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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  excellent - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By allmaxedout - July 2 - 2:00 am

  it is the fastest 4 door in its class. leave accords and camrys in the dust.

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  95000 Later - 2000 Nissan Sentra
  By JayLawII - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Engine light on, friend told me about Head and Cylinder Gasket Problems with Sentra/Altimas. A little worried. Noticed a loss in power and rougher downshifting, could be due to need for tune up though. Brakes still tight- good. Changed tires, still skid and slide under braking. Hard to change 3rd brake light. Speakers blew on stereo. Resale value extremely low, $3500. A fair weather friend. I try very hard not to drive during incliment weather.

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  Loud interior - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By DeLuxe Machine - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I love this car, but the interior is much louder than it should be for a car of this price. Thats really the only disapointing part about this vehicle.

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  MURANO - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By JOHNJ - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I CANT BELIEVE I WAS FORCED TO BUY A SUNROOF (AND I HATE SUNROOFS) BECAUSE I WANTED TRACTION CONTROL. DRIVES GREAT, BUT PREMIUM UNLEADED GAS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO. 3K HIGHER THAN THE PILOT. HOPE I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

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  MURANO - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By JohnJ - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I CANT BELIEVE I WAS FORCED TO BUY A SUNROOF (AND I HATE SUNROOFS) BECAUSE I WANTED TRACTION CONTROL. DRIVES GREAT, BUT PREMIUM UNLEADED GAS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO. 3K HIGHER THAN THE PILOT. HOPE I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

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  good car for first 3 yrs - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By davechi - July 2 - 12:42 am

  purchased my 2005 maxima on sept 2004, commuted every day from nj to queens, the commute was long but driving was enjoyable.in 2008 transmission was jerking, was told i needed a new transmission, had to buy a new one from nissan for $3,000 & the piece after the catylytic converter had to be replaced for another $800. car had 108k milesmy mechanic is a nissanmechanic, he told me these trans is not strong enuff for the engine, after 100k miles, th timing chain needs to be replaced, & the gaskets in engine start leaking esp, the one by oil filter. also replace valve cover gaskets, changed new tires, will ride this car to the ground since its paid off, had a good run with this car, will getnext

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  2008 Nissan Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Madpistol - July 1 - 4:00 pm

  If youre in the market for a midsize sedan, this is THE car to buy! I did a lot of reading and test driving of different sedans, and in the end, the Altima beat the Camry and Accord handily. Not only was the price far below the Camry and Accord, but the features list was higher than either of those choices as well! I got a 2.5 SL w/ Connection Package and the Bluetooth phone system rocks! The ikey and push-button start are so cool! The leather seats are very comfortable, and the controls are very intuitive and easy to use. The car is a blast to drive on curvy roads. Its also very peppy for a 4cyl. If youre looking for a new midsize sedan, check this out!

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  Impressive car! - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By longranger - July 1 - 10:31 am

  After my Passat with 200k miles stranded me last week, I decided to bite the bullet and replace it. Looked at the new Avalon but I didnt like the touch controls for the heating/AC. Bought a 2014 Altima 2.5 SL instead. Very impressive car. I really like the interior and it drives like a dream. No issues with engine noise as others are suggesting. The 4 cylinder / CVT combination feels just as lively as the Passats V6 with Tiptronic. I just hope it lasts as long!

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  Defect defect defect! - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By 1unhappycus - July 1 - 9:38 am

  Disappointed from day 1! Got car & had more miles than expected! Paint defects. Who lets a brand new car get to a customer with stickers Under Yes under the paint? Brake light comes on, shutter from transmission getting worse every day, mileage on gas upon fill up changes, sensor in seat never always shows no one is in the seat, heated seats do not work properly, annoying noise from electronic steering getting louder, paint peeling off front bumper= been painted 4 times! Yes & the paint is peeling AGAIN! Went to dealer to get out of this car & they want me to lose 4,000.00. Ha Nissan are you kidding! Wouldnt the news love to see the defects in all these reviews! Shame!

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  Wow great gas mileage - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Dennis - July 1 - 8:40 am

  Just purchased this Versa S hatchback with Auto and second tank I got a little over 40 mpg with less than 600 miles. Thats higher than the epa. The last tank was rural driving mostly betweeen 40 and 60 mph.