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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  Nissan lost my business - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Exit Nissan - June 5 - 2:20 am

  Build quality is the worst Ive ever seen. 2,000 dollars in rotor work before the car had 18,000 miles on it. Window stuck, trans was a mess and the list goes on. New tires on the front at 8,000, 12,000 and 16,000 miles. The best deal I ever made was selling it. Ill never buy a Nissan again nor will any of the 47 family members who drive by Nissan. HUGE disappointment...

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  Cant WAIT to get rid of it! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By crzymomma - May 30 - 2:23 am

  Nothing but trouble! For starters, the a/c sucks! I blow cooler air then my Xterra. We have had the a/c charged & it made the issue worse. It also doesnt blow hard enough for my kids in the back seat to even feel it at all. The sunroof leaks. Ive replaced the starter, battery, connector cables, timing belt, and radiator multiple times & we still get stranded. It doesnt crank 50% of time. Was told it has mechanical issues. Im waiting on it to catch fire!The front grey bumper fades & chips & looks awful! & the sad thing is, we just now hit 103,000 miles. The window motors are going out & the seal on windows leak and make lots of air noise when driving. I hate this thing! My kids hate it too!

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  bad engine 1200 miles - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By joe - May 29 - 6:30 am

  Bought this car new. Coolant leaked into cylinders from top down on this new engine. Needless to say, Nissan had to replace the shortblock engine. I am still without a car 9 days later. I dont think the car will be the same when I do get it. Maybe I can trade it in for an Accord or Camry.

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  Nice but poor gas mileage - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By KellyM - May 29 - 2:00 am

  The car is excellent in many respects, but I have two concerns: First, the front seats (cloth) are not comfortable (the angle of the drivers seat is pitched too far forward), and the gas mileage (EPA says 20/24) has averaged about 13 city / 17 highway. Other cars Ive owned have averaged about what EPA estimates, this one is a hayburner.

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  Never buy your car from Midway Auto Team - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By ndcyciv - May 29 - 2:00 am

  My only suggestion is to never buy your car from Midway Auto Team in Arizona. My car has had minor problems, but the service department just bills your warranty company and never satisfies the repairs.

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  Gas Guzzler - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By clang - May 24 - 10:00 am

  It eats gas. Be careful. The stated consumption is nowhere near reality.

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  Good Commuter Car - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Aryan Ashtiani - May 24 - 3:03 am

  I am seventeen years old and this car was given to me as a gift from my father. I use it to drive to school and to my friends houses everyday. I find its comfortable and all my friends like that the interior is quite spacious. I drive this car allot, and have found that while it is great to drive alone, as soon as the car fills up with over four people, the performance begins to decrease extensively with the added weight to the point where driving becomes a big challenge. This car has two main flaws. One is the clunky gearbox which makes shifting into gear an uncomfortable chore, and the other is the pathetic braking ability. Stopping distances are dangerously long without ABS.

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  cheap seats - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By jana - May 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive had over 20 different cars and these are by far the WORST!!!! The foam is like a marshmellow. If I would have known how bad I would have never bought the car and probably will not keep the car...I cant believe the in dash ash tray is an accessory so you have a hole in the dash that looks like crap.. Im really disapointed with this car, I know its not a luxury car but please....Oh by the way this is not my first suv its my third...

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  mixed feelings - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ondro1977 - May 19 - 2:46 pm

  This Car looks, handles and feels great and in 2001 it was more powerful than 2001 Toyota 4Runner and more stylish. Engine got boosted to 240HP over very weak 168HP 3.3 liter. With that came a lots of MAF, O2,Crank position sensor failures. Use of premium fuel is more than recommended. Weak transmission and aggressive rust on under-body (save yourself and spray it prematurely if you can). Strut tower failures. Realistic fuel economy is 14city and 20 Hwy.

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  Never again - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Pier - May 16 - 10:20 pm

  Over a period of 22 months the vehicle has been 18 visits (6 of them combined with regular services) resulting in 22 days at the dealer, the vehicle generated 45 warranty-related repairs. The tires lasted 30K miles and required new brake pads at 27K miles. It is apparent that this car, if not legally a lemon, is definitely a buyback case due to the nuisance factor caused by poor quality. Nissan refuses to admit this. With 26 months left at the average rate of warranty incidents, the car is projected to return another 14 times (excluding scheduled maintenance). I strongly urge any prospective minivan driver to avoid the Quest on the grounds of poor build and service quality