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 Luck - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By BDuece - April 15 - 6:13 pm

  I have had this vehicle for 2 1/2 years. Pros, Good handling, power, average 19 mpg, lots of room, exterior styling. Cons, The paint scratches and chips easily, slightly high road noise on than Highway, Relaibilty/quality is bad. Interior trim pieces come unsnaped often, Ac has been repaired 5 times. The clock is always fast. Computer is quirky, doors need to be realigned or adjusted frequently. Its had at least 6 recalls, doors rattle, strang vibration noises. etc. Service rep stated," we have had issues with these vehicles" Its at the dealership being repaired often. Nissan does little when you call in concerns?

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  Best in class - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By emmale - April 13 - 11:30 am

  I drove every econo box before I made a decision - Fit, Spectra, Aveo, xA, Corolla, Civic... none came close in interior comfort. Only those from Toyota and Honda drove as nice. That said, the automatic is a little clunky (I should have gotten the stick or the CV tranny!) Gas mileage is very disappointing, I drive all highway miles and struggle to get 28 mpgs.

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  Good but not great - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Khubo - April 13 - 2:10 am

  After driving all comers in the segment this is the one that my wife had to have. So far it has been a great purchase and has stopped all the hitting and fighting in the back seat. We have had a few issues: As everyone else states we have had the door rattles. This was recently fixed by the 3rd dealership we visited. When the van is left outdoors overnight and the temperature gets below freezing all the electronics except the throttle cease to work. This is very inconvenient in the middle of nowhere. the problem sorts itself out and the dealership has been unable to recreate the issue. I have turned the brake rotors once and am ready to do so again. I am sure this is due to wifes driving

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  pearl white paint discoloration - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By franklit - April 12 - 1:19 am

  I purchased a 2013 pearl white Nissan Altima about a month ago. When driving the car home from the dealership my husband and I stopped by a restaurant to eat and it was just beginning to get dark outside when my husband noticed a some light and dark stripes on the drivers side door, didnt think much about it until the next when it was light outside and could get a better look and also asked our son to look at the car to make sure he could also see the stripping or like tiger stripes and its definately visible. We also noticed at local dealerships there were also pearl white altimas with the same discoloration on the doors. So if you are deciding to buy a Pearl White Nissan Altima BE WARE

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  Poor quality control, good over all package - 2015 Nissan NV200
  By Avacado - April 10 - 10:13 pm

  I purchased this vehicle because I wanted an efficient(for what it is) vehicle to haul stuff around with every once in a while, while still being able to drive it on a day-to-day basis. I chose the NV200 over its competition because of its over all, first impression of value. The adrian steel accessory package is very nice. My van had everything I needed and nothing I didnt. Cruise control, power windows, aux, rear window. Its the perfect NV200 for me. But here is the sad part(and the reason I gave it a 2-star rating). The transmission shifts rough, not sure if this is normal or not but its not smooth especially at crawling speeds. Once up to speed it handles just fine. Its not making any noises so Im not complaining, but its something to consider as my car only has 1,600 miles at the moment. Ever since Ive had this van Ive brought it in 3 times(4th time in a few days) for warranty work. First, all of the window/door gaskets were warped. Since I dont usually stare at the back doors, I just got the front window gasket replaced(with ones that werent warped and wavy). I also noticed there is factory paint over-spray on the dash board. A lot of the panel gaps arent even. Rust Sealant under the vehicle is poorly slapped on(makes me wonder what else is wrong with it). Sliding Door latches already broke at 1,500 miles. They will open but wont close. There is an annoying rattle that the dealer says is normal, even though for the first 1000 miles I heard nothing. Also the badges around the car are either not aligned right, or are loose and wiggle around. Over all a decent tool for every day use but dont expect something that is well put together. The design, or intended design is great. Only problem is quality control(I assume because its a 3-vin not a 1 or J like the other Nissans Ive had). UPDATE: I am currently at 10,000 miles. The transmission has fixed itself, shifts smoother now. No mechanical issues so far. Rear drum brakes sqeak alittle which is an easy fix(brake lube). Ive gotten used to the quality of the van so no complaints for now. Ive put this van to work, its held up well. UPDATE 2: have 20,000 miles now. No issues. Been reliable and trouble free. No complaints. Sliding doors are still out of alignment(wont latch completely) but Ive figured out a way to close them. Itd be nice if it had a bigger gas tank. Find myself filling up nearly weekly with the range being 400-410 max.

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  reliability - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By ginubrian - April 9 - 10:00 am

  Realibilty on this car is extremely questionable. I am not alone either...try checking the spec v forums.

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  blue max - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By grenk - April 8 - 2:00 am

  spent 6 months looking at different cars and finally decided on maxima. Very impressive car. Great, quiet ride and I average over 26 mpgs on highway going 65-70 with the cruise on. Very tight suspention, great radio, power, ride

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  Second Car and Used But Great - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Neal - April 7 - 8:26 am

  I am a college student and this is my second car and I love it. I have had it for about a year and I have had no problems with this car. I drive it back and forth to college and home about 2000 mile round trip. All I have to do to the car is get the oil changed and replace the tires and she runs perfectly.

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  Dislikes wind noise and engine noise (4-cyl.) - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By dimension - April 6 - 3:38 pm

  This is my very first Nissan. I bought the second week of December. I really, really like this 2015 Altima 2.5 SV except for its engine noise. I wouldnt mind engine noise if it sounds like a masculine growl, but this one sounds like a drowning engine with a broken exhaust. And after 1,600 miles it seems like the engine noise is louder, and now it has wind noise too!

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  Gas Guzzler - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By murano owner - April 4 - 12:06 am

  While I love the look feeling and driving this car it is horrible on gas mileage. I live and work in a major city and only get 9.4 miles per gallon when Im driving in the city. I can get in the high 20s on the highway, but for me this poor fuel economy is making me consider selling after only 1 year.