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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  Not A Reliable Family or Traveling Vehicle! - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Cristy Bramhall - January 31 - 5:18 pm

  I should have listened to the reviews and my husbands gut feeling. I had previously purchased a 2007 Pontiac G6 from Economy Nissan in Durango, Colorado. Several months after I purchased it the brakes needed to be replaced. Shorly after that the 2007 Pontiac G6 stopped running. Found out it was an O2 Sensor and another issue that Nissan would not fix and stated I would have to go to a dealership that works on Pontiacs. Thank goodness it was under Federal Warranty and I didnt have to pay for the issues that needed to be fixed. After a year or so the vehicle started wobbling. Come to find out three of the rims were bent. I have no idea how. And again they would not fix. Then there were several recalls and I chose to trade it in for another vehicle. Against my better judgement I went back to Economy Nissan and ended up trading it for a 2012 Nissan Rogue. I am paying way more for the vehicle than its worth for starters. Three months after I purchased the vehicle my family and I were going to Silverton, Colorado for the fourth of July. While going up Coal Bank pass as soon as I hit 10,000 ft elevation I started losing power. With the gas pedal all the way to the floor I barely made it to the halfway point to where my husband had to take off the battery terminal to reset the engine and all the settings. We proceeded to our destination after replacing the battery terminals and the power was restored where we chose to camp and then were going to go into Silverton to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately, the Rogue would not start. It wouldnt turn over at all. We missed watching the fireworks and ended up waiting til the next day to walk to where we had cell service to call a tow truck to come from Durango. Needless to say it was very frustrating and we had the vehicle dropped off at Economy Nissan to be looked at the following day (Monday). They ran a diagnosis and told us the battery was running half charged. So they fully charged it. We feel this was not the problem at all and they were covering up for a problem they didnt want to fix because the Rogue was 5,000 miles out of warranty. After this event the vehicle lost power a couple of times crossing the highway at about 6,500 ft elevation. Economy Nissan said they could not find the cause for this. On July 4th, 2016, going to Silverton, Colorado in the same place the Rogue lost power going up Coal Bank Pass and would not go past the halfway point. It wouldnt even move in reverse out of the parking lot. I had to push the Rogue backward to get it starting down hill the way we came. The gas pedal was once again to the floor as it was coming up the hill. I made a service appointment for July 11, 2016 for a diagnosis. The results were the module in the transmission was going bad. I was told in not so many words that the whole transmission would need to be replaced for $4,000 for the transmission who knows how much for the labor, etc. And that because it was passed the warranty mileage Nissan wouldnt cover it. So I contacted Consumer Affairs and pleaded my case. After they spoke with Nissan the review was they could not help me because the Rogue is out of warranty. So now, I am stuck with a car that isnt worth what I am paying. Not by half and I feel Nissan knew about this problem. There are many, many bad reviews and Nissan refuses to fix this problem with Nissan. What if the Rogue loses power when crossing a major intersection and I have no control over the steering and I am hit with my grandkids in the car? Obviously, Nissan doesnt care because all they could say is "Im sorry, I know its frustrating. I wished we could help you further." So, with all that being said, DO NOT BUY A NISSAN ROGUE OR ANYTHING FROM ECONOMY NISSAN OF DURANGO, COLORADO !!!

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  Thump - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By ku - January 29 - 7:56 pm

  When taking off from a full stop, there is a noticeable "thump" in this truck. Its almost like the rear end is going to fall out. Internet searches show other Frontier owners have reported the same problem. Internet forums say its axle warp and that a helper spring can fix the condition. Dealer service dept says nothing is wrong. Tired of bringing it back and having nothing done. Arm rest is too short too. Not a good experience with this truck. Had it two months and will be getting rid of it very soon via trade for a more dependable vehicle.

