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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  My Nissan Stinks!!! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By kram1972 - February 20 - 10:30 am

  I bought my truck new off of the lot. Ran great for about 55k mi then hell broke loose. blower resistor blew ($150), then blower blew ($500), then at 45k mi a ujoints went and another at 59.5k mi. a week later PW on driverside blew, then last week with 64.5k mi i was informed that the motor needs to be replaced but guess what, 6yr-60k mile warranty is over and they wont touch it. oh, the timing chain is stretched to maximum limit and needs to be replaced and amazingly my oil pressure gauge hasnt moved since I bought the truck but i was 2 quarts low when I just had it serviced by Nissan. NEVER NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN!!!!

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  Nissan service - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Paul Jackson - February 20 - 4:26 am

  If you find a problem with a certified car that the dealer refuses to correct, Nissan will not assist the customer to resolve the matter.

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  Noisy Engine - 2014 Nissan Versa
  By rangerblackbat - February 16 - 6:49 pm

  Biggest drawback in this car is the engine. Noisy, buzzy, underpowered. At times hesitated on takeoff. Good MPG at 34 average though. The CVT transmission which took some time to get use to would seemed like it wasnÂ’t sure what (gear) it should be in. The car seems to ride and drive ok. Lots of back seat leg room and big trunk for a small car. Over all the car was okay but not as nice driving of a car as my sisters new Ford Focus with close to the same MPG.

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  I cant stand this car any longer!!! - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By tortured - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Well whenever I try to go up a hill with this car, it goes at about 10 mph, unless I floor it...and in that case, it just makes the car do this weird thing where it feels like its being thrusted by the gear shift. It has a very noticable shift(I have an automatic), and it feels very unstable on the highway. I mean, the car works, but not well, in my opinion.

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  Perfect Teenage car! - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By fm5720 - February 11 - 12:24 am

  This is it. This is the car for any first time drivers. This is the teen car! Nothing too fancy, but it gets you from A to B. The problems though was that I had a crack in the coolant pipe. I have an exhaust leak right now and it drags my rpm down because of it. The driver window is dying and I cant open the trunk with my key. Some rust spots here and there. My belt is making an awful squeaking noise and I think Im going to have to change my alternator soon. In all this car holds up to the abuse of the teenage driver. Great gas mileage, great on highway, easy to negate in almost every tight spot. Its good car but not perfect....unless its for a teenager.

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  Disappointed - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By margie - February 7 - 7:23 pm

  I changed my 2004 Suburban for a 2008 Nissan Armada (LE). My Armada is 6 months old and we are very happy with it. The only thing is that I should have paid more attention to the reviews I had read about the Armada not being stable on the road. If you drive the Armada even at 40 miles the truck loses control. The other day I got very scared because I was doing 60 on the freeway and the pavement is not smooth in some places and I just lost control, the good thing is that I had both hands on the steering wheel. At this point Im very concerned for the safety of my kids. Please test drive on not so smooth pavement!

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  Great gas mileage - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By B. Rivera - February 7 - 11:17 am

  Its a good to and from car and great on gas. Only problem is snow traction and space. Its a good starter car but as your family grows you will need more space. And as for snow it is hard to get started but once you do it drives great.

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  Not a Sports sedan - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By daarrid - February 5 - 10:00 am

  The only good thing about the 2000 Maxima is the engine. Smooth, powerful. The seating position is poor and the handling is also poor. Wind noise is terrible (at highway sppeds)!!!!!!!!!!!!! The gauges are minimal with no oil pressure, etc

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  Beware - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By ldb87 - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Now 18 K-sounds like a 15 year old cab. Worst build quality and materials I have ever seen-radio cant drown out squeaks. Brakes too small for vehicle and wet performance is horrid. Beautiful body and great engine but look elsewhere.

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  Completely Unreliable - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By New Honda Owner - January 31 - 5:53 pm

  We loved the styling and perks of the 2.5SL, and we loved the car for the first 2500 miles. Its been downhill fast from there- the car has been in the shop about 10 times in the first year of ownership. In addition to many smaller issues, we have had the transmission replaced, the exhaust pipes replaced, and the computer reprogrammed three times for a very rough idle. The car rattles like an old chevy truck, and they cant figure out why. Isnt legally a lemon, so we traded it- for a Honda. Will NEVER own another Nissan.