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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  05 Murano - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Kenneth Mueller - April 2 - 11:40 am

  I bought the Murano for my wife for Christmas of 04. The Murano has been perfect for her and our grandson. The ease of use and the way the back doors open wide makes it so nice.

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  Transmission Issues - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ironjasper - April 2 - 6:57 am

  We bought our 13 Pathfinder SL 4WD in August of 2013. Within two months we started to feel the CVT Transmission shuddering under light throttle applications. We had the car in the shop four times for this issue, but they could never replicate the problem. After the shuddering started to become progressively worse and became a safety concern, we finally asked the dealer to buy the car back for the balance of our loan. Happily, they agreed, and we were given $6000 more than the Kelly Blue Book trade value. Other than the transmission issue, the car was very nice. It rode great and got very good MPG for a mid-sized CUV ....

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  Kind of fun - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By madridny - April 2 - 4:20 am

  Purchased in May of 07, traded in a Dodge Dakota. Gas mileage is in the advertised range, about 31 with regular tires and 28 with studded snow tires, mostly highway driving. Vehicle really needs snow tires if you live in a very snowy area. All weather tires will not do it. Heater works great and rear defrost works fine. Car is a little noisy under heavy acceleration. When braking car lurches forward at times but I am told that this is a product of the CVT. Gas door needs to be opened from inside and does not work properly, usually it will not open and needs some extra "help". I am 66" and the headroom in this car is great. Not to sure about the benefit of the trunk divider.

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  Best Car in its Category - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Krishna Singh - April 2 - 12:06 am

  CVT, leather seats, Bose system, keyless start. What else can you ask for at this price point. Fun to drive, very good pickup, excellent looks, nice fuel economy (23 city, 29 highway).

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  If you like boring - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Art Hampton - April 1 - 9:46 pm

  this is the car for you. My motive for buying this car was to get the most reliable, economical, dependable transportation for my money. I plan to drive the car for about 15 years and get roughly 150k miles out of it. So far the car has performed perfectly (its new and it better!). Its quiet, has adequate power for the freeway, handles OK, its boring! Perfect.

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  Ok decision - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By cathy - April 1 - 3:16 pm

  I bought my 03 Altima new and have enjoyed it except for the brake issues. Lots of squealing when applying the brakes. Got front pads replaced already but still squealing. Now getting back pads looked at. Pads appeared to still have plenty of wear left on them. Also had shimmy at approx 60 mph. Once rotors were turned when new brake pads were installed, shimmy stopped. Squeaks in drivers seat. Dealer cannot seem to locate or hear it. Service mgr said its because we have some bumpy roads & car not designed for that. I dont buy that! Had a 1991 Sentra that never had any of these issues even with 200K miles on it.

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  Good Overal Package - 2009 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Rob S - April 1 - 12:00 pm

  I have owned this car for 2 problem free years. It has been very reliable, comfortable, and worry free. It is big and heavy but that doesnt hurt the handling that much (I have upside wheels that help as well) but it does impact fuel economy. I routinely get around 16 mpg around town. I am happy with the purchase and would probably do it again.

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  Im Not Disappointed But .... - 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
  By jpw56 - April 1 - 8:38 am

  I traded in an SUV and a hard top convertible in the hopes I would be able to have just one car that had the attributes of both. This does, for the most part. As others say, its either love it or hate it. It clearly is a looker and folks either think its cool or ugly. Its definitely not a performance vehicle, but it doesnt claim to be. Its a very heavy vehicle and back seat access can be a pain, but the good seems to outweigh the bad, so far. It has memory seating so if you set your preferences, it will revert back with a touch of a button. The nav and leather upgraded interior is lovely and comfortable and to me, the only downside is that it requires premium petrol.

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  Nissan wont warranty Known Axle Issue. - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By brad100 - April 1 - 8:22 am

  I took it in for brake service at about 56,000 miles and learned it had a leak in the rear axle seal on the passenger side. Nissan replaced the seal under warranty. I questioned if the axle was bad and was informed it was fine. 12,000 miles later it leaked again. This time I was informed of a Technical Bulletin stating the axle, bearing and seal should have been replaced as a unit. I complained all the way to Nissan Corporate and was informed they would not warranty it outside of the 60,000 mile warranty. Even though this was a pre existing problem and was not fixed right the first time. I will never buy another Nissan product because of this. They did not care!

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  My second time around - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Paul - April 1 - 6:00 am

  This is my 2nd Nissan Altima 3.5 SE. I traded an 05 for an 07. The 05 had more punch off the line at low speeds. Too much torque steer which would keep you very alert while confidently pulling out into a crowded intersection. Having praised the apparent power of the 2005 3.5 SE I am thoroughly impressed with my redesigned 07 Altima 3.5 SE. It does seem a bit slower off the line due to the CVT, But the power is still there with a bit more force applied to the go pedal. Gone is the torque steer. The quality of interior materials is vastly improved. Turning diameter much is much tighter. Can now see the radio display in bright sunlight. I am thrilled with this new Altima. Well Done !