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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  Worst new car Ive ever purchased. - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By bradhenson - March 30 - 2:05 am

  I really wanted to love this car, but the quality is sub par to put it mildly. We replaced a 2012 Nissan Juke that we loved (rear-ended and totaled). I kick myself every day for not buying another one. The transmission is noisy, the power steering pump is noisy, and the interior rattles more than an American car with 200k miles on it. Nissan says that the transmission is supposed to sound like the old "baseball card in the bicycle spokes", but Im not buying it. The Juke transmission was perfect, but this one is perfectly horrible. I get mad every time I have to drive it. Im done with Nissan. My next car was going to be a 370Z, but Id buy a Korean car first...

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  Been there for me for over 10 years - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Lura - March 29 - 5:20 pm

  Like an old friend, my trusty Altima has been with me through a lot of my young adulthood. When I first got her, I remember being very happy with the swift acceleration. Over the years, I have have had a few problems, but not unusual based on the number of miles these problems occurred at.

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  DC fast charger not needed, but 6.6KW is a must! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By frugaldave1298 - March 29 - 5:10 pm

  Had the car for 1300 miles and 1 month. Great car. Purchased after I got tired of waiting for the new Smart ED which had repeated delays. We got the base S model with the $1300 DC Fast Charge option. SL, SV models come with the 6.6KW onboard charger that charges your car at about 30% per hour. The old 3.3KW charger (still standard on the S) gives you about half that charging rate meaning youll be forced to wait longer when charging out in town. This is a huge deal! The fast charge option adds the high speed DC charge 30 mins 0-80% and upgrades the 3.3kw to the 6.6kw onboard. That is a big deal! In hindsight, prob should have just gotten the mid-grade Leaf with the 6.6w charger.

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  Highly Recommended - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Jeff - March 29 - 3:30 pm

  This car is fantastic, much better looking than the Prius although not as good of gas mileage. We have always owned Nissans and always will. I just wish they would sell them in Oregon so we didnt have to go out of state to buy one.

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  I made the right choice - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By wilson3704 - March 29 - 9:21 am

  I did a little bit of research, prior to buying my Nissan Quest. I went mostly on my instinct. I had always believed Honda made a good product. But I do not always buy into what everyone says. Imagine how everyones life would be if they used a little bit of critical thinking. [violative content deleted]

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  357,000 Strong - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Greg - March 29 - 7:20 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. Well this one has lasted me almost 10 years. My dad owned it before me. We have changed the oil every 3000 miles. The only problem I have ever had was the starter went out. It has 357,000 miles on it and still runs like the day I bought it from my father.

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  Awesome - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Roger - March 28 - 7:00 pm

  The Nissan Titan LE Crew Cab 4x4 rides high and smooth. The interior is well organized for a comfortable ride with plenty of luxury and room. The exterior is sharp. This is a solid full size truck with all extras standard including bed sprayed liner. There is plenty of horsepower. The only negative, there is just one, is that gas prices are $2.80/USgallon. The LE Crew 4x4 gets 10-14 mpg.

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  gimme some mpg - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By heygary - March 27 - 6:43 pm

  Ive had the 07 for about four months and have put six k miles on it, and have not gotten over 23 mpg. Ive bumped the tire pressure to near forty pounds, went with synthetic oil, and still average about 21-22 mpg city or highway, doesnt matter. I do really enjoy the ride; starts are indeed less than stellar, but on the highway the car performs admirably. Hard acceleration gets you lots of torque steering issues. Love the keyless entry and rear sonar. CVT is super cool driving up and down mountains, as you dont feel the car downshift.

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  was good, now bad - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By dee - March 27 - 3:20 pm

  Bought this car almost 4 years ago. Ran fine until the warranty came off, then suddenly started having problems. Note: if you hear loud humming when you do hard turns or in cold weather, do NOT let Nissan tell you thats "normal". I now have a power steering rack that is toast, and will cost $1100 Canadian to replace. Apparently, the humming was warning me there were problems, but the dealership told me there werent, UNTIL the manufacturers warranty came off. I had purchased the extended warranty, but guess what - they say it doesnt cover it either! It seems I am not alone - there are several reports of this problem, but Nissan just says, too bad, you bought it, we dont care.

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  Love it!!! - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Dunwoody, GA - March 27 - 12:47 pm

  I bought a 2016 Murano SL last week and I love it! It has all the bells and whistles, quiet, bose stereo system, comfortable. However, Im not jazzed about the gas mileage, but I knew it would not be as good as my Acura TSX. This is my first Nissan and Im pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this SUV.