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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  Great all around vehicle. - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Frank - November 4 - 5:03 pm

  Purhcased this car for my wife in Nov 2005 after I wrecked her PT Cruiser. She wanted it because of the look and the adjustble pedals, (shes 5 feet tall and has always had to sit very close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals). She fits great, now a safe distance from the air bag, and absolutely loves the car. It handles like a car, not a truck, gas mileage averages around 23 and will run fine on regular even though Nissan recommends 91 octane. I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and try to drive the Nissan as often as I can, much more fun to drive, and more comfortable.

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  My baby! - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Brian Graham - November 4 - 8:56 am

  With 41,000 miles in 3 years, she still purrs like a kitten every day. Trips to Home Depot or even putting 4 golf bags in the back is easy. Black on black, leather, loaded! She eats up the snow in the winter. What a great machine!

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  2005 Nissan Murano SL - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Lee Ballard - November 4 - 8:06 am

  This auto is the most comfortable that I have owned in the last 10 years. It is fun to drive and is well thought out, functionally. It handles beautifully in all weather conditions (compact snow & ice are a dream).

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  wow what a car - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Frederic Gordon - November 3 - 11:56 pm

  Well here it is the end of March and i have 5500 miles on my car.What a great experience it has been.This 2007 Altima handles the road even better than i had expected a true pleasure to drive and own.

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  First time Nissan owner - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Jeffro - November 3 - 11:06 pm

  Wanted a mid-size truck and have always purchased from the big 3 auto- makers. The Nissan and Toyota stood out from the big 3. Went with the Nissan Frontier based on re-disgn similiar to the Titan. I could not be happier. The truck is great, comfort, room, features, ride, it has it all. I have purchased the sliding bed extender and the cargo space is very usable, (the design thought on the bed is great, spray on bed liner, c- channels and cargo straps are all standard). The power on this truck is hard to beat. Yes, it is a heavy "mid- size" truck, but you will not notice when you step on the gas. You will not be disappointed with the 2005 Nissan Frontier.

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  Great features; great price; very nice ride! - 2017 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Graydon - November 3 - 9:10 pm

  We were looking for a three row SUV that has good gas mileage, towing capacity, and value. The final two that I considered were the Pathfinder SL with the Tech package and the Toyota Highlander XLE trim. These have similar MSRPs to they should be comparable. The Toyota puts their advanced safety features (lane departure, collision mitigation, etc) on all trim levels. Another good thing about the Toyota was its auto stop/start feature. It was hard to notice when the car shut itself off and started back up again. On the other hand, Nissan gives you a lot more for the price. Some of the features on the Pathfinder that were not on the similarly priced Highlander were the around view monitor (my favorite feature); heated second row seats; heated side mirrors; heated steering wheel; remote start; a premium Bose sound system; driver seat position memory. Another cool feature on the Pathfinder is that when you shut off the car, the seats moved back for ease of exit. When you start it back up again, the seats move into position. A couple of small negatives. The Pathfinder has a lot of power, very quick from a stop light. However, the driving "feel" isnt like the Mazda CX9. They supposedly stiffened the suspensions, but the ride still feels very soft to me (some folks might prefer this). Also, it is a big car, so definite body roll around the corners. So its not going to feel like a sports car, but if you are looking for a good three row SUV, this is a good choice. Also, we were able to get this car for around 3K lower than the Toyota dealer was willing to go. Really loving this car!

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  Lovin It! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Lovin It! - November 3 - 5:10 pm

  Love this car. Havent broken in the engine yet (they say 1500 miles) and my gas mileage is a pretty good, 31 mpg with mixed driving. With gas prices today, this is a bargain. The features you get on this "entry level" car are unmatched. It kills the Fit by comparison. Only wish ABS was standard and I could get a sunroof without upgrading my audio system and adding 1800 to the price.

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  Excellent reliability, great in snow - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By dhdriver - November 3 - 8:26 am

  Bought this car used at 85k, now its at 126k and I have had only 1 single problem with it (sway link). Literally have only changed the oil, driven it in snow for a year in Boston, then moved back to CA and gone to Tahoe several times, it handles great with the 4wd. Only wish is for better mileage (16-19 mpg), but of course its an suv, and its the most dependable car Ive owned, so cant complain too much.

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  Thoroughly Satisfied - 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Scott D. - November 2 - 4:30 pm

  I have had this car for 9 days. I am thoroughly satisfied to say the least. My first tank of gas lasted 651 miles and I got 37.1 MPG. I would characterize my driving style this 1st week at light to light-moderate. With moderate driving I would expect more like 33-35MPG, excellent for a car this size. Last car was an 08 Sentra. No problems and it had 63,000 miles. I upgraded due to 4K Nissan cash back and 2,350 federal tax cred on the hybrid. Comparing this car to the Sentra is almost pointless. Sentra was high revving with the CVT and a bit small for me. The Altima is far more comfortable and gets up and performs with ease. I expect reliability on par with the Sentra.

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  Still love this car... - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By arobsd - November 2 - 3:03 pm

  Im the original owner and mine has 109k mi on it. Im sure the performance has dropped since I bought it but I cant tell. Still pushes me back in my seat when I want it to. Still purrs like a kitten with no major problems. I definitely not a OCD owner went it comes to maintenance. Change oil every 5-10k mi. It does burn oil to the tune of 1 qt. every 1500 mi which is probably due to a clogged intake manifold. Ive always put in premium gas. Repairs incl. Alternator 95K, $700, Engine mount, 90k $400. Spark Plugs 100k $500, Repairs in the near future: Intake Manifold $900, Struts: $1000, Tie rods $400, Catalytic converter: $1000. Nothing pressing. Not bad for over 100k. Still looks cool too!