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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  2003 Maxima 6M - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Max Spn - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I boght this vehicle about 2 weeks ago. It was probobly the best decision Ive ever made. Ive got it for 25.6K, fully loaded. The dealer was trying to get rid of it to make room for the 2004s. Its fun to drive. Acceleration is terrific. Ive hit 85 easy without even knowing it. Performance is great the 6 speed manual trans. There is however a slight annoying tap with the engine. Mechanic cant seem to figure out what is making that noise. With the Bose stereo on, I dont even notice it, but it is still in the back of my mind.

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  This SUV is One-Hot-Rod! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By sydsma - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is a blast! I wasnt really seriously looking for a car when I stopped into my local dealer, just browsing.... The salesman suggested I take if for a spin. THAT WAS IT! It was like no other vehicle I have driven. I knew it was as good as sold if I could just get my husband to take it for a test drive. He did, and was sold!!!!

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  The Rocket - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By R3Prod - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Very nice. Runs like a champ and makes us feel like were traveling through space. Handles well in the city. A true gem in the hodge-podge world of SUVs. Wife really likes it.

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  Sexy - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By sydspa - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This is not a typically SUV.

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  Frustrated - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By a12324 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I purchased in 2001, and its been in the shop a total of 9 times so far. It is frustrating to see that a Nissan product be so disappointing. Performance is good; but built quailty is very very poor. Rattles, noises, sensor problems, radio quit, interior unravelled, and suspension replaced. I am going to trade it in for something thats not always in the shop.

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  3 years - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By jb - August 7 - 5:10 am

  After three years and 46,000 miles the van is still doing great inside and out. The Nissan Quest took quite a beating when it came on the scene in 2004 and in some instances rightfully so. However, our 2005 Quest has not missed a beat after three years of fairly heavy use. The van has had only normal maintenance nothing major, ever. Kids still absolutely love the van. Their friends still rate it a "10" and fight over who carpools in it. Four are still bugging their parents to buy a Quest because it is the "coolest van ever" or "the most technologically advanced van" they have ever been in. Van has held up exceptionally well.

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  Loving the Car - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By akt1000 - August 6 - 10:53 pm

  This car is all I was hoping for in a new car. Wanted to have all the luxury and safety features, but wanted them with a good fuel economy of a 4 cylinder engine. The SL package and the Premium Audio package are worth the money.

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  48000 Transmission fail update - 2011 Nissan Maxima
  By Bernard - August 6 - 10:36 pm

  This is a beautiful car but I question the reliability of the CVT transmission. My car has 48000 miles on it, service as recommended no warning whatsoever the transmission failed the factory warranty expired 12-19-2015 the day before the transmission failed . Nissan tried to make me pay for the repair which was $4,500. I had to contact Nissan corporation and go to arbitration to resolve this matter after a time-consuming ordeal they agreed to fix the vehicle. I am Not sure if Im planning on keeping this vehicle the CVT transmission is definitely a flawed design. I wish Nissan would stand behind their products I dont know if I would ever buy another Nissan product moving forward. So Im still driving the vehicle since the new transmission was installed. I have put 5496 miles on the vehicle since install and some days it concerns me. Ill keep you posted.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
  By alex - August 6 - 9:13 pm

  We traded in our 2006 3.5L V6 Nissan Altima, and decided to stay will Nissan as our Altima gave us no problems. So we went to our local dealer and they said that they didnt have any Pathfinders in our color or trim level (SE). So we placed a deposit and the next day we got our Pathfinder. I have to admit, I love this SUV, we took the car on an 800 Mile road trip, the day after we got it. The car drove smoothly and was extremely quiet. Fuel economy is not great, however we are getting more than the EPA estimate. The SUV is great but there are some quality issues with this SUV. The materials feel and look cheap and the dashboard panels are misaligned. Other than that, We love our Pathfinder!

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  I love absolutely love my Pathfinder - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jay - August 6 - 9:10 am

  I read tons of these reviews, on Edmunds, did a lot of research, etc. It seems that most of you people simply have horrible dealerships. Traded in my 05 350z for my Pathy, and Im not one bit sorry. Was looking at the 4runner, but that interior was archaic. The Pathfinder is smooth, has a great leather interior, awesome handling and the rear view cam on the SE is GREAT! 3rd row stays folded down - we dont need it, and its laughable anyhow. We bought the dog-cage divider and rubber mat for the cargo room aftermarket; exceptional car for the money -- we are VERY pleased with it! No tranny prob here (yet!)