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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  Major Problems and Nissan Not Helping - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By amandathibault - January 26 - 11:36 pm

  I bought my pathfinder brand new. I put the first miles on this Pathfinder. Within the first few months I noticed that the paint was starting to flake in some areas. Now a year later and fighting with Nissan I have paint missing on 10 panels of the Pathfinder. Also when I went for them to do their so called "paint test" they treated me with disrespect and sexist. I requested to watch while they did this paint test and they pulled paint off my Pathfinder and told me it wasnt enough to qualify for a warranty defect. So I hope Nissan will read this and try to make it right. One other problem I have had is my left turn sign does not turn off once I make the turn.

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  2009 Nissan Altima used purchase. - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Richard Harris - January 26 - 9:53 pm

  Con: Road noise is apparent, especially with front end, nothing loose tho. Biggest Pro is excellent acceleration, plenty of power from 4 cycl engine, 175Horse.

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  Want my 02 SE back - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By wild8willy - January 26 - 3:29 pm

  Had and 02SE that was totalled. Just replaced it with this car. CVT is horrible, sluggish and noisey. Bose radio is rotten compared to my 02. On the positive side, interior materials are great. Care feels heavey and bolated to drive. Steering is numb. Tailpipes are uneven and one stick out further than the other. Trunk is crooked one side is rubbing the bumperskin. There are burrs around the lip of the wheel wells. There is a paint defect in the middle of the roof that looks like Nissan painted over a 2 inch worm. I can not wait to get rid of the car and it has a little over 300 miles on it.

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  Investigate before you by - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By ovi17 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Initially this car was awesome, and it still is with some exceptions. The car is fun to drive but Im having some problems that are giving me a headache. Here are some of the problems: Alignment issues right off the lot, excessive paint chipping on hood and bumper, transmission noise when in neutral. Read the forums before buying.

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  Poor Long-TermReliability, Nice Interior - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By procontrol - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Interior is very nice - roomy and comfortable. Mechanical reliability, however, is poor, relative to other imports Ive owned (Honda, Acura). As you approach and exceed 100k miles, lots of things start to fail on this car and dealer service and parts costs tend to be very high with mediocre service.

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  Not splashy but functionable - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By jrc0302 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  The Quest doesnt turn heads, or zoom,zoom around town. This is my second (1998 GLE) and it has always been reliable. It has enough luxury with the heated leather seats and VCR plus, but the price didnt kill me. For an older couple like us, it provides enough hauling roon ,but with alittle bit of luxury.

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  Best compact car for the money - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By awesome! - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I was shopping for my first car and was looking for Corolla, Civic, Focus, Elantra GT, etc. I bought a 2003 Sentra LE for $14,200 and out the door price was $14,600. Corolla CE basic model with manual windows was invoiced at $14,000! I just passed 1,200 miles break-in period and Im very satisfied with this car. This is a car you want to buy if you want a economical compact car and this car is fun to drive.

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  Love It!!! - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MnMKY - January 26 - 10:00 am

  It has power to boot... Stereo is GREAT!!! DVD player is awesome. Lots of fun to drive!!! Gas economy is low but acceptable... Only aggravating feature is opening the rear hatch... FOB wont do it...

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  The Future Becomes Todays Beautiful Rea - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Ebizdaddy - January 26 - 10:00 am

  It didnt take me long to get this vehicle. I admit I was first impressed by its fresh, unique look when I first saw it in the fall of 2002. But boy, was I even more impressed when I test drove it. My wife was too, and she said that I deserved to have one. I love my wife! Very crisp to handle on the road complemented with a smooth but powerful ride. Acceleration is robust but gentle. I would say has luxurious space for average-sized people.

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  The Murano Rocks! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Aksarben - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Nissan designed an SUV killer with this car. Ive been a truck man all my life, being that Im 6 5" tall. Just traded my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab for a 2003 Murano SL with everything but the Nav system. No other SUV in this price range has the leg and head room the murano has. Absolutely love this car. BOSE stereo system is an absolute must if your into music listening, blows the doors off of my Infinity stereo system I had in my last truck.