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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  Great second car. Poor Gas mileage - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Illuminati - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. Bad gas mileage, but which SUV isnt. Mechanical quality is superior. Very reliable, easy to maintain. Will last. No problems. Great price for a reliable SUV

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  One of the bad ones!!! - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By kasey2586 - October 4 - 1:03 pm

  This car supposedly has tons of wonderful reputations. I got stuck with major expensive internal motor work needed. It does have a lot of power and has never left me stranded. These cars can blow the Hondas off the road with the power it has!! It has an engine miss, and the unusual thing about this problem is, it comes and goes! Its had a rough idle, stumbling and bucking. But these symptoms last occurred about 1 month ago and has been a smooth, beautiful ride ever since!! One mechanic told me since it was running on five cylinders, its got bad valves. It also hisses and I know thats in need of an EGR valve. Yes, the check engine light and needs an anti-knock sensor! Not cheap!

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  SE-R Spec V - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By hafbond - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Pros. Great performance. Decent gas mileage. Smooth engine. Great Seats. Decent Stereo. Cons. Poor dealership. Poor paint. Semi-sloppy shifter.

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  Great Point A to B car - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By versalove - October 1 - 3:20 am

  Did tons of research on compacts out today. All have pros and cons. Most important in the end was safety ratings then price. The Versa fit my bill the best and is a really nice ride for the money. Unfortunately the car only came with automatic tranny, AC and floormats as options, but dealer hooked me up with splash guards. As for the lack of radio I just went on ebay and got a factory versa radio for 50 buck. Car then was complete and I was totally happy. Interior is VERY roomy and comfortable. Power from engine is zippy, but can be very buzzy when acelerating hard. Seen 28 to 40 mpgs so car is great fuel saver. Automatic tranny is not the smoothest Ive driven.

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  very new SUV, 1st prob. - 2007 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bliss - September 30 - 1:10 am

  My brand new 48 miles drive off the lot SUV 07. Not much of probs to report (as of yet), but so far, 6 CD changer is so broke, no ejection, no music, doing nothing, just stuck after the 3rd week. Both front windows went nuts and rolled down by themselves while the key is off the vehicle. That was very haunting. Engine is really loud as a racing car. If you hate racing cars, dont buy Pathfinder. If fuel price is a big deal for you, dont buy Pathfinder. It will haunt the daylight out of you. Very masculine SUV, best suit for guy drivers (saw lots of gal driving em though.)

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  Great but............ - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Love the looks - September 30 - 12:20 am

  I enjoy driving this truck ( I do mean truck because this vehicle rides nothing like the Tahoe we owned just before purchasing the Armada) Additionally, Nissan needs to pay attention to the details like brakes that squeak, DVD rattles, and tail gates that fail to operate correctly. Besides that the vehicle has performed well.

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  A great car at almost 100k miles - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By js1 - September 29 - 10:06 am

  We bought our Maxima when it was 3 years old. It has been near flawless ever since. Just had to replace a starter at 95k miles. The exterior is holding up very well. Good original paint still shines. The interior is also in excellent condition. No cracking or breaking on any of the plastic pieces. The engine is quite and smooth, even more so than many 4 cylinder engines. The only complaint is a very light steering feel and too much body roll in the corners. The rear suspension should be independent. Nissan tried to compromise comfort and sport.

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  Hate to See It Go - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By mleinnyc - September 29 - 6:43 am

  We are so sad to part with our Sentra. (We have to get a bigger car for kids and cant afford to insure two.) I bought it with 30K miles as a salvage and now have 100K on it. The only issue I ever had w/ the engine was fixed for free as a recall. Ive replaced a few belts and the brake pads. This car has been 100% reliable. Weve driven it, literally, across the country. Im not into flashy cars, dont care about how "fun" they are to drive. My main concern has always been the bottom line. I really appreciate being able to rely on this car and that Ive never had to spend a lot on it. Love this car!

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  Still sweet after 42months - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Jo Co Max - September 27 - 10:00 am

  I have a 2000 SE Auto and with 43,000 miles after 42 months, car still strong, engine still sweet! This is truly a 4 door sports car. Performance is better than a lot of "sports cars" Ive driven. There is nothing finer than to be cruising down the interstate at 80 MPH, punching the gas, and feeling the acceleration. The engine does run out of breath at about 95 MPH, but that is a small complaint. (I shouldnt be going that fast anyway!)

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  Spec V - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By TribeFanSG - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive had no problems with this car. It run like a bat outta hell. Torque steer can be a little dicey.