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:

• 

  take it easy lauding this car - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By bfb242 - July 19 - 2:00 am

  Lease was up on my 2000 Chrysler 300M and I wanted a manual transmission and could not afford a BMW, so I got the Maxima. Calling this car comfortable is a joke. The suspension is like you are riding on bricks. The cabin room is unacceptable. I guess I should have stuck with more of a luxury car like a Buick, Chrysler or Caddy-even if I had to put up with poor reliability. Oh how I lone to be back in my 300M.

• 

  Cant drive very well over 65 mph - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By tauris2000 - July 16 - 11:26 pm

  I am having trouble driving my 2003 Nissan Murano over 65 mph on the highway. It revs really high and then engine sounds like it is going to explode. It seems like it is already in the highest gear possible and it of course wont shift any higher. I am afraid to take it out of town on longer highway trips because of this. I have an extended warranty but dont know what the problem is or if it would be covered. I have taken it to one Nissan Dealer and one Carmax dealer and neither have been able to diagnose a problem. They also arent allowed to take it out on the highway which seems absurd. Any input would be much appreciated.

• 

  BEWARE!! 10 RECALLS Already! - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By Mindy McNicholas - July 16 - 4:30 pm

  Our experience with Nissan and its main headquarters has been very poor. Our new Quest has been in the shop 17 times since we purchased it in October of 2005. (We own a 2006 Nissan Quest.) The mileage is very poor. It averages 15-18 mpg (half of the driving is highway!). Nissan has yet to fix all of the problems (rattling door, 10 recalls, broken automatic door, drivers seat loose, sound on the radio doesnt work when it rains...etc.) Beware of Nissans new tactic of not keeping parts in stock. This is how they save money. You can wait weeks before a part comes in and you have time to get it serviced. Nissan took the fun out of buying a new vehicle :(

• 

  Dont warranty to be approved. - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By tbeard0902 - July 7 - 10:31 am

  I own a 2010 Nissan Maxima. I took it to Gray Daniels Nissan in Brandon MS for a warranty claim on the driver seat back. The pins on the seat back had broken and thus the back was laying on the rear seat. The claim was denied by the service manager in Aug. 2012 and again in January 2013 and again by Nissan Customer Care. The reason for not approving the warranty was that their was physical damage. However, they agreed there were no tears, scuffs, marks, or scratches of any kind on the seat or seat back. Thus the very reason we came to Nissan was for warranty of the broken pins and the reason we were denied warranty was that the pin were broken. WOW!

• 

  Dont Get a Nissan - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Chyna - July 6 - 5:23 pm

  I would not recommend anyone to buy a Nissan vehicle this is including the pathfinder that I have purchased. The brakes make squealing noise, the vehicle make rattling noise, the back row is so uncomfortable and the worst problem is the air conditioner. I have taken this vehicle on many road trips and has to stop every 2 to 3 hours because the air conditioner would blow out hot air. I took it to the dealer and they told me that they cant fix it. I have two young kids and each time this happened, I would have to stop on the side of the road and let it rest for an 1 or 2 before we can drive it again. This is not safe at all. I will fight with their headquarter to get this fixed!

• 

  Loved, then not so loved. - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By p_c - July 6 - 9:01 am

  We really, really wanted to continue liking our 2011 Quest, but it has gotten to the point that we are selling it before paying it off and getting out of the vehicle before something major (a.k.a. expensive) occurs. Within 1 year, both front doors required the bolts to be re-tightened as they got loose. That is ridiculous as a quality assurance problem from the factory. Within 2.5 years, it required new tires all the way around. 30k miles. Engine starting occasionally sputters, fails to start. It has run rough until warming up as well. Accessory belt is squeaking when humid outside and engine is cold. Engine oil change had metal bits recently, 32k miles. Brake job required, 33k.

• 

  First and Last Nissan - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By No More Nissan - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I was advised not to purchase this vehicle, but bought one anyway. Big mistake. Has been back to dealership six times for repair. Brakes twice, both front windows, door latches, defective tire, and lots of rattles! Definitely doesnt like cold weather. Also, very dissapointed in Nissan, as they are not willing to stand behind their product. Only good thing is the look and the loads of room inside.

• 

  Steerings tough - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By my3cents - July 2 - 12:42 pm

  If youre prone to carpel tunnel or if you have any arthritis in your hands, youll probably want to find a different car. I didnt know I was in either of these categories, but Im finding that driving this car can be real work.

• 

  CVT Failed at 133,608 miles - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By drkirby - July 1 - 6:15 am

  I liked the car and even have recommended it before. I wish I could take all those recommendations back. My car had an initial grinding noise that came from the transmission. After many trips to the dealer and hearing there was no problem, I finally learn there is a software problem and a fix would be forthcoming. I got the patch on 11/30/09, 20 months after buying the car. My transmission failed in heavy highway traffic on 10/20/14. After the patch Nissan extended the warranty on the CVT to 120k miles. Mine failed shortly after that and cost me 1000.00. Seems like Nissan really knew how to pick a cutoff for their extension so as to maximize cost to the customer.

• 

  Junk Car, Stay Away from Nissan. - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Junk - June 30 - 8:36 pm

  Bought Brand new from dealership. Like interior and exterior but quality is bad. Coolant leaks cost $400 and Timing Chain also went bad $1500. A coworker had Frontier pick up also had the same problem. Google on Nissan cars and trucks with V6, it seems like common problem. Never heard timing chain replace before. Had 2004 Corolla with 162,000 miles and still running like brand new. Go with Toyota or Honda and forget nissan.