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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  3 years later.... - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Sherryll - October 12 - 9:33 am

  So now that the 2003 models have some serious mileage on them, I am curious how many of them had transmission issues... At 68,000 we had to replace ours and 30,000 miles later, the transfer case had to be replaced. Got past the minor annoyances (poorly placed rear cup holders, buttons on rear view mirror should be lit) early on but the transmission issue is a problem.

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  best car ever - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By claudia - October 12 - 12:13 am

  I love this car ,its roomy thats one of the things i love about it plenty of space the interior looks realy nice and because its the spcial editionit has crome and ctrls on the steering wheel, elegant look (mine is black with tinted windows)and sporty in the same time,fuel eficient 27.2 in the city wich is good for a sedan at this size and that offers such a comfort,the engine and brakes respond very good i just love it what can i say and i dont have any problems whatsoever, I enjoy driving this car

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  not a bad car - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By j - October 11 - 11:06 pm

  a great little car that gets great gas mileage . a lot of road noise but what do you expect from an econo suv. we would buy it again

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  Most reliable car with great mpg - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By brianarm - October 11 - 6:44 pm

  I bought my altima new for under 20K. I now have 50K miles on it and have had only 1 issue. The bolt holding the alternator broke, the fix cost me $75 because the threads were stripped. I am still on my original tires though I do need to replace the fronts now. I calculate actual gas mileage myself and average 28 mpg in mainly city driving. So I go about 560 miles between fill ups (sweet). Car is plenty quick enough and was a lot faster than accord or camry (which I test drove). CVT is smooth and zero probs. Im also 61 and have no problem with headroom or entry exit of vehicle. Theres a reason this car is such a great seller, its an auto mechanics enemy.....

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  Murano Mistake - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Gary Ehnes - October 11 - 1:35 pm

  Tires cost double to replace and wear out twice as fast Engine blew up at 52,000 miles while regularly maintained Ride is bumpy due to giant skinny tires Zero help from Nissan

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  This car is Awesome - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By Nic - October 11 - 12:16 pm

  I love this car because I was hit by a Ford Taurus and it was smashed to pieces (which is saying something about that car...), but my good ol Maxima was barely even scratched. I also like the power in my V6 engine. It makes it fun to drive and also gives me an edge on other guys at my school who spends countless hours and tons of money making their cars better. It feels good to just get out there and floor the car just the way i bought it and end up being just as fast and most of the time even faster than the people around me... Its an awesome car and so far, I havent had any problems...**knock on wood**

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  Safety Proven - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By karan - October 11 - 7:20 am

  I hit a deer two nights ago going 65 MPH. I did not see the deer until I actually hit it. The hood did fly up over the windshield as I hit the deer dead center of the front of the car. Car is probably totaled since its three years old but I wasnt hurt and the car didnt crumple. I was able to maintain my lane (skid marks are perfectly straight) and drive to the next driveway to call the authorities. I will buy another one.

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  basic work truck - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By dm - October 11 - 6:26 am

  Havent had it long, but quality lives up to my expectations. Its great looking and fun to drive. Gas mileage is not great, but better than most trucks its size.

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  Like it - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By tata201037 - October 10 - 7:06 pm

  I love my Sentra, I got it for my 16th birthday. It gets great gas mileage, about 35 mpg, when on empty it only takes $25 to fill it up. It has pretty good get up and go for a four cylinder, faster than a honda civic off the go. The seats are kinda stiff but other than that its a nice interior. It has power everything, and even keyless remote entry. There pretty nice cars for their year. I personally like it better than its Toyota or honda competitors. Fun cars to play with and customize. One thing i dont like about it is that its not very safe, no ABS, no side-compact airbags, very light design, and poor stability on the road. Great car, fast for what it is, and attractive for what it is.

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  Is It a Good One? - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jaredsalinger - October 10 - 4:50 pm

  Recently, Nissan mailed me a warranty extensions on the radiator, because it might fail and leak coolant. Some 2005 Pathfinder owners have had the radiator fail, causing coolant to leak into the transmission and ruin it. I contacted my Nissan dealerships (2 in my area), and they tell me that there is no fix, and that the radiator has to fail before they can replace it. Really, Nissan?! Well then, Im sorry, but I cannot support an automaker who engages in such practices. Ironically, my Pathfinder has been a great vehicle. So now, Im left wondering if I got a good one, or if its just a ticking time bomb.