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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  pretty good, could be better - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By raw - July 18 - 9:30 pm

  I have had this for for 2 years now and still look forward to driving it. Acceleration: Off the line is decent but there is lots of torque steer to get used to. Highway acceleration is pure bliss. I mean wow. Its a great looking car as well. The interior is kind of cheap and the climate control isnt very good. It gets good highway mpg (30ish) but if you floor it around town, you will get about 220 miles to a 22 gal tank. The turning radius is horrendous and the headlights are not very good and I can barely tell the difference when I turn the brights on. I have a shimmy in the brakes when I am braking downhill that no mechanic seems to be able to reproduce. Would seriously consider rebuying.

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  A 6 time Nissan owner not disappointed - 2016 Nissan Frontier
  By David - July 18 - 9:24 pm

  Im a pretty big guy. 64/ 260 lbs. I traded up for my 2009 king cab 2.4 liter manual transmission. Got the price I wanted. I was able to find a Desert Runner, in Silver with the hokey decals already removed. Maybe Im used to semi truck brakes, but I have no trouble stopping my Frontier. I expect the audio system to go first. My wifes second Maxima is the only one (out of six) that didnt fail. I question Nissans Interior color choices, and the materials seem flimsy, but they are very durable. If you want fluff and gadgetry, look elsewhere. If you want a solid, well made, Reliable and durable car, buy a Nissan. I have owned Nissan since 1987, All went 120k miles problem free and I know two of the six are still being driven by our children. I currently own two Chevrolets that I cant say the same about. Cant buy a comparable well made vehicle for the same price.

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  Test Drive it First - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Shaky Wheel - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Be sure to test drive the car you purchase. I made the mistake of test driving one vehicle and during the paper signing process I decided to switch to a different color car. I did not test drive the new choice as I assumed the car would ride the same as the one I had already driven. I was wrong...the steering wheel shook and vibrated mainly between 45 and 65 mph. I took the car back 4 times and was given the run around. The dealership said they didnt know how to fix the problem so they kept balancing the tires. I went back and forth with Nissan consumer affairs and finally received a new set of tires that appear to have fixed the problem. Other than

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  Great FWD car!! - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By kpad1ne - July 16 - 12:03 pm

  I have had my spec-v for almost 2 years now and I love it. Amazingly the vehicle handles great for a front wheel drive and it continues to stick to the road the more you push it. Great torque through the mid-range and braking system is awesome. 24k and still do not need to replace brakes and Im a very aggressive driver. Best bang for the buck!!!! Outperforms majority of 4 cylinders out there and even 6 cyl.cars-speaking from experience

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  Transmission problem - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By jloth - July 15 - 1:18 pm

  I purchased my 2009 Cube in July of 2009. I now have 10,500 miles on it. Recently, on a trip to view the Fall colors, I noticed a surging feeling when going over 50 mph. It was like every 10 seconds, the RPMs would rev between the 2 and 3 on the dial. Called the dealer and took it in for service. Diagnosis, a solenoid was not working properly. I have to have a brand new transmission put in the car. Yes it is under warranty, but still, this concerns me. So to everyone considering the Cube, do your research. It is a fun car to drive, you wont see yourself coming and going,it is good on gas, a piece of cake to park.. but this transmission issue had taken the glimmer off of it for me.

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  really not impressed! - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By nwfscott1984 - July 15 - 6:13 am

  over all its exactly what we wanted in its class but have had nothing but problems. long story we had a 2013 pathfinder s class for 2 weeks and a Nissan tech smashed it into another customers car. they gave us a 2014 in place. We got it in Aug 2013, we reported a burning coolant smell in Nov 2013 with only 10 500 km. even though I can smell it in the car with my wife and 4 kids present, Nissan still says its within normal running operations. I also had both front wheel bearings replaced at 30000 km. now Nissan is refusing to take the coolant issue any further. not impressed what so ever! they say that its a common problem yet we looked online & nobody has had the same problem.

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  My next truck.... - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By f41driver - July 14 - 2:00 am

  I drove a 99 Frontier XE 4cyl King Cab until it had 207,000 miles in it when I worked for a Nissan dealer as a parts driver, and I can tell you this is the most durable truck Ive ever been in. The updates are mostly cosmetic between 99 and 03, so I feel this experience relevent. Im planning on buying a 2003 Frontier sometime next year.

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  Any ladies on the design team? - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Dabbo - July 12 - 6:33 pm

  Fell in love with the Rogue from the tv commercial. Love being up high b/c I can see better. The Rogue is a perfect fit for someone short. I dont have to climb up to get in or slide down getting out. Handles well, but makes a funny noise in high winds, like wind shear around the windows or something. Couple of interior rattles the dealership doesnt want to fix - not happy about that, since they started within the first 6 months. Obviously no females on the design team - not enough nooks & crannies for storage - have to use cup holders, then move stuff if I need to use them. Have had 3 recalls already...another negative. Probably wont buy another 1st. year model of anything again.

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  Feature rich compare to Ford F150 - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By C D Jones - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Very enjoyable truck! It has power baby! POWER! I have been reviewing this truck for 5 months before buying it. I was planning to wait until December, but could not wait any longer, I wanted it. Im a long time vehicle holder, Im expecting this truck to last without many break downs. Get a knowledge salesman and take the Ford 150 over and compare the difference. I believe edmunds.com know what their talking about when they selected this truck. (some body there did there homework!) Bottom line, its a BIG TRUCK for a Nissan company. Im proud to own it!

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  Went for a Juke, got a Rogue. - 2011 Nissan Rogue
  By robcowling - July 12 - 9:36 am

  Drove the Juke and liked it...but it was small and had a lot of wind noise at 50 mph. Not knocking the Juke as it seemed like a fine car for the right kind of buyer. We decided to look at the Rogue and are glad we did. They had the Rogues mixed with the Muranos and the only way to tell the difference was in the sticker price. They seriously look nearly identical. Anyway, the Rogue is roomy, comfortable and rides and drives very well. It wont win a drag race, but will get you out of the way if need be. Got SL package with leather, sunroof, Bose, nav, back up camera, xenon headlights, etc...for 25K in a 2011 model. Only complaint so far is that the sunroof does not open all the way.