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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  Noisy Tranny - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By radar22 - August 18 - 10:20 pm

  Just returned from a 2500 mile trip to Fl and while mileage was not as good as my 10 Camry and not as good as expected, I still averaged 37 interstate driving. Fell in love with the seats and was able to get out of the car after 2 or more hours of driving feeling relaxed. Cant believe they can make that much difference. Have read all comments about this vehicle and agree with most, positive and negative. Noise issue with power steer whistle was finally resolved after complaining numerous times. Unfortunately not the transmission noise which is annoying. Service tech says its due to trying to get max gas mileage. If thats the case they missed their mark. Have buyers remorse due to this!

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  Love my New-Used Nissan 370Z Roadster! - 2014 Nissan 370Z
  By Shelina Berry - August 16 - 6:19 pm

  You need to be short and small to own this car. It can be tough to get in and out of. Also, forget being able to put the seats back to rest. There is no storage, so hope you dont need to travel. That being said, this car is awesome. It is amazingly fast, and takes curves sweet! I am so happy with the car (despite the rough ride, which is standard with most sports cars). I love having the top down and seeing people give me thumbs up, nods, or a "nice car". I wish it was a little more roomy, but what do you expect for a sports car. The dealership I purchased the car from was amazing. They were willing to work with me and gave me quite a bit for my trade in to make this car affordable for me. I can truly say when it comes to buying another car, I will use this dealer again! And the Nissan. I dont see myself parting with it any time soon. :) Cheers Roadsters.

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  Like it - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By DHORTON - August 14 - 4:36 am

  We definitely like this minivan. I also have a chrysler town and country limited, 1999. The nissan has more interior room and the access is great. Wish it had more insulation to give a more solid feel and sound. We tested toyota and honda before buying. Overall the nissan was the winner.

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  I love my Sentra SL! - 2011 Nissan Sentra
  By jhdubb - August 11 - 12:32 am

  I have read numerous reviews from the experts about this car and there are not a lot of positive reviews about the Sentra. Many of the experts have commented on the bland exterior design and I do not agree. I think the SL with the spoiler; alloy rims; mud guards and tinted windows make this baby pop. I realize that we all have different opinions but dont let the reviews from the experts divert you from the Sentra. Its a great looking car. My family loves it. Our other car is a VW GTI. Even my 16 year old son loves this car. I get compliments on it all the time. I drove the corolla; the hyundai elantra; the civic; and the focus and the sentra is a better looking car!

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  Drove a BMW 3, bought the Nissan - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Pam - August 10 - 10:16 pm

  BMW wouldnt take my trade, a lovely, shiny, well kept 2 wheel drive Ford with only 48K miles. They didnt have a good selection on the lot either. Looked at Nissan web site then searched dealer inventory and they had exactly what I wanted. Cabernet leather is lovely! Drove it up Emigration CAnyon and it performed much better than the BMW and I saved thousands.

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  Its been a good vehicle - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By 04 armada - August 10 - 6:50 am

  After studying all SUVs in this size I selected the Armada, overall best price and design features. It has only had one warranty repair (warped brake rotors). Now at 40,000 miles it still drives very well, no leaks or any other issues have come up. Fuel economy is disappointing, other vehicles I have owned of this size have done much better. I would buy another if fuel economy were improved. A very good well thought out vehicle if you are looking for an SUV in this size.

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  So far pretty good - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Steveo - August 7 - 1:40 pm

  This is vehicle steeped in its own tradition, one that has ebbed and flowed stylistically and mechanically with the various SUV trends. Simply put, it is a very well-built, reliable vehicle that has had a few sputters along the way - in 03-04 it was a bit of an identity crisis, with two main flaws: poor fuel economy and bad rear seating. However, it makes up for it with excellence in other areas. Recently I passed a semi-truck on a snowy road at 120km/hr, something I just wouldnt do with every vehicle - its got plenty of zip, traction, overall quality. Just think twice about how much that back-seat is used by adult passengers, and be willing to pay 20% more for gas than a car.

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  Wish it were a better car for the money - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Marty - August 6 - 8:56 am

  Decent car but not the most reliable. Well cared for but after 115k needs oxygen sensors and a catalytic converter, ball joint, tie rod end,steering rack. Has already had manual trans rebuild w/ clutch(bad leaky seals, coils replaced, alternator, Bose stereo replacement, sub woofer replacement and Im sure I left something else out. The trunk lid is totally rusted out also.

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  Loved it, Until Mr. Bad Tranny came knocking!! ACCORD CROSSTOUR looks pretty interesting right about now... - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By dribentley - August 6 - 3:49 am

  I loved this car, still do, but this whole jerking, hard shifting between gears is upsetting. I just got to 61,000 miles!!! This is a poorly built transmission, and I have seen hundreds of consumer complaints about this issue. The turning radius sucks big time. The look of the vehicle is fierce and awesome. I love sporty, masculine looking cars and the Maxima has that going for it. I could never see my hubbie driving my old Honda CRV. I pray Nissan will reach out to us soon and repair a damaged relationship with its 2004-2006 Maxima owners w/tranny issues. Ive already made up my mind to trade it in for the ACCORD CROSSTOUR and have discouraged others from the Maxima as well.

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  Love the car, but watch for the whine - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By mushin9 - August 5 - 3:38 pm

  Just purchased a 2013 Altima 3.5 SL. Aboslutely love the car for the $. Did an extended test drive and fell in love. BUT, didnt purchase the car I test drove. Apparently there is a low-pitched whine that is linked to the power steering that some of the Altimas have and others dont. The test car didnt. It can only be heard clearly when the windows are up and the radio is off. But once you know its there its almost impossible to ignore. Recommend turning on the car and listening before purchasing.