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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  a little ratle nose from window - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By kim sung - January 20 - 10:00 am

  maxima is a great car, but when it hit a pot hole the shock too stiff and side window make a little nose,the speed is great,when travel out state is great on high way, but in the city the shock too stiff,the side mirro too small,

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  Good little car - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Altima owner x 4 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  The car has been excellent. This is our 4th Altima, starting w/a 1993. The Automatic transmission is not as enjoyable as my 99 SE limited, with Manual, but its easier to drive in traffic. (We have 2 Altimas.) The Dealer has always been excellent, with the exception of high pressure sales. Good and concientious service always provided at dealer price, (of course.)

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  Not for 3+ kids - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kim - January 20 - 9:33 am

  When my husband and I first bought this we only had 2 kids, then came #3. First of all, I cannot fit all 3 of their carseats in the middle seat, I have to put my oldest in the back seat which means she has to step on the middle seat to get in the back because thats the only access because the other 2 car seats are in the middle, also the seats are extremely uncomfortable, after Ive been driving for about 40 minutes I notice just how uncomfortable

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  Performance and some quality - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Steve - January 19 - 11:03 pm

  Bought it w/29,000 miles in excellent condition. At 70,000 miles had to replace the trans. (throw/out bearings grs. 1&2), as w/ a previous maxima. gone though 3 alternators, and entire cooling system. Bose/Clarion radio died. Body, interior and engine held up well. pwr seat does not adjust anymore, little bits of trim cracked and broke - not through abuse or neglect.

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  Nice vehicle - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Dan - January 19 - 8:03 pm

  A lot of fun to drive. Enjoy the height on the road. Nice acceleration in difficult situations.

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  2006 NISSAN ALTIMA LE - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Nancy - January 18 - 1:06 pm

  The Nissan is a beautiful ride, what sold us was the strong pickup for a 4 cylinder. We wanted something that was stylish, comfortable, affordable, and with good gas mileage. So far, we are thrilled with our purchase. We were reluctant to buy a foreign car but we soon discovered that the car is actually built right here in the USA! I also would recommend the dealership where we purchased, Campbell Nissan in Edmonds.

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  Not so fast Nissan - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By _impeachbo - January 18 - 11:52 am

  This 1996 Altima GXE was driven by an older lady on her less than frequent trips around Denver. It was bought at fair market price or so I thought. It was gone over by a mechanic prior to purchase, who confirmed the motor mounts were shot, so I took that at face value. Later, the automatic trans seized up, and it became quite apparent from my research that many of these transmissions have a flaw in the valve body design. So fine, if your has not been replaced it will eventually weaken in this crucial area. I am in the process of replacing this transmission, and will need to buy at lease one half shaft with cv joint.

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  I absolutely love this Pathfinder - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MBro - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I just bought this 2000 LE from my Aunt, Ive been loving every second of it. This vehicle has plenty of storage, versatility, and luxury features. Its loaded with everything they had at that time. Even with 153,000 miles it still sounds brand new, and no one believes me when I tell them that it has that many miles.

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  Huge disappointment - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Robert - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought it with 87,000 miles and did all the due diligence with a weekend test drive, private mechanic checkout and carfax. Vehicle was a 1-owner trade and exceptionally clean. Nothing but a disappointment. Cat converters, O2 sensor issues, mass air flow, tie rod ends and wheel bearings were replaced a year later. CD changer doesnt work, bad o-ring oil seals, overheats in hot weather due to an air pocket in the cooling system the dealer couldnt even clear out, windows move slowly, transmission slips in cold weather. Looks like the exhaust resonator I put on is its 3rd one. Fan amplifier control module burned out. Left side sits a bit low so I suspect a bad strut.

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  Not happy - 2008 Nissan Frontier
  By NOT HAPPY - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Nice truck but the dash vents awful! I cant get comfortable in this thing! You cant get the air off your face makes eys burn! ! Also when driving on highway and getting to a town you have to turn up fan speed to stay cool! Temperatures are not consistent ! Also on my old Chevy you can blend air between top vents and floor! The Nissan is very limited with what you can do with the ac system !