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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  good car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By christ - October 22 - 10:00 am

  nice car, good motor, good stability

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  Dr. Nismos Maxima - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Pete1234 - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Love the car, 2003 Titanium edition Maxima SE. Fast, handles decent. Real power isnt until 3-5k RPM. Car has some much torque its an upper body workout. Only 1 problem, my left front Bose speaker keeps going in and out, dealer said they will replace it. Also Bose Subwoofer is distorted. Dealer said there is a "bulletin" out about this problem and can be fixed in a few hours. Apparently there add some foam or something. Not happy w/ the Bose. The 6 CD in dash works fine, speakers sound like Kmart audio. Car is nice and big inside. Dash is a little weird, the clock is deep into the windshield. The SE handles like a shopping cart over bumps.

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  lumpy, bumpy - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Bose - October 21 - 12:10 pm

  Very nice car. Fun to drive on the smooth road. i like the Bose stereo.

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  Very fun car. Reliability can be so-so though. - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By ace340 - October 20 - 10:06 pm

  I purchased this car used in 2009. I have the 3.5 SE trim with pretty much all available addons. This car is very fast and handles extremely well, its a slick car. Good interior too, although getting a little dated in 2014. Unfortunately my reliability has been so-so and Ive had to shell out some expensive repairs. Timing chain, Two O2 sensors, Crankshaft positioning sensor, Catalytic converter (OUCH!). I have 86k miles too, mostly freeway driving. When this car is up and running its a blast to drive, but reliability can be really spotty sometimes. The car does rattle sometimes too when driving, but nothing too alarming with the music on.

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  Nice & Slow - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Ben - October 19 - 10:56 pm

  Great truck, nice looking, great mpg, very slow. I have an auto with 63,000. Something squeaks when i go over bumps.

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  Its an "OK" SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Piggy - October 19 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle used. The cd player stopped working after 6 mos. The dealer wants to charge $500 for a new player. The drive is smooth, only on a smooth road; otherwise, when we hit a bump it feels like im about to be thrown out of the vehicle. Passenger leg-room is limited. Very convient to have the radio controls on the steering wheel, bcuz the radio is hard to reach while driving. Good cargo space when the seats are folded down. The SUV is very durable, and stylish.

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  My Speed Machine - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By cdmoore04 - October 19 - 10:00 am

  The titan by far is superior in size, power and room when you campare it to similar trucks and sport cars. I love everthing about the vehicle but I had to get use to using roll up windows and making sure the doors are locked (XEs do not come with power windows and door locks and I did not want to get carried away with options). The best part about this vehicle is its power and some people think the vehicle is so expensive from the looks. I was able to upgrade from my 99 Sentra to this beast for $48 dollars more a month ($328 over invoice and 2% financing helps alot). But with gas so dang high I can not travel freely without thinking about that low MPG.

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  Avoid the 05 at all cost - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By victorbravo - October 19 - 6:51 am

  I looked at 4 05 zs at 4 dealerships. They all had a tear about 6 inches on the driver side. I figured I could just tape it for now and get a new top in about a year. I also used it as a negotiating tool. 10 months of owner ship and the tear grew to over a foot. I sewed it but two other rips appeared in the back a few months ago and continue to grow. Professional replacement $2000 The worst is the oil issue. I have to either oil change every 1100 miles or add another 5 quarters to get by to 3000. It appears oil is getting into two of the cylinders. It destroyed two spark plugs. If you car blows out heavy smoke when you crank it dont buy. Nissan does not back up their products.

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  More $$ than I had anticipated - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By vampmom - October 19 - 4:43 am

  This is the 3rd Nissan I have owned - the 1st one bought brand new. So far, I had to replace tires and brakes at 30,000 miles; drivers side sliding door latch literally fell apart (warranty); engine mounting bolts (!!!) fell out (warranty). One week after the 3-year mfg wty expired, my battery had to be replaced, the rear sonar sensor failed/not able to be reset, and one of the rear wing window closing assembly fell apart. Also, during cold weather, the sliding door cannot be opened. Rear trunk hatch does not latch well. Creaky/clicking sounds from the front end. I am grateful I bought the extended warranty - looks like it will be used a lot. When kids are big, Im buying another Sentra.

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  Rock Solid - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By zoomer - October 18 - 6:16 pm

  No unplanned maintenance. NONE. I have 30K miles on it and still on original tires and brakes. I cant over-emphasize how reliable this car has been. Engine power is excellent, but too much for the tires and suspension of the SL. So easy to spin tires and the body lean is a bit much under hard cornering. I was hoping for a cross between prior cars 350Z and Lexus GS300, and maybe shouldve got a MaxSE.