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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  One of the best cars in the market. - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By VET - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car (1996 Maxima GLE) from a dealership in Sep 2000. It had 48K miles on it. Currently my car has 199000 miles on it and Iam about to trade (Dealer agreed to pay $3000 without breaking a sweat)this in with a new maxima. All I have done is change oil every 3000 miles and ofcourse change tyres and brake pads etc. Maximas have arguably the best V6 of any sedan in the market. And the car is extemely reliable. It gives 24-25 mpg in a 70/30 mix of highway/city driving, which is not bad at all considering its power.

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  Love it! - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Shmegan - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought a black SE w/ leather and manual tranny last year. Ive driven it hard and it hasnt let me down yet. For the money, there is nothing that couldve touched this in performance, comfort and looks. I recommend switching to synthetic oil, platinum spark plugs and dont even think about using 89 octane gas. (Something to consider before buying with gas prices what they are.)

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  Poor body /interior integrity! - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Chrysty - September 4 - 10:00 am

  The rattling/squeaking started after about 800 mi.. We now have 7500 mi. and the noise is constant - even on smooth roads. It seems to be coming from the ceiling center console. The major problem is the entire outside plastic piece that goes across the back of the vehicle that houses the 3rd brake light completely FELL OFF and was hanging by the brake light connection while driving on the freeway the other day!! Bottom line - the body integrity in this vehicle is inexcusable. According to Consumer Reports, Nissan is known for having problems in this area. I will say I am extremely happy with the Nissans performance and cargo room - supreme job here!

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  Nissan quality rules! - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By bluek9 - September 4 - 12:50 am

  I bought my 1995Nissan Pathfinder as a second vehicle to haul my dogs. It is roomy enough for two with seats down. it is a good, tough, reliable truck. I baby it but am first putting on normal mileage after seven years of less than normal miles. At 38,000 miles I replaced poor General Inc tires (OEM). Those tires were terrible. I replaced them with Michelin All Terrain & I love em. At 55,000 miles (eight years old) I replaced the front brakes, rotors, calipers & boots. This was not a big deal considering the mileage & age fo the truck. At 63,000 miles (nine years old) I replaced the alternator (expensive...$300 just for parts). Despite this normal maintenance, I am very satisfied with its toughness & durability. it is a good value.

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  Pretty good truck - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By nlambert182 - September 2 - 10:02 am

  Bought my truck with 130k miles on it. Truck is extremely powerful and fun to drive. It even sounds great with the stock exhaust. I like the interior layout. The only complaints are that the interior feels kind of cheap, the front struts are blown, and the rear axle seals leak. The axle seals and the struts are known issues with the Titan and Nissan refuses to acknowledge them as issues even with the thousands of complaints. Luckily my friend is a mechanic and is going to fix the issues cheaply. The struts are $70 each and the seals are only $10. Aside from those two issues its excellent as a truck. We love it.

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  Great Little Truck - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By Lynnie - September 2 - 10:00 am

  This truck has been outstanding! It has been 100% reliable, never burns oil, and for a truck, its very quiet. Overall, on a scale of 10, I would give it a 7.

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  07 Frontier 4x4 - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By j smith - September 2 - 3:30 am

  I really like the engine, handling, ride, and features of my Nissan. The only dislikes I have are the too soft seats and the turning radius. It is really hard to park in tight parking lots. I average between 17 and 18 mpg so far. Overall I really like this truck.

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  Dream Come True - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Fronteeer - September 2 - 3:26 am

  Ive been looking for a truck to replace my Jetta TDI for a couple of years, and I did tons of research leading up to buying this Frontier. Thanks to everyone who posted reviews--theyve been really helpful. This is a really sturdy, beautifully designed, tough looking, powerful, capable truck. Its definitely stiff, even without the NISMO package. It doesnt take any crap from potholes, lets put it that way, but the ride is suprisingly smooth and quiet on decent surfaces. Excellent clearance, very roomy interior, big clunky controls that are easy to grab with gloves on and without taking your eyes off the road, simple design but with useful features. Fuel economy so far is very good.

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  Gibsons review - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Chuck Gibson - September 1 - 7:33 am

  I bought the car new in 2002 and have been very pleased overall. A few quirks witht the radio in the beginning, but all is resolved under warranty. Fuel economy is nothing to brag about (25.9mpg on the fuel economy meter, but dont believe it). Engine is powerful and extremely smooth. No problem getting around the slowpokes or merging onto highways. My only complaint is the limited turning radius on this car. Many times I have had to unnecessary 3 point turns that most cars, or even my wifes minivan would cruise through easily. I have received many compliments on this car and dont feel as though I have wasted a dime on it. The resale value proves the resale legacy continues.

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  BUGS!! BUGS!! BUGSS!!! - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By evelynt1 - August 31 - 1:37 pm

  I have had a pretty fair experice with my Nissan Altima but a major dissapointment in this car is that when there is a problem with the vehicle the dealership seems unavailbale to fix it. I live in a rural area where bugs are prominent and it seems that my car as well as others around mine are extremly suscepitable to bugs being into the tail lights. They are very unsightly and nearly immpossibe to get out. When i contacted the dealer they told me that if the problem was not water they were not responsible for fixing my inconvience. I went to the nissan service area to see what I could do about this and they informed me that I would have to pay $500 each for new tail lights.