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  Run away - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By kenneth20 - January 27 - 4:36 pm

  So far after 2 months and 1600miles... Cracked valve cover dumped oil all over our driveway. On a mountain road shifting into low did nothing, the mechanic at the dealership verified the problem, but Nissans official response is that this is the way the CVT works and thats it. On that problem and response alone we are trying to get our money back. Now we are experiencing the "Jutter" problem everyone else has been complaining about.

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  Transmission Issues - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By P brown - January 22 - 1:32 am

  I brought this car brand new in 2006. Around 40,000 miles the transmission started to slip. I called the dealership and of course they said there are no issues with the transmission, this is the first time weve heard of this, yeah right. Called 1-800-Nissan but they werent any help either. I had all my service records but I just didnt get the car serviced at the dealership so they said there was nothing they could do since the dealership didnt service the car. 82000 miles in rush hour traffic the transmission goes completely out. The car was towed to the dealership who gave me a discount and put in a new transmission for $3,200.

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  The good, the bad, and the indifferent - 2016 Nissan Versa
  By Catherine Graham - January 19 - 4:25 pm

  The CVT tranny takes its time getting up to speed, so if you need to get on the freeway take a sedative to retain your composure. The dealership tacked on stuff from outer space that the sales guy has still not explained to me after the sale (Nissan of Vacaville). They were supposed to make some additions, but after almost a month, Ive had to contact them a few times and they tell me every time that they will get back to me. RIGHT!!! The versa gets great gas mileage and handles the turns really well. While there is plenty of cargo space in the trunk, the glove box is a giant black hole, and there is no console. There are cup holders crammed in the center and the doors, but if you get anything larger than a small beverage youll have trouble getting at them.

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  Wont recommend this car to anyone - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By costa - January 19 - 7:40 am

  After 3 months, noticed transmission noise. Dealer told the noise was normal. Later, car was always stack in PARK position. To drive it, I had to manually unlock the transmission. Dealer replaced the Brack switch, Solenoide and other parts. It took me 4 months to get it fixed. Also, they fixed 3 recalls at the same time. This car is a total waist of $$. Also, rear vision is extremely dangerous. Do not consider this car at all. Nissan needs to review the design of the transmission COMPLETELY. Forgot to mention that I had also to replace the Door mechanism: wet stack in close position in cold weather...

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  Poor Construction - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By Clesikar - January 14 - 8:40 pm

  I have had a rattle in the overhead console since day 1 of purchasing this vehicle. It has been in for repair 7 times since July without success. This vehicle is poorly constructed and cheaply made. Not worth the asking price.

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  2005 Transmission problems - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Alton - January 12 - 1:53 pm

  Same problem, radiator leaked into the transmission, fried all electrical components in transmission. Even if the transmission was under warranty the radiator is only good for 3 yrs 36k. void transmission.

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  Dont do it! - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By 1BadZ - January 11 - 3:10 pm

  After two years of aggravation I finally managed to sell my 2003 350Z Touring just before I ran out of free tire replacements. At 10,400 miles the car was on the second set of tires, second ECU, third battery, and it had left me stranded five times. NissanÂ’s service department is the worst to top an already bad situation. Every time the car went in the shop it was there for days at the time (including tire alignments) and they would never call. The Bose stereoÂ’s CD player only worked on warm days but when it does its nice and loud.

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  Dissappointing. I Must have had a lemon! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Dissappointed - January 6 - 1:46 am

  I purchased the 2.5SL Sedan and was so excited. I previously owned a 1996 Maxima and loved it. The Altima had too many problems to list. The main issues were the CVT transmission, ride stability and the drivers seat. I had to practically floor the car to get it going from a stop or slow speed. I really thought there was something wrong with the CVT, but the dealership told me it was fine 3 times. The drivers seat shifted around when turning (very annoying) and the dealer said there was nothing wrong. On the highway, if there was a slight breeze, the car was dangerously all over the road, again...the dealer said there was nothing wrong. I traded it in on an Acura and I am very happy.