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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  Good Car - Not Great - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By CTBuyer - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 03 Altima 2.5S 4 months ago. No problems at all! Interior is a little loud, but not bad. Interior materials are GM quality. Seats are comfortable, heat works ok, but have whistling when fan motor is on anything above "2". Nissan has to upgrade the interior materials, they just look and feel so cheap. Notice a little transmission "clunk" when accelerating fast between 1st and 2nd gears. The cupholders are awful. I cant get my cup of coffee out when I put it there. But overall, not a bad car for the money. Much better than any American car.

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  Great Car - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By zipred - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I have owned Audi, Volkswagon, Honda, Lincoln and many more, none offer the power, comfort, style and features of the new Maxima. I had previously owned a 96 Maxima and loved it but this one is special.

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  Great looking, fun to drive - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By kpitzmc - July 13 - 2:00 am

  Just got my 2004 Maxima, but its a winner! Fun to drive, sporty, roomy, high-tech interior. Lots of bang for the buck!

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  Pleased - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Tone - July 13 - 1:36 am

  Overall, it has been a pleasant experience. The shift from 1st to 2nd gear is not always cohesive. Sunroof should have auto close as well. Nice room for a family of three. Adequate trunk space. I love the sporty feel and look of the vehicle. Chrome license plate shield should be standard. Average 26 mpg combined. Unfortunately, my 2.5 would not run without premium fuel. The car would consistently knock with regular fuel. This is the biggest hang up I have with the car. I would have purchased the 3.5 if I would have known this would happen.

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  Its A Beast. Keeping it till its dead! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Nilek - July 13 - 12:26 am

  Aww man, i got this car like 2.5 years ago, it had 52,000 when i got it in 07, it currently has 140,000. Its been in 2 accidents, 6000 in damage the first time, and it was just currently totaled from me side swiping a tow truck, and hitting a guard rail. Its a great car, i have had some of the problems listed from everyone else, dealer had to put a fuel pump in it, crank sensor, new window motor and trunk motor, when i bought it the tires were "new" but had bad road noise. dealer replaced those too. Also, the damn belt has been replaced 4 times, still squeaks like crazy, doesnt hit bumps very well,and gas guage doesnt always go to full, if ya turn left fast it will, or about 60MI it goes up

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  Lazy doesnt pay - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By J Friend - July 12 - 10:30 pm

  Only had the car about 5 weeks and the only complaint so far is that after you have dropped the rear seats for cargo or dog space, they return by motors. The problem is that the headrest will not permit them to come back up without moving the front seat backs or the whole front seat. I called the dealer and they said it was just the way it was manufactured and we could remove the rear headrest. Not. They are hard to straighten manually (I assume because of the motors).

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  Great Choice - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Makavelli - July 12 - 8:46 pm

  I use my Titan as a daily driver and I am very impressed with its handling, Im 6-2 and need a spacious interior and cannot complain.

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  Top Shelf Quality - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Gregg - July 12 - 8:03 pm

  I cant say enough good things about my 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. I love the classic styling, although some say its boxy I dont care. The back doors are too small, but the seating is comforable. The rear seats recline and I love that! If you are looking for a reliable inexpensive SUV look no further, its right here. Forget about Chevrolet Blazers and Ford Explorers. They dont hold a candle to the Pathfinder.

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  2005 Nissan Murano - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Chris Landis - July 12 - 1:53 pm

  after my first service with another dealership I had a bad service with them, with a shimmy in the steering wheel, never had it until they did the service, so I went back to the dealer that I bought the Murano from and they have been great.They are the ones that fixed the shimmy in it. The other dealership had it out of line totally.

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  Rojo Jr. - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Simon - July 12 - 5:03 am

  This truck rocks!Nissan did everything right once again,power,looks,comfort and of course reliability.Move over Chevy&Dodge and look out Toyota. Nissan has built a great midsize truck. If you cant fit the Titan in the garage, buy this. The interior is a little shoddy,but who cares, its a truck with a pretty hefty motor. Tows my boat, my camper and even my mother- in-law. By the way its manufactured in Tennesee. Youll get respect on the road and the trail.