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 to own - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Michael - April 19 - 11:53 pm

  Had my Pathfinder for a year now. The cabin is roomier widthwise than the 4- Runner and being a big guy that is why I chose it plus the styling is cooler. Dont know why edmunds said it doesnt handle as well. Great cruiser for long trips. Who cares that the 3rd row is tight for adults, it is either going to be down, or used for kids. If you need to haul 7 adults frequently, buy a van.

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  Nissan Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Matt - April 19 - 6:30 pm

  I bought this car back in December of 07 and I have nothing but good things to say about it. I have always been a fan of Nissans, but this car is "the truth". Due to gas prices I opted for the 2.5s but it still packs plenty of power. The power steering is extremely smooth and the ride is quiet. My friends with Accords and Camrys immediately fall in love after driving the Altima.

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  2003 Nissan Altima - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By RG - April 19 - 2:40 pm

  It has all the bells and whistles- ABS,6 in dash CD changer, moon roof, etc. This is the 3rd Nissan we own. After only owning the car for about 6 months, the car would not start because of vapor lock because it was cold outside. The climate/heat system keeps the front window foggy if the A/C is not on. The front defroster takes a too long to work. If you are stopped at a light and you have the heat on, the air starts blowing cold until you start moving again. The moon roof only has one button to open/close it and it is very cumbersome to close it. When Ive had problems with the car and brought it in for service the dealership can never replicate the problem and is generally unhelpful.

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  Does it all - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By dragon3 - April 19 - 2:33 pm

  I just put my 2000 desert runner to pulling a 3000 lb. trailer, I modified the rear suspension and put in a weight distribution hitch on the ol frontier (w/v6 engine) and it works just fine. Great little truck. Wouldnt hesitate to recommend this truck (w/V6 engine).

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  So Far So GOOD - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Brom - April 19 - 2:10 pm

  I got my Spec V a little to soon so I had the pay the MSRP. Overall I like the way this car drives, the shifter is very nice once you get a hang of it. very fun to drive. the rims are nice but they chip very easly since they are painted rims. For the price and performance you have to give up some thing and I guess nissan was willing to give up workmanship. the paint job is not to good and most of the sentras are not painted under the doors.

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  Mile High Performer - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Jhenz - April 19 - 7:13 am

  Bought Murano SL AWD after testing MDX, XC-90, SRX and Jeep GC. Performance, good mpg, power at elevation (5,000ft+) made for winning combination. MPG = 18.5-20.0(stopngo 30-50mph) and 21.5-24.5(65-75mph) manually calculated. Very comfortable seats for up to five adults. Excellent radio and XM rocks! Ease of entry/exit well designed. Good driving position. No BMW(drove 3-series for 8 yrs) but handles/corners twisties extremely well. AWD is solid in light-deep snow and on ice. Insurance rates quite low. NO problems. Bought platinum/cabernet and get lots of compliments. Little wind noise at highway speeds (65- 75mph+). Very good mountain vehicle on-road and very light off-roading. YES!

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  Seems like a great value so far - 2010 Nissan Versa
  By AnnDrexHill - April 19 - 2:46 am

  This car has worked out great so far, the price was low enough that I was able to afford nice extras inside. Lots of little things are included in the Versa: long sun shade works well for shorter drivers, good interior storage (huge glove box), you sit up high w/good visibility, impressive rear leg room, cool sunglass holder and iPod attachment. Handy radio controls on steering wheel. I held out for the Metallic Blue color because its my favorite. Took another reviewers advice and paid extra for the rear cargo organizer; it makes that deep hatch back well level with the fold-down seats and hides some of your stuff. Gas mileage only so-so.

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  Performance is fine, Lots of Little hiccups add up - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Gayle C. - April 19 - 1:50 am

  Decided on a lease for the first time ever. 2016 Platinum Maximum. Beautiful car. Really good power after the paltry Honda Fit that made me feel like I was going to get run over when entering a highway. Thought I would love it. The young woman who took us through the operation manual seemed to do a fine job and we were really happy with having chosen it over the Avalon. First thing we noticed was that the two USB ports that were a *huge* bonus to have so we could charge two phones at once DONT WORK. Apparently, Nissan only engineered them to charge Apple products, so were SOL with our Nexus 6 phones. They, apparently, didnt know this because they changed out the whole brain only to discover they still didnt work. Thats when they told us they are for iPhones. Who the aitch engineers a car so that only a small segment of buyers can charge their phones? There *is* the cigarette lighter dock inside the console for one phone. Back to charging only one phone. Except. My husband, an electrical engineer, figured out how to make one of the two USB ports work (the other appears to be dead), so we can use the cigarette lighter dock and one USB. And, no, we wont be telling them how he figured it out and, no, it did not involve any rewiring or any physical changes in the car. Furious about this. The Drivers seat settings only adjust periodically and never work if we change drivers using the same key. Push #2 after #1 was driving and nothing happens. Seat stays at #1 setting. Sonar seems to be off now and I cannot find a single mention of sonar, back up camera, or any number of other guesses I made when studying the Owners Manual or the Navigation manual. Additionally, I test drove the car, so did not ride in the passenger seat. Im 54" and it feels as if Im sitting in a hole. I had no idea that the passenger seat did not adjust up and down. Took it for granted that a car of that price would have both seats adjustable. Boy, was I wrong. There is no way in the world that I will ever buy another Nissan no matter how nice this one appears to be. But it was a learning experience, Ill say that.

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  3 months 6000 Miles - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Bekah - April 18 - 7:53 pm

  The Versa is a comfortable ride, it averages at about 30.5 MPG mixed city and highway. I have had it for three months, and just about two weeks ago the engine doesnt start every time I turn the key. This is a bit frustrating since I just bought the car in January. It doesnt handle extremely well and it blows around in the wind a bit. It is extremely roomy, and has a good sound system, and is a nice cruising vehicle. Overall (if this engine starting problem gets straightened out) I love the Versa, it is the first new car I have bought, and the second car I have owned. It is cute, easy to drive, and pretty fuel efficient.

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  So Far So Great! - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By grampa - April 18 - 6:36 pm

  Have only had the car about a week (100 or so miles) but loving it so far. Excellent acceleration, braking, and handling; beautiful exterior and interior design. Will update review as necessary.