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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  Happy Altima owner. - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By Ram Zavala - December 30 - 11:50 pm

  I bought this car with 43000 miles on it back in September 01 and have since put in over 100k miles. Other the the usual wear and tear it has been a very reliable vehicle. I have done regular maintenance on it: replaced starter, brakes,alternator etc but otherwise it has been such a good car that I cant seem to part with it.

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  Glad I pulled the trigger - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Cabopapa - December 30 - 10:13 pm

  Bought a new one only in black on tan. Sl awd came with it. Since moved to Az. Truck is outstanding. Ride is firm yet very comfy. Excellent visibility. Ride is best to my 83 944. Averaging 20 mpg city and highway.

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  just bought my 1st sentra - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By sharon - December 30 - 5:31 am

  Ok , so i decided to trade in my 2012 pathfinder ( I know .... smack me ... sigh ) ... for a more affordable vehicle... which is this sentra ... well i can honestly say its nice and comfortable , much leg room ... rides nice ( in town ) ... but taking it on Hwy today.... I felt as though it was all over the road ... didnt grab onto the Hwy as much as i thought it would ... Other then that , seems to be nice .... Maybe i was too used to my heavy pathfinder snugging the roads ... lol

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  Recall and all the known issues - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By usmcjarhead - December 29 - 7:11 am

  Hardy JÂ…in PA. Bought a 2005 Nissan X terra from Sheehy in Glen Burnie, MD. I did research on the XterraÂ’s before I bought the SUV and people were OK with the model and the gas mpg were crappy. I was happy with mine for months thenÂ…..the fuel sending unit went out, had the sensor recalls done, I paid for the front hubs out of my own pocket and nowÂ…..the radiator leaked into the transmission just like Nissan expected. 100Â’s of people texted, wrote, emailed, complained about all the known issues with the xterraÂ’s. All the issues were like text book. Some owner issues were paid under warranty, some paid out of pocket, some had financial help from Nissan Corporate and some bit the bullet and were out of thousands like me. I can not afford to pay for the radiator replacement, new tranny and replace the catalytic converts. Contacted Nissan corp., they said I was way passed the warranty for the tranny and radiator repair. Nissan knew the Xterra had issues with the 2005 to 2007, but they would not recall all the issues. IÂ’ve seen many sites with some pissed off owners because they are left with a lemon. I never knew I would get screwed by a car manufacture. Some owners were in the middle of the road with their families when the tranny died. Its worst than the issues with the Camrys killing people. The Xterra is a nice SUV minus the 2005 to 2007.

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  Very Nice ride - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By T. O - December 26 - 1:10 pm

  Had my Maxima for a year now. Owned a 2000 GLE prior to my 2009. The body style is one of the coolest cars on the road. I get compliments on a weekly basis. Got the sport package, 19 rims, enjoy the XM radio. I had to buy the SV in order to get the XM so with the sport package that put me me up in the $33k range which is a lot for this car. What happened to the wood paneling? Ive seen 97 Maximas with wood grain and my $33k 2009 doesnt have it???? It lacks the true luxury feel without it. Had to replace a fuel pump in first 6 months but other than that the car has been reliable. The trunk is extremely heavy, turning radius is poor but it handles great! Overall I like the car

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  2013 Altima - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By acoustic58 - December 24 - 10:08 pm

  I bought this car based on its high marks for overall quality of past Altimas. the new design is what sold me. I bought the 4 cylinder SL with all the bells and whistles. This car is right on the door step of going back to nissan. It has already had 2 recalls. The next recall will be related to a belt that was put on the first group of Altimas that did not fit which is causing extra noise on acceleration. There is now a high pitch squeal that Nissan knows about coming from the power steering motor that Nissan is calling normal. For $30,000, it is not normal. Anyone that has one of the first 2013s have them check that belt because mine needed to be replaced.

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  Most Who Review For A Living Lose Touch Sometimes - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Rob - December 23 - 7:26 pm

  I read reviews on cars in this category before I went searching and, unlike Edmunds review, most have the Sentra as a near last "resort". I went to a Nissan/Kia dealer and drove a Sentra after being shown one. It was attractive enough and felt comfortable so I drove it and ultimately bought one. I was proud of the deal , but before taking delivery was wondering if I made a mistake given the reviews I read. Now that I have owned it long enough to be objective enough, I can say that I made a good choice, not just because the price. It is not flashy by any stretch but, again, looks good. The compliments I have got on the look (gunmetal with the tinted windows) have been surprising. The interior has really grown on me. For me, it is give and take with net "take". The radio display is not the largest and does not have the best display (with the radio on), but sounds very good (it processes the XM radio signal very, very well). The reverse camera is very clear. The climate control area does not have a fancy layout and that has grown well on me. No having to examine the area to figure out how you want to set it. The drivers display has grown on me, too. The large speedometer and tach are great for driving. The 5" drivers display is a standout. The SV doesnt have all of the functions, but is enough and the color display is pleasing. The gas mileage has been better than I expected. Pretty darn thrifty. It is a slow accelerating car with a small gas tank, but the cost of driving it has neutralized the lack of acceleration. I am a bigger guy and find the seats very comfortable. I found them comfy when I drove it relative to other cars I drove. They are not sport seats, but for me do not need to be. Just nice cloth and really comfy. The one thing that stood out when I drove it and has remained my favorite part of the car is the steering wheel. This is a car I paid a little over $16,000 for and considering the price the steering wheel is of a sport diameter and thickness. The steering and handling are not sporty but the car it rides smoothly. Quiet in the city, quite a bit of road noise on the highway. The Conti tires may be part of the reason. i had them on my previous car and interior noise went down a lot when I got new tires. Overall, my Sentra is quite the nice car to spend my days in. I drive quite a bit. A lot of car magazines rip the car for what it is missing. My perspective is, it deserves kudos for what it does give, quite a bit of passenger room, nice ride, maneuvers well, a feeling of safety, comfortable seats, simple dash and controls (a stately look), great instrumentation, very nice gas mileage and a fantastic steering wheel (the first time I have ever admired the feel of a steering wheel on a car). The ease on the pocket book when buying one is a bonus.

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  My First convertible ! - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Mike - December 23 - 2:56 am

  I did alot of research on this vehicle before purchasing my 350ZR Touring. I really love this car, it fun to drive and cause a stir of excitement wherever I go. It has a solid frame and its well built. Nisann needs to market this car better, they still consider the Maxima their flagship.... This is my daily drive vehicle and I ejoy being behind the wheel with the top down, no better way to enjoy an afternoon drive.

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  Nissan Sentra - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By reviews2 - December 22 - 5:09 am

  The Sentra is a good car Runs well and gets good gas mileage

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  Fourth Nissan car - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By ACORRADO - December 21 - 4:56 pm

  This will be my 4th Nissan car. I have had a Sentra and 2 Altimas and got them all new and now a 2009 Versa! Never had any problems with any of them, general care, tires @ 70,000 miles and old change on a regular basis. My Versa car was purchased for the price and gas prices for driving to work. Its just me and my husband. Versa base model with no extras no power locks,no power windows, etc. I researched all the other types of small cars in this area with about the same conclusion. Versa! 500 miles great car. Design area: No place to put your right arm while driving. Light in car not good for front light for people in the front seat. All in all good car for the price and gas needs.