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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  Lots of pep@1600 miles - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By hoosierhaunts - June 24 - 10:09 am

  So far I like it. Toyota 2wd sat low. Rear seats are better than Toyota too. Love the blue metallic exterior color. Too new and too early to review gas mileage. Think it will be fine. Does not seem to be thirsty. 3rd Nissan truck Ive owned. First crew cab, with V6 5A. When Im not driving my Nissan truck, Im a driving a FedEx truck. My Nissan Frontier handles well at highway and interstates, no problems.

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  Good but not Great - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By KC - June 24 - 8:46 am

  I have driven large SUVs for the past 6 years, Ford Expedition and Chevy Tahoe. The Murano has a smother trans. and a very fun suspension. The stereo needs an mp3 jack and a bit better speakers. Id also like to have heated seats as well. Electric leather seats are comfortable and very user friendly. I like the addition of the pedals that come forward. Gas mileage (avg 22 mpg) is a bit lower than expected, but much better than the large SUVs. AWD is great. There is a rattling sound that should not be heard on a new vehicle - one that the dealer could not find. Also, the 3.5l engine pings a lot even with super unleaded gas.

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  Reliable Car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By W. Wright - June 22 - 12:24 pm

  I bought the 2008 basicl Nissan Altima in 2009 based on positive reviews from other consumer organizations. I sold it with 103,000 miles on it to get a lower mileage car. The car turned out to be a reliable car that can be driven for many more miles. It has an attractive, sporty look. It provided a smooth ride, quality audio, frosty air conditioning, and good brakes. The controls are easy to read and to figure out. I had no problems driving in snow or rain. The repairs were basically routine maintenance. The seats tend to be stiff. One time the driver-side window got stuck.

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  super car - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Don2260 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  i bought this car two years ago and i have put some long work days in this car. i put on about 30000 a year on this car all i have done to it is change oil and tires I have 81000 miles on it with out any problems.

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  its bad on gas - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By frontierboy - June 22 - 10:00 am

  the truck had a squek in the front bumper brackets , passenger seats chirps when empty and gas is the worst, and engine valves are noisy. clickety click.

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  a bad experience with a new murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By bad deal - June 22 - 10:00 am

  day one when i picked up my vehicle, there were spots and scratches on the hood. the vehicle has been in the shop 4 time as of today 10-13-03 and is schedule to go back in the shop any day now for the same problem, spots on hood, brakes, gas pedal, review mirror, whistling osund around passenger side window, missing black cover on front bumper and dent on door from previous visit to shop.

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  My 2003 Altima - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Anthony1975 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This car is a hot ride. Even though I have the 4 cyl., it handles great-- nimble and sporty and has enough pep without having to sacrifice premium fuel (as the v6 requires). I really love the car but I just bought it in June, have 3,500 mi. on it and have already had to bring it to the dealership for a recall and a new radiator. There was a small leak in the seal of the radiator. Its kind of early to tell how reliable this car will be, but overall I would buy it all over again. It seems solid and has great precision!

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  I love it - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By zone01 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  It is the most fun I have had driving... it is fast handles well and is amazing for the money

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  05 Maxima SE - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Ron Hartley - June 22 - 4:33 am

  This has been a great car, its the third Maxima weve owned. Wish it had Nav. It hasnt been back to dealer for anything but scheduled service. The tires on the SE are not great in snow even with traction control. Took it to Mo., and it got 31.7 mpg on premium. Do not appreciate the torque steer or the soft paint, otherwise love the vehicle.

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  Quirky and fun! - 2012 Nissan Cube
  By hippiedippie4 - June 22 - 4:04 am

  The cube won out against the Kia Soul. My cube is so spacious. With the rear seats down, I fit a dresser and 2 boxes of clothes in the back! Does not handle great in the snow, but I cant be too judgmental on that piece since my previous car was an SUV. Also disappointed in the audio system. Imports usually have high quality speakers as stock, not Nissan. Overall, I grade this car as a solid B. The quirky and fun design makes driving it a blast and I have never had anything go wrong with it.