long distances and off-road. ItÂ’s been one of the best and most comfortable vehicles I have ever owned. We travel from ATL to Denver about 3 times a year and from ATL to Houston TX about 2 times a year and I have had no problems, except for the radio went out at 18K miles. No problems to speak of since. Off-road this is a larger and it has never been stuck. I am one that wants to use the 4X4 aspect of this vehicle so do not think it has not been put to the test. The only thing I would change is the fact the paint gets scratched when rubbing against trees. All in all I think this vehicle suits our family needs to a tee.

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  Titan Exterior Paint - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By jmc - May 17 - 2:26 am

  I like the truck overall, but hate the paint finish. I have experience circles of paint that randomly fall of the vehicle down to the primer. I showed the dealer these circles on the tailgate and they said it was rock chips. How do you get rock chips on a tailgate? When I use touch-up paint it eventually comes off again, so there is something wrong with the prep prior to painting. I had a Sherwin- Williams automotive paint specialist look at these and he agreed that the viods were not due to rock chips. This is a weakness in the vehicle that can hurt resale value.

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  1999 Nissan Sentra GXE - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By Beardel - May 17 - 2:00 am

  I find this car to be very dependable, economical, and fun to drive. However the body style (rear only) is not at all appealing in my opinion.

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  Nissan Maxima the Family Sports Car. - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Luis De la Fuente - May 17 - 2:00 am

  The car is fun to drive. Great exterior look. Husband and Wife are 43years old and are over 280Lbs. and we have the room of a full size car. Handles great. Drove SUV before we got Maxima and do not miss the SUV. Kids like it too. Will pass car on to son in 2 to 3 years.