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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  Too Soon To Tell - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By susan - December 13 - 9:50 pm

  Just a few days of ownership and have mixed feelings. Glad we went with the 4 cyl., power and handling seem fine. Traded a Murano and that car was so much heavier than the Altima along with quieter. Drove on the highway in pouring rain and one would think we were in a tin can. The interior compartments are loud with our belongings rattling around. Even the side door panels feel cheap. Havent found my Bose system to be anything special either. I do love the keyless entry. Love the navigation, much improved from our last one. Gas is too soon to tell, hoping it gets better. Perhaps Ill enjoy it more as I get accustomed to it.

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  2 years later - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By Altima lover - December 12 - 8:33 am

  I bought my 2014 Altima in September, 2013. I heard of all of the horror stories about the 2013 models so I decided to wait. AM I GLAD I DID! This car is amazing and has never let me down. In 2 years and 30.000 miles later, it has taken me to and from work and school, Orlando on multiple occasions (I live in Miami), Georgia, key west, and up to to Illinois. This car excels in long distance trips. The highest I have for a full tank of gas was 615 miles, thats amazing! The ride is always smooth and you cant go wrong with the blue tooth streaming. It can be a little sluggish(especially the 2.4L engine) but put the car into sport mode and it has a little more pick up. (Youre not driving a sport car so dont expect it to take off quickly.) It is a great family car and once you fold the seats down, you can stuff that car full with stuff. (It has helped me and my friends move) I do receive complements on my car all time, especially with it being red. Also you have to love the remote start on those hot summer days. It cools the car right off by the time I get in it. This car is very safe! I have had a number of occasions where people cut right in Front of me and the car will come to a complete stop very fast. (Going under 40 mph of course) Earlier in the year I was involved in a 4 car pile up. My car was number 3 of 4. I have to say I got rear ended fairly hard, and I had the break pedal to the floor but still ended up tapping the car in front of me. When the car that rear ended me backed up, there were only a few minor starches on it! The only problem I did have was the passenger airbag sensor did not work until I took it in to get it repaired. Now no car is perfect so here are some down falls to this car. If you are only driving city, like I do, the gas mileage is terrible. Currently Im averaging 18 mpg. But usually I average 22 mpg in the city. If you barely go anywhere, you can go a full 2 weeks and then some before you have to fill up the car. But if you add a little more driving than usual, a week and a half , maybe. (City only driving) The beige material is cheap and gets dirty all the time. (I clean my car every two weeks and find that I have to do a little extra scrubbing to keep it clean.) My back up camera loves to act up on me. When the car is in reverse, it will start flicker. (As if a cable is loose) I have taken the car into the dealership 4 times and they have replaced both the camera and the radio unit, and it still chooses to act up. However It only does it on occasion now. The steering wheel makes a loud whining noise when you drive at slow speeds. You can only hear it when the music is turned off or if someone is driving my car I can hear it from the outside as well. Also you have to get use to a cvt, it can get loud when you are merging onto the highway. Overall I really like this car and plan on keeping it for years to come. I take it into service when it needs it and I take care of my car. Other than a few imperfections, this is a great car. Its roomy enough so you dont feel squished, the styling is beautiful inside and out, the gas mileage is amazing on road trips, and it hase served me well over two years. This is a car to consider if you are in the market for a sedan.

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  Not Good if in an Accident - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Gloria - December 10 - 12:10 pm

  It was in a little fender bender. No air bags deployed; the car that hit me and my car were only going ten miles an hour but the repairs for my Murano were over $8000. My car was hit on the drivers side on the edge of the bumper. From the outside it looked like only the bumper was damaged, yet the battery encasement holder was pushed into the transmission and a whole new transmission was needed. Am wondering if this was just a fluke, or if these cars are just fragile.

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  Reliable Car - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By tommy mac - December 9 - 7:36 am

  This car was the most reliable car I have ever owned. (I owned a 1990 Civic, 1988 Accord, and a 2000 Odyssey). I really wish I could keep it. I purchased the car over the Civic b/c it was about $2000 less.

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  Not Exactly Happy - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By tejewa - December 9 - 2:00 am

  I was really taken aback when I realized how terrible it handled in snow/icy conditions. It slid and slid, and the ABS made huge sounds but never stopped the car. Never felt safe in snowy/icy weather after that. The fabric on the seats attracts so much dog hair and yet our dogs have never even been in the car. And you cant get the hair out. Twice in a year weve had to take it to the dealership because the memory in the computer system goes out and all the radio settings, clock, etc. have to be re-set.

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  Traded it for $16k - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Scott - December 8 - 12:36 pm

  Owned my Altima for 2 years. Proved to be reliable. I got 26 mpg mixed city/hwy driving (mostly commuting through the city). Like others have said, what I disliked were the seats. Im 65" and I didnt find it comfortable, so I traded it in. I got 16k on my trade for the SL w/leather at 24k mi. Pretty nice car, fun to drive, reliable, not ugly, decent stereo, great transmission, comfortable enough suspension, etc.

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  1998 Sentra GXE been a great car - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By mab - December 8 - 10:50 am

  155,000 miles and Ive only needed to put 4 tires, 4 plugs, oil and gas. It is a great commuter car, tough on the body for really long rides though. Works great for my family of four. No ABS makes it a little tricky on snowy stops. Its been a great car over the its ten years of use... more reliable than my other new vehicle.

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  Great car - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By Dave - December 7 - 9:08 pm

  I bought this vehicle after owning a 2001 chevy blazer for 3 months. I bought it with 20k miles after 4 years it has 100k never gave me a problem. Gas is amazing. I was 18 at the time and it still looks amazing. Great car the only issue i am starting to have is the transmission which according to mechanics it held up great since i have a tendency to torture my car. And they say it can hold up to 60k miles more

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  New Frontier...1 year later - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Bob - December 6 - 10:16 pm

  Overall I am very happy w/this truck. I love the high seating position and powerful engine. The mileage is disappointing for a 6 cylinder, about 14.5 mpg around town, 17-18 on the highway. The turning radius is also too big, bigger than my Chevy Tahoe. The drivers window control switches need to be replaced (under warranty) and a new circuit had to be added to the towing package (at no cost). I feel confident driving this truck in all weather conditions.

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  Great Truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Dirty Sans - December 5 - 4:43 pm

  Great Truck, I own a 2000 Dodge Ram and love my old truck. Nissan did a good job with this truck solid body good looks and a powerful engine. Standard features out class most trucks in its category. Gas mileage is bad but what do you expect with a big engine, if I was worried about gas then I would have bought a little truck.