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:

• 

  Lemon - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Calvin - August 27 - 4:16 am

  60,000 miles and transmission howls, car is hard to start, exhaust system falling apart, air conditioning vents not working properly, struts going bad, loud popping noise from motor mount area, brake rotor warped (and this is a cold climate) and car makes allot of road noise. This is the worst car I ever had and I have owned over two dozen cars. I will never buy another "MADE IN MEXICO" car in my life.

• 

  Great car for the money. - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Tony - August 26 - 8:30 pm

  Oil it, gas it and step on it - this car requires little attention and will surpass all others in its class. Try one out and see.

• 

  its a truck! - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By a truck guy - August 26 - 7:40 pm

  The 2004 Nissan Frontier may not be a handsome truck but it does the job and at the right price. I would have preferred it to have a larger engine and more leg room in the rear, however I knew what I was buying so if I want to gripe about something it should be my thin wallet. This trucks best feature is its functional long bed.

• 

  family man - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By doc - August 26 - 5:56 pm

  Tons of room, power, and excellent handling. I have 4 kids and have zero problems with loading and unloading. In addition, rode for 5 hours in a snowstorm without complaints from the kids, the wife, or problems with handling.

• 

  Awesome Car! - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Financial Advisor - August 26 - 8:13 am

  Just came off my second Acura TL lease and very pleased with the move to purchase the Altima. Very smooth, comfortable ride. Fun to drive around town. Smart key is much cooler than I thought it would be. Love the transmission.

• 

  Rogue all the way!!!!! - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By BM - August 26 - 1:28 am

  Purchased the SV AWD model and despite what some reviewers say, its the best car I ever owned. I also leased a Toyota Rav-4 the same time I purchased the Nissan Rogue and the Rogue is so much better. Its larger, more comfortable, and overall a better handling car than the Toyota. Its a 4 cylinder vehicle that rides as good as a V6

• 

  Rattles Ruin the Enjoyment - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By JMW - August 26 - 12:53 am

  Its too bad that Nissan could not tighten up the interior of this car. The car is enjoyable to drive, gets decent mileage and is comfortable with minimal road noise. At 2500 miles I developed an interior rattle that comes and goes which is near impossible to have fixed since on two tries it did not rattle for service. It also takes forever to put the last 3 gallons in the gas tank but minor next to the rattle. Very annoying to listen to in a $30,000+ car so Ill put up with it for a couple of years and get rid of it.

• 

  Worst ever purchased...traded for Honda - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By glassman53 - August 25 - 8:02 pm

  The shudder got to bad and Nissan answers phone in Manila, Philipines and stalls forever and wears you down. Dealer network very poor in our area, and traded off now because the market is all ready getting the buy backs on the market and values are falling fast. Nissan should do a recall but will not do so until forced

• 

  I love my new truck! - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ASiler - August 25 - 3:00 pm

  I have driven this SUV for 1400 miles and wanted to let your readers know what a great vehicle this is. The ride is very smooth and very quiet but powerful. We wanted a vehicle that was safe for Michigan winters so we chose a 4x4. We wanted to be able to move out on the freeway and this has a lot of power off the block as well as when you need to pass. We need a quiet interior as we do a lot of business in the car and it is super quiet. The majority of the driving I have done is in town and I am pleased to be getting 18.1 miles per gallon. My husband just loves the look of it. Its beefy but still easy for me to get in and out of.

• 

  96 Altima GXE - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By Dennis Ragan - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Comfortable vehicle, Good power inautomatic 2.4. Not particularly happy with the way it handled in snow and on wet roads. Shifts strangely in lower gears. Seems to be in 3rd at times when it should be in 2nd, then jerks into right gear.