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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  5k miles & lovin every minute!! - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By dbn8r - July 15 - 4:46 am

  Got my new Murano in April, and just rolled over 5,000 miles! First tank of gas yielded 18 mpg, and Im currently getting 24-25 mpg (half city/half hwy). Not overly conscious of my driving habits, so a little attention could possibly yield even better mpg. Just hit my thirties and was time to move on from my sports car- after a little separation anxiety have never looked back! =D I found the quickness & agility a pleasant surprise over older muranos, and the comfort/mileage/value beat out the Mazda CX-7 & Infiniti FX-35. Its rugged enough to get to construction sites for my job, roomy enough for our two dogs, stylish for a night on the town. Love everything about this car!

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  Glad I made the switch to the Nissan - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By fighterpilot - July 14 - 6:40 pm

  After owning a 96 4x4 Ranger for 207K miles I was ready for something new. Had been looking at the Frontier for some time and finally bought. Glad I did. I opted for the 4.0L V6 with a 6 speed manual as the automatic proved to be quite a dog upon acceleration. Im 3500 miles in and gas mileage is running about 20-21 when running the AC.

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  Avoid like the plague! - 2014 Nissan Sentra
  By 1angryconsumer - July 14 - 12:33 pm

  I purchased this car about 3 months ago. When I test drove it I didnt notice anything unusual. But after about a week of driving I noticed the car starts to "shudder" when slowing down to a stop or creeping in traffic. Every day, every time. It will keep it up until you either stop or accelerate. The CVT operates at two levels for 2014, basically Low and Drive. Its not dropping out of Drive to Low, causing terrible shuddering in the CVT. Nissan calls it "Juttering." So its a known issue! Ive been to the dealer 3X. Nissan Corporate Consumer and Regional Techs have been involved and say its "normal." Really? Thats BS, inexcusable and very poor engineering. This CVT is a disaster! AVOID

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  My Sentra - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By erehdogmai - July 14 - 7:23 am

  I love my Sentra! Ive owned Nissans all of my life and am impressed with the quality & features of this Sentra. its a true player in the small car market. I would highly recommend this car to anyone!

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  The Ultimate In Altima - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Specialty RN - July 14 - 7:16 am

  Went looking for a black Altima 3.5 SE that was loaded, but left with only the 3rd SE-R this dealership had that year. Ive got the only one in town like it. It is soooo classy yet soooo fun to drive, excellent performance, stylish, comfortable, sporty and quality built. Its everything you want in a car and all in one great package. The Honda Accord cant match its comfort or ride and the Toyota Camry cant match its style or quality. I get looks everywhere I go, because it is definately an eye catcher. I did it right this time. One classy unique car for one classy unique lady...ME !!

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  Many small opportunities to rise above the rest - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Peter - July 14 - 1:16 am

  Ive owned my Altima for a little over 2 years now. PROS: Good engine response and pedal feel. This car drives much better than its Toyota and Honda competitors. This car feels spacious and definitely has more comfort room than many other competitors such as the Chrysler 200. Fuel Economy is pretty good. CONS: Upholstery does not come in black, so it wont match a black interior option. There seems to be some unintended ventilation in the foot well when air flow is directed to the windshield. There is some BSR (Buzz, squeak, rattle) from the bracket housing the speaker(s) behind the rear seats during bass-heavy music. Headlamps are adequate but could be improved for better luminosity. There is some wind/road/transmission noise when on the highway which can get annoying - can be drowned out with music but we shouldnt have to do that. The Navigation system could use improvements with the interface and operation - When a turn is coming up, a lane suggestion would help so we know which lane to turn in. Also with Navigation, give a heads up on 2 incoming turns instead of just the immediate one, and let drivers zoom out on the map when getting close to a turn (Currently, the navigation goes into zoomed-in screen showing the turn - which helps - but wont let you look at the map until the turn is complete). Lastly, I got the underbody lights option for the car (lights up the ground next to the doors so you can see where youre stepping during night) - These need a more robust method of attachment to the vehicle. Salt from winter roads makes these loose and non-functional. OVERALL = This model is very capable in performing as a vehicle but it could use some help with noise cancellation and elimination of BSR. I think the CONS for this car are small improvements that NISSAN should be able to easily capture. If they can address these issues, then I think the Altima will be superior to all its price-bracket competitors in the sedan segment.

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  I love it - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Polak - July 13 - 6:53 pm

  i drove the 2007 camry, accord, civic and altima 2.5 S. the camry wasnt as comfortable as my sisters 2003 Camry and was weak on performance. the civic and accord were not that great for the price. for all the options you get and the performance, the altima was the best buy for me. the altima has more hp, really good fuel mileage for its class, its extremely comfortable and has a smooth-silent ride. ive driven it over 50 miles and i love it. I purchased the convenience plus package with some other random upgrades and i received a remarkable deal. i really recommend the 07 2.5 S altima.

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  95 Nissan pathfinder SE - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By truck hunter - July 13 - 1:36 pm

  I bought this truck in really rough condition as my first vehicle. The exhaust leaks, the frame is rusted, the suspension is shot. But this has to be the most reliable vehicle ive ever seen! in -10 degree weather it would start right up, and plow through 3 foot snow banks in 4WD L like they werent even there. Ive never had a problem getting it started, or getting it out of rough conditions. I even used it to tow my dads huge Dodge ram 1500 back when his tranny blew. I really love my "screaming metal death trap" as I call it. weather going 65 down the highway or crawling through snow and mud, this truck gets the job done!

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  Great car! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By YAHOO USER - July 13 - 1:26 pm

  My altima is very fast! I use it for fun and for commuting. If my husband and i ever have children, there is plenty of room! I dont plan on selling this car ever! I love how fast it is and how smooth the ride is. I will definitely get another one like it if this one ever breaks or god forebid it gets hit. I love the navigation system, the bose system, and all of the power accessories.

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  great for us - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By dbarbour - July 13 - 9:10 am

  This van has been great. Millage is good (21 city - 28 hwy), We now have 210,000 and have had very few repairs considering its age. Mostly routine repairs. I love driving this van, it is very comfortable, handles well and acceleration is great! I live in a northern state and it handles winter driving well even with only FWD and all season tires. However, I hate backing it up as visiblity is lousy